Dental Assistants face exciting challenges on a daily basis, and play a critical role in today’s health care system. The Dental Assisting program can prepare you to be a capable and skillful dental assistant. Students learn to function as a vital partner to the dentist while following guidelines of the Dental Board of California. Students become skillful at taking x-rays, making dental impressions, as well as performing coronal polish, restorative, oral surgery, and orthodontic procedures. The program includes emphasis on patient preparation, law, ethics, administrative duties, telephone techniques, and computer skills. Dental Assisting students are provided with the training necessary to obtain an x-ray certificate and a coronal polish certificate, which are approved by the Committee on Dental Auxiliaries of the Dental Board of California. After successful completion of the program, graduates are able to apply for and take the State of California Dental Board examination for licensure as a Registered Dental Assistant. Employment opportunities include positions in private dental offices, private and governmental hospitals, state and local public health departments, clinics, and dental schools.