Dental Assisting (DNTA) Program Admission Guide

Program Duration (Number of Semesters)		Study Mode
Full Time: 3 semesters	Part-Time: N/A	Face-to-Face, Hybrid and Offsite Clinical Rotations

 

• Program days and times may vary, but you should plan to attend classes 4-5 days a week.
• Day classes are generally between 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 
• Clinicals are scheduled based on the office hours of affiliate dental offices. Typically, these hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Please plan accordingly to ensure you have proper transportation.
  
  

 

On average, approximately 50 - 80 students apply for admission each application period. Of these, only 30 are accepted for the fall cohort and 12 for the spring cohort.

 

1.   Apply to HCC:

If you are new to college or transferring to HCC, your first step is to become an HCC Eagle by submitting a free admissions application to HCC. Please create a profile and complete an application to obtain an HCC student ID number: https://prod.applytexas.org/. You will receive a welcome email response from HCC within 48 hours, be sure to save your HCCID-Number or P-Number/D-Number (if you are assigned one). If you have filled out an HCC application at any point, or you already have an HCC student ID number, please do not submit another HCC application. Multiple HCC new student applications and/or ID numbers are not allowed.

If you have not been enrolled for the past 3 semesters and returning to HCC, then you will need to reactivate your HCC student account: Returning Student Readmission | Houston Community College (HCC)

2.   Apply for Financial Aid
      (this step is applied for students who are seeking Financial Aid):

All students should apply for financial aid immediately after applying for admission to HCC. Filling out a financial aid application is the first step in learning your options to pay for college. HCC accepts financial aid applications throughout the year, submitting an application early will give you a better chance of securing aid.
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.gov,
- Free Application for Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) at hccs.edu/tasfa.
If you need assistance paying for college, please visit the Coleman Financial Aid office for assistance or visit www.hccs.edu/applying-and-paying/financial-aid/

3.   My Eagle HCC account checklist:

Please visit: myeagle.hccs.edu, review and take action on the HCC Policy Checklist and On-Boarding Checklist. Your To-do List may have four types of checklist items in your Student Center including Meningitis Vaccine and Texas Success Initiative requirements:

• Meningitis Vaccine – Required for all college students under the age of 22. For more information on requirements, resources & any religious, medical, or online students exemptions, please visit: Meningitis 
• Texas Success Initiative requirements – If you have the "Texas Success Initiative College Readiness Requirements" Checklist on your pre-enrollment To-do List in the Student Center, you have to be placed into core courses one of two ways.

- Have an approved exemption (reason) for not taking Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2). Please visit Texas Success Initiative Assessment/ Exemption for more information. OR

- Take the Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2). Please visit: Texas Success Initiative Assessment for more information. 

4.   Meet with HCC Coleman College Advisor:

At least once during the application acceptance period, an applicant must attend an In-Person/Virtual Program Information Session or must meet with an HCC Coleman Pathway Advisor or HCC Coleman Admissions Advisor via the phone or in-person or virtually at least once to ensure they are meeting all of the program admission criteria. To view up-to-date in-person hours for Coleman College Student Services https://www.hccs.edu/support-services/academic-advising/. 

5.   Program Information Session:

Attend the online Program Information Session at https://www.hccs.edu/programs/areas-of- study/health-sciences/dental-assisting/. If you have questions regarding the online delivery of program information sessions, please contact via email: healthscience.info@hccs.edu.

6.   Program Application:

In addition to the HCC admission application, you must complete and submit the Dental Assisting program application via email to co.dntaadmit@hccs.edu with:
-Evidence of HCC Coleman college advisor advisee notes or email
-Copy of high school or GED transcript
-College transcript showing completion of the academic course and other applicable supporting documents. Academic courses are not required for admission application but are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to be taken in advance to receive additional points on your application score.
Please refer to the section: Program Application: Academic Course Requirements to learn about additional criteria to earn rubric scores. Please send all of the application documents in one email, and label each attachment with the file name. 

 

7.   Submit official transcripts:

Please submit your official sealed (unopened) transcript(s) from all colleges and/or Universities previously attended. If you have completed your courses at HCC, you do not need to submit an official transcript.

Submit high-school diploma/transcript or GED (official transcript is recommended). If an applicant is applying for Financial Aid then applicant must provide one of the following documents that indicate their high school completion status: A copy of a high school diploma. A copy of a final, official high school transcript that shows the date when the diploma was awarded.

There are two ways to submit an official transcript/s: 

• Submit by Mail: Please use the address: Houston Community College, Office of Admissions & Records, P.O. Box 667517, Houston, TX 77266-7517 
• Submit Electronically: Have an official PDF transcript electronically sent from approved service providers such as Credentials, Parchment, and National Student Clearinghouse to: admissions@hccs.edu
• All foreign transcripts must be evaluated for US equivalency and foreign transcripts must first be evaluated course-by-course by an approved evaluating agency. To find a list of approved evaluation companies, please visit Foreign transcript/ Foreign Credit Evaluators. Then the official evaluation report must submit to HCC. The HCC Internal process can take up to 8 weeks for evaluation and transfer of course credits.
• Please visit: http://www.hccs.edu/support-services/transfers/transferring-credits/ for more information in order to apply all possible earned credits toward your future degree plan.
  For more information on transcript(s) submission, please visit: Transcript(s). It is the responsibility of the student to allow enough time for the evaluation of transcripts; please allow 6-8 weeks for evaluation and transfer of course credits.
  To receive Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credit towards admissions to the Dental Assisting program, applicant should not have previously taken or attempted the course (by title), that is the same as the PLA credit for which he/she is applying. For more information on PLA you may visit: https://www.hccs.edu/resources-for/current-students/prior-learning-assessment/ 
• International Students: If you are an international student planning to attend HCC on a status F-1, (DACA, refugee, L visa, H visa, ), please visit https://www.hccs.edu/support-services/international- students/.
• Veteran students: Please visit https://hccs.edu/support-services/veteran-affairs/. Download and complete DD Form 214 & SF-180 Form and submit with the application.

 

Course Description
Student Success Course N/A
Prerequisite Courses N/A
Cumulative GPA College GPA of 2.3 or higher, not required for admission application but applicant will receive additional points on application score.
Academic Courses Academic courses are not required for admission application but are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to be taken in advance to receive additional points on your application score. HPRS 1201 – Introduction to Health Professions ( 2 credit hours) with a grade of ‘B’ or higher upon application submission This course can be substituted with EDUC 1300 Student Success course or college-level courses with a minimum of 12 credits or as approved by the Program Director. ENGL 1301 - English Composition I with a minimum grade of ‘C’ or higher upon application submission.
Placement Test - Not required for Certificate l course but applicant with TSI completion status will receive additional points on application score. TSI Completion is required for the Allied Health - Dental Assisting - Specialization, A.A.S All new students enrolling in a Texas Public Institution of Higher Education must take the TSIA2 to determine college readiness unless they qualify for an exemption. Visit TSIA Exemptions for a list of exemptions. If your TSIA scores or transcript do not indicate college-level proficiency in reading, writing, and math, you are required to complete INRW 0420 and one of the specified MATH courses with a minimum grade of 'C' or higher. - INRW 0420 - Integrated Reading and Writing - MATH 0432P - Basic Mathematics & Contemporary Mathematics OR - MATH 0424P - Basic Mathematics & Introduction to Business Mathematics OR - MATH 0442P - Basic Mathematics & Introduction to Statistics
Testing N/A
If you would like to determine your eligibility by calculating your cumulative points earned, please use our Admission Rubric form.

 

 

When the number of eligible applications exceeds program seat availability, selective criteria are used to determine which applicants are offered admission. Selective criteria are awarded based on the following:

• 75% may be awarded based on the health program academic criteria.
  (grades earned from pre-entry form, required and recommended courses and general education requirements)
• 25% may be awarded based on the interview process.
• All application requirements must be satisfied by the close of the application window.

If you are offered admission you will need to complete the following pre-enrollment requirements by a specific due date to maintain eligible status.
Please note the Program Director will be in contact with you once your Letter of Intent has been received to provide you the information on the process of getting a background check, drug screen, personal health insurance, and deadlines for immunizations. Please check your email regularly for updates and information.

• Complete the letter of Intent form by the deadline stated in the Admission Acceptance Offer email that will be sent to your submitted email address with the program application.
• Immunization and Physical examination form, Immunization record. You may download the form, from the Dental Assisting page.
• Immunization record showing: Completion of Hepatitis B immunization series (may take up to 6 months), MMR – 2 shots or titer, Tdap – every 10 years, TB – every year, Varicella – 2 shots or titer, Meningitis (required for students 22 years or younger)– after September 1st
• Drug Screening – information will be provided at the program orientation
• Dental cleaning and Exam (program department will provide the information)
• Cleared Background check

Individuals with a positive background must declare with Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE) and provide a letter from TSBDE that applicant will be eligible for registration.

• CPR (BLS) for the Healthcare Provider (must have hands-on component - not online)
• Complete the mandatory Program Orientation on the date provided in your admission acceptance email.

(Please clear your calendar so you are available to attend the mandatory program orientation and student services orientation if you are offered admission: Fall Term – plan to attend both orientations between July to August; Spring Term – plan to attend between December to January)

 

• Clinical Requirements for Program Progression & Completion

To provide students with the most robust clinical educational experience and to ensure that students progress and graduate as scheduled, it is highly recommended that applicants weigh all of their options before agreeing to a conditional acceptance into their desired health science program. In order to facilitate this decision-making, students should understand all of the requirements of their program, including clinical education.

To be placed in a clinical educational experience, students must comply with the guidelines and requirements of HCC clinical sites, including health and wellness directives. Most clinical sites require background checks, health testing, drug screens and immunizations, including proof of COVID-19 vaccination. 

Students are required to provide to HCC proof that students meet all clinical requirements, with the exception of their COVID-19 vaccination status.  Consistent with state law, HCC does not mandate the COVID-19 vaccination. Students have the choice to voluntarily disclose or not disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status through their HCC Complio account.

However, most healthcare facilities do require the vaccine as a condition of employment, volunteering, or student clinical placement.  If a student chooses not to disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status or is not vaccinated, HCC may not be able to place the student in clinical rotations.  HCC will work to place such students into a clinical site that does not require the vaccine, provided such a site is available and HCC has an active affiliation agreement in place that meets the necessary conditions to provide an appropriate learning opportunity for the student.  However, HCC cannot guarantee that clinical sites that do not require the COVID vaccine will be available at the time the student requires placement.  At this time, many healthcare facilities are not accepting religious or medical exemptions for the COVID-19 vaccine for clinical students.

If a student chooses not to receive or to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and no clinical sites are available to accept the student that do not require the COVID-19 vaccination, the student’s progression in the program and graduation will be delayed or stopped all together.  If a student cannot be timely placed in a qualifying clinical site, a student may not be able to complete the program. Our affiliate partners’ expectations are the same for our students as they would be when our students ultimately become employees in their chosen field.

Students with questions about clinical requirements and placement may contact the program director of their program of interest. 

• HB 1508 requires the following information be given to students:

If you are applying for admission to a program that prepares an individual for an initial occupational license or certification and/or if you later decide to change to a program that prepares you for an initial occupational license or certification, in accordance with state law, please be advised of the following: 

1. An individual who has been charged or convicted of an offense or who is on probation may not be eligible for issuance of an occupational license or certification upon completion of the educational program.
2. It is the responsibility of the individual to immediately report to the program any change in status that would affect that individual’s eligibility to apply for a license or certification.
3. Local, state or national licensing and certification authorities may issue additional guidelines related to criminal history. Applicant should contact their respective licensing or certification authority for more details.

Most health care programs require all students, admitted to the program, to submit to a national background check which may include fingerprinting. Applicants are encouraged to review all applicable eligibility requirements related to the respective occupational license or Certification. Questions related to eligibility requirements should be directed to the individual program and applicable licensing or certification authority.

• The Dental Assisting Program requires participation in clinical rotations in order to complete the program. In order to participate in clinical rotations at our affiliate sites, certain background information must be verifed. Students participating in clinical rotations must meet the same background verifications as clinical staff at our affiliate sites. For that reason, we require students to submit the following required background information before admission/enrollment in the program is completed: 

1. Social Security Number Verification
2. Criminal Search (7 or up to 5 criminal searches)
3. Violent Sexual Offender and Predator Registry Search
4. OIG List of Excluded Individuals/Entities
5. GSA List of Parties Excluded from Federal Programs
6. US Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), List of Specially Designated nationals (SDN)
7. State Exclusive List https://hhs.texas.gov/
8. Driver’s license or government issued identification 

Please note: Verification of this information is the financial responsibility of the student and must be completed through the program-approved vendor. 

