Careers

With a certificate in Dental Assisting, students are eligible to take the three Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) exams to become Certified Dental Assistants (CDA). This certification is currently accepted in 39 states, giving students the flexibility to transfer their career to another location. Graduates of COCC’s Dental Assisting program have real-world, hands-on experience and are in high demand throughout Oregon and beyond. Some graduates begin their careers as dental assistants and later return to school to become dental hygienists or dentists.

Definitions for infographic:

• General Dentistry – Working with a dentist to perform the majority of dental procedures.
• Oral Surgery – Working with an oral surgeon to perform surgical procedures.
• Orthodontics – Working with oral appliances such as braces.
• Pedodontics – Dentistry specializing in treating children.
• Periodontics – Dentistry that includes surgery related to oral tissues (gums).
• Prosthodontics – Dentistry specialty focused on making replacements for missing or damaged teeth, such as dentures and dental implants.