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Program Admission

Dental Assisting Program Admission

The USI Dental Assisting program accepts 24 students annually from approximately 40 applications received. Classes are selected once a year in May for the fall semester, with an application deadline of March 1. There are no interviews for admission, and a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale is required.

To be considered for admission to the dental assisting program, students must complete the following requirements:

Acceptance to the University of Southern Indiana. 

  • To apply to the University, you must complete an admission application with USI Admissions.
  • Dental Assisting applications will be considered for admission after the student has applied and been accepted to the University.
  • Official college transcripts should be sent to the USI Undergraduate Admissions office.
  • Acceptance notifications for the Dental Assisting program are typically sent out by June of the application year.

Completion of prerequisite courses with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 (4.0 scale).

  • All prerequisite courses must be completed prior to beginning the Dental Assisting professional curriculum.
  • All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
  • Courses include:
    • ENG 101 - Rhetoric and Composition I: Literacy and the Self Credits: 3
    • CMST 101 - Introduction to Public Speaking Credits: 3
    • HP 115 - Medical Terminology for the Health Professions Credits: 2

Completion of a Dental Office Observation Form

Candidates for admission must be capable of fulfilling clinical practice requirements.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees information can be found on the Bursar website. There are additional costs of for textbooks, certification exams, uniforms, CPR certification, American Dental Assistants Association membership, and supplies.

Successful Completion

Upon completion, students earn a Certificate after one year or an Associate Degree after two years.

Required Courses

Pre-requisite Courses (8 hours)

ENG 101 - Rhetoric and Composition I: Literacy and the Self credits: 3
CMST 101 - Introduction to Public Speaking credits: 3
HP 115 - Medical Terminology credits: 2

Required Coursework (33 hours)

DTAS 111 - Oral Pathology credits: 1
DTAS 122 - Clinical Science I credits: 5
DTAS 144 – Introduction to Dental Specialties credits: 1
DTAS 156 - Human Systems I credits: 3
DTAS 158 - Practice Management, Ethics, and Jurisprudence credits: 2
DTAS 166 - Human Systems II credits: 3
DTAS 175 - Preventive Dentistry credits: 2
DTAS 177 – Dental Assisting Skills Laboratory credits: 2
DTAS 181 - Clinical Science II credits: 6
DTHY 303 - Oral Radiology credits: 3
DTHY 308 - Applied Dental Materials credits: 3
DTHY 314 - Oral Anatomy credits: 2

Optional Elective (3 hours)

DTAS 291 – Expanded Functions Dental Assisting credits: 3

The Associate of Science degree is available to certificate program graduates who complete a second academic year. Of the 60 hours required to graduate with an Associate of Science degree 25 hours must be Core 39 courses. At the completion of the dental assisting certificate curriculum the student will have earned 41 hours; six of the 41 credits are Core 39 courses. Nineteen additional hours of Core 39 courses are needed to graduate with an Associate of science degree in dental assisting. The 19 Core 39 hours can be selected from the following categories:

Foundations Composition credits: 3
Foundations Mathematics credits: 3-4
Ways of Creative and Aesthetic Knowing Expression credits: 3
Ways of Historical Knowing Inquiry credits: 3
Ways of Moral and Ethical Knowing Reasoning credits: 3
Ways of Scientific and Knowing Mathematical Inquiry credits: 3
Ways of Social Knowing Inquiry credits: 3
Ways of World Languages Knowing and Culture credits: 3
Natural Science (with at least one lab) credits: 8-9

Pre-requisite Courses (8 hours)

ENG 101 - Rhetoric and Composition I: Literacy and the Self credits: 3
CMST 101 - Introduction to Public Speaking credits: 3
HP 115 - Medical Terminology credits: 2

Required Coursework (33 hours)

DTAS 111 - Oral Pathology credits: 1
DTAS 122 - Clinical Science I credits: 5
DTAS 144 – Introduction to Dental Specialties credits: 1
DTAS 156 - Human Systems I credits: 3
DTAS 158 - Practice Management, Ethics, and Jurisprudence credits: 2
DTAS 166 - Human Systems II credits: 3
DTAS 175 - Preventive Dentistry credits: 2
DTAS 177 – Dental Assisting Skills Laboratory credits: 2
DTAS 181 - Clinical Science II credits: 6
DTHY 303 - Oral Radiology credits: 3
DTHY 308 - Applied Dental Materials credits: 3
DTHY 314 - Oral Anatomy credits: 2

Optional Elective (3 hours)

DTAS 291 – Expanded Functions Dental Assisting credits: 3

How to Apply to the Dental Assisting Program

Make sure you meet the prerequisites and admission requirements as stated above before applying.

Submit an application to the USI Dental Assisting Program, along with the Dental Office Observation Form, by March 1st of the calendar year you desire admission to the program.

If you have questions about the application process or for program information, contact: