Training 熊猫在线视频's Best: Dental Assisting Program Delivers
by Jordana Newman |
Students and employers alike say UAA's dental assisting program is a key to great job placement rates鈥攁nd excellent patient care.
Being born and raised in 熊猫在线视频, dental assisting student Leah Emery knew it was important to stay in state for the higher education she needed to pursue a high-demand career.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to go out of state for college. I saw this as a learning opportunity to stay in a place I know and love,鈥� said Emery, who was accepted to the dental assisting program in fall 2020 when precautions for COVID-19 were still in place. 鈥淥ur class was a little different than previous classes due to COVID, so we had to adjust. But luckily, we had more one-on-one time being a smaller group, so we progressed faster.鈥�
Progressing in the dental field is one of many reasons Emery chose to apply to the
UAA dental assisting program. It is the only publicly available accredited dental
assisting program in the state and an undergraduate certificate degree can be completed
in less than a year. This makes it highly desirable to students who are ready to launch
their health care careers in a shorter period of time while accumulating college credits.
鈥淭his program provides the basics鈥攁nd once you have the basics, you can receive more certifications like anesthesia, so you can build onto this program,鈥� Emery said. 鈥淭here are a lot of opportunities. You can be an orthodontist assistant, you can be a surgical assistant, you can work in general dentistry, you can be a pediatric assistant鈥攖here are so many specialties you can go into. A dental assistant has a variety of options.鈥�
With the wide range of options dental assistants can choose from, it鈥檚 no surprise there is a large need for trained dental assistants in 熊猫在线视频. 鈥淚 have had to train on-the-job for several of my assistants because of the difficulty I have had in finding trained, quality dental assistants,鈥� said Anchorage dentist Dr. Ben Mishler, owner of Peak Health Dentistry. 鈥淚 definitely prefer hiring assistants that have been formally trained, at least with the program at UAA.鈥�
This high demand means dental assisting students usually have a job lined up once
they complete the program. Molly Copple, who completed the UAA dental assisting program
in 2017, impressed many dentists with the real-world experience and strong work ethic
she gained in the program. 
鈥淎fter I completed the program, I did partake in an externship with a couple of dental
practices and I was offered a job in all offices,鈥� Copple said. 鈥淚 do believe that
everyone who has gone through this program has been offered dental assisting positions
and it is well known around 熊猫在线视频 for how successful this program is.鈥�
Although Emery won鈥檛 graduate until Summer 2021, she has already been offered jobs thanks to the knowledge she has achieved in the program. She has also found that recent changes to the program have given students more flexibility, such as distance delivery courses and the option for full-time or part-time enrollment. 鈥淚 like what they鈥檙e doing with the online courses right now. I live in the valley so I have to commute鈥攕o it鈥檚 really nice they鈥檙e allowing us to take certain classes online,鈥� she said.
Emery said she isn鈥檛 ready for her time in the program to be over after meeting so many wonderful people. 鈥淭he faculty make the program so fun. They make you want to do more and learn more and they鈥檙e just awesome. It makes me sad it鈥檚 coming to an end,鈥� she said. But she reminds herself she will always have lifelong relationships from being in the program. 鈥淲e made good friends and had a really good experience. It鈥檚 like a community.鈥�
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