•  HCC Coleman College Grading Scale

To best prepare students for success in their chosen fields, Health Sciences Programs have high standards for progression. Unlike other HCC programs, the Dental Assisting program requires a C (70%) or better to progress to the next course or semester in the program. For specific questions about grades, grading, and progression within Health Science programs, please contact Coleman College at healthscience.info@hccs.edu. 

Dental Assisting Program Grading Scale

A = 100 – 90 %

B = 89 – 80 %

C = 79 – 70 %*

D = 69 – 60 %

F = 59 – 0 % 

*A grade of C (70%) or better must be achieved to progress to the next course or semester. 

 

Tuition is estimated using the Texas resident rates. Out of district and out of state residents will have a higher tuition fees. Please visit http://www.hccs.edu/applying-and-paying/tuition-calculator/ for more information. Tuition is for core coursework only. General Education and Support courses are not included. These are high estimates; actual costs will vary depending on health insurance coverage.

Due to increases/decreases in books and supplements, please check the book store website at https://hccs.bncollege.com/shop/hccs-central/home for updated cost information. Only required books are included in the estimate.

Program Cost(In-District):
SPRING COHORT  

Pre Entrance
Criminal Background/Drug Screening	$ 95.00
Physical Exam	$ 200.00
Immunizations	$ 100.00
Student Kit	$ 225.00
CPR	$ 50.00
Uniforms	$ 300.00
Subtotal	$ 970.00
Spring Semester - 17 semester hours
Tuition	$ 1,437.50
Books	$ 450.00
Misc Supplies	$ 100.00
ADAA Student Membership (optional)	$ 35.00
Parking	Varies
Subtotal	$ 2,022.50
Summer Semester - 8 semester hours
Tuition	$ 682.00
Parking	Varies
Subtotal	$ 682.00
Fall Semester - 13 semester hours
Tuition	$ 1103.50
Registration Course & Exam Fee	$ 180.00
National Board Exam Fee (optional)	$ 450.00
Clinical Tracking Service (Trajecys)	$ 100.00
Parking	Varies
Subtotal	$ 1,833.50
Estimated Program Cost	$ 5,508.00

 

FALL COHORT
Pre Entrance
Criminal Background/Drug Screening	$ 95.00
Physical Exam	$ 200.00
Immunization	$ 100.00
Student Kit	$ 225.00
CPR	$ 50.00
Uniform	$ 300.00
Subtotal	$ 970.00
Fall Semester (17 semester hours)
Tuition	$ 1,437.50
Books	$ 450.00
Miscellaneous Supplies	$ 100.00
ADAA Student Membership (Optional)	$ 35.00
Parking	Varies
Subtotal	$ 2,022.50
Spring Semester (16 semester hours)
Tuition	$ 1,354.00
Parking	Varies
Subtotal	$ 1,354.00
Summer Semester (5 semester hours)
Tuition	$ 428.50
National Board Exam Fee (CDA)	$ 450.00
Registration Course & Exam Fee	$ 180.00
Clinical Tracking Service (Trajecys)	$ 100.00
Parking	Varies
Subtotal	$ 1,158.50
Estimated Program Cost	$ 5,505.00

 

 

To view the degree plan, please visit the HCC Catalog for more information.

 

You can use a valid MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express card to pay for tuition and fees. You can also use debit card with Visa or MasterCard logo, but not a non-USA credit card. Online payment via check is also available.
Check or echeck payments have a 10 day hold on release of official transcripts. International students or their parents can also pay online from their country of origin with their local currency, where applicable. Online payment from other countries can be made through “International Fund Transfer” payment option. 

Additional Options for Payment

•  Financial Aid

If you need assistance paying for college, please visit the Coleman Financial Aid office for assistance or visit www.hccs.edu/applying-and-paying/financial-aid/

• Scholarships

In addition to federal and state aid, scholarships are a great way to offset all or part of the cost of your education. Please visit https://www.hccs.edu/applying-and-paying/financial-aid/scholarships/ for more information.

•  Installment Payment Plan

If you are paying out of pocket and need assistance on how to setup a payment plan, please visit Business Office at HCC Coleman or visit https://www.hccs.edu/applying-and-paying/student-financial-services/ for more information.

 

Accreditation Agency

Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. 

Employment Opportunities

Graduates may find work as a chairside assistant, receptionist, and office manager to the general or specialty dentist in private offices, clinics and other institutions. 

Average Salary

Entry-level salary range between $16 and $20 an hour. Find out the entry level wages, the medium wages and high wages for each career field in High School or less, Vocational Certificate, Associate's degree, Bachelor's degree and Graduate degree: Career Coach | Houston Community College (HCC) | We are  Houston's  Community College (hccs.edu)

 

Functional Capacity	Standards (Tasks)
Psychomotor Skills
Gross Motor	Move within confined spaces. Sit and maintain balance for long periods (e.g., 60-90minutes) multiple times a day. Stand and maintain balance for long periods (e.g., 60-90 minutes) multiple times a day. Reach above shoulders and below waist, stoop, and squat (e.g., pickup items from floor, plug/unplug machinery, retrieve items from operatory drawers, change/clean out plaster traps under sinks, etc.).
Fine Motor	Use manual dexterity to squeeze, pick up, grasp, and otherwise manipulate small objects and dental instruments (e.g., saliva ejector, dispense dental materials, operate fire extinguisher, etc.). Utilize writing utensils. Key/type and otherwise operate common desktop computer accessories.
Physical Strength & Endurance	Sustain repetitive movement. Complete an entire assigned shift in a dental office/clinic (e.g., eight (8) hours). Push and pull at least 50 pounds. Lift up to 25 pounds.
Mobility	Maneuver freely, safely, and efficiently in and around work areas, including within confined spaces. Perform continuous patient/client treatment, often requiring prolonged sitting, repeated position change, head and neck in prolonged downward position, and repetitive hand/wrist motion. Move independently. Respond rapidly to emergency situations.
Cognitive Skills
Critical & Analytical Thinking	Evaluate outcomes and prioritize tasks. Transfer knowledge from one situation to another. Use long-term and short-term memory. Synthesize knowledge and skills. Identify cause-and-effect relationships. Sequence information.
Safety	Abide by safety policies and procedures in classroom, laboratory, and clinical facility settings. Maintain awareness of alarms and emergency signals, and respond appropriately (e.g., monitors, fire alarms, etc.).
Sensory Skills
Observation	Perceive depth in surrounding environment. Maintain awareness of peripheral space. Peripheral color distinction (e.g., discern variations in color, size, and shape of oral tissues).

Perception	Perceive vibrations, differences in sizes, shapes, and surface characteristics. Detect temperature changes. Perceive verbal and nonverbal communication by others (e.g., respond to patients’/clients’ verbal inquiries). Perceive faint or muffled communication when the use of surgical masks is required. Communicate with other personnel involved in the care of the patient/client. Initiate timely response to alarms and emergency signals (e.g. monitors, fire alarms). Detect and distinguish odors from patient/client versus environment(e.g., detect foul smelling drainage versus detection of smoke).
Interpretation	Recognize and understand measurement marks and graphs (e.g., blood pressure readings, measurements of pulp canals for endodontic treatment, periodontal probing measurements, etc.). Use measurement tools recognized as essential to care (e.g., periodontal probe, blood pressure monitors, those used to discern depth of pulp canals, etc.).
Social-Behavioral Skills
Communication	Interpret and compose printed and digital communication using English in both the academic and clinical settings.
Adaptability	Adapt effectively to changing environments and increasing tension levels in a variety of situations. Demonstrate flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties and ambiguities inherent in the clinical problems of many patients/clients.
Emotional Stability	Establish therapeutic boundaries. Focus sustained attention on tasks. Tolerate taxing workloads and function effectively under stress. Monitor and appropriately regulate own emotions to maintain composure, without prompting from others (e.g., control anger and avoid aggressive behavior, even in very stressful or demanding situations). Recognize constructive criticism and performance feedback as avenues for improvement.
Interpersonal Skills	Negotiate interpersonal conflict. Demonstrate cultural sensitivity. Respect differences in, and establish rapport with patients/clients peers, faculty, and members of the health care team. Develop mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with others. Interact professionally and forthrightly with others.
Ethics & Professionalism	Demonstrate a strong work ethic, honesty, and ethical judgement. Exude willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. Establish and maintain personally challenging achievement goals and exert effort toward mastering tasks. React compassionately, ethically, and sensitively to the various needs of others. Exercise professional judgment in prioritizing needs of patients/clients. Protect patients’/clients’ privacy and confidential information (e.g., adhere to HIPAA restrictions).