Start Your Career in Dental Assisting at Bunker Hill Community College
Ready to begin a rewarding healthcare career in a high-demand, fast-evolving field?
The Dental Assisting Essentials course at Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) equips you with the clinical, digital, and surgical skills necessary to launch your future as a modern dental assistant.
Program Snapshot
| Course Number and Title: | NON-902E “Dental Assisting Essentials” |
| Tuition: | $1,959 |
| Course Length< | 25 Weeks |
| Total Instructional | 105 Hours (75 Classroom + 30 Clinical Lab, including one CPR session) |
| Location | Chelsea Campus – 5th Floor, Suite 507, Room 509 |
| *Textbook | Modern Dental Assisting, 13th Edition |
* The textbook is included in your tuition and may be picked up at the college bookstore two weeks before the course starts. Bookstore contact information and hours of operation can be accessed here: https://www.bhcc.edu/bookstore/
Course Structure and Schedule
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Spring Semester: February – August. See the Spring 2026 Dental Assisting Class Schedule
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Fall Semester: October – April
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Tuesdays: 75 hours of Lecture & Non-Clinical Lab (6:00 PM – 9:00 PM)
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Thursdays: 27 hours of Clinical Dental Lab (6:00 PM – 8:30 PM)
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Saturday: One 4-hour CPR session with exam (9:30 AM – 1:30 PM)
- Dental Ethics & Legal Compliance
- Oral Anatomy & Physiology
- Infection Control & OSHA Protocols
- Practice Management Systems (Dentrix)
- Radiographic Simulation & Sensor Handling
- Digital Dentistry (iOS scanning, digital imaging workflows)
- Surgical Assisting in Dental Implants and Extractions
- Chairside Assisting in General & Specialty Dentistry
Achieve Essential Skills and Certifications
This course is designed to prepare you for the real world, ensuring you achieve mastery in both knowledge and clinical skills.
Certifications and Readiness
Upon successful completion of the course requirements, you will:
- Attain Competency in Key Areas:
- Infection Control: Apply CDC-compliant sterilization and disinfection methods, and demonstrate proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
- Clinical Assisting: Assist in four-handed dentistry, set up trays for specialty procedures, and manage moisture control.
- Patient Care: Manage dental records, measure and interpret vital signs, and respond in simulated medical emergency scenarios.
- Radiography: Position intraoral radiographic sensors and simulate image capture protocols (non-exposure).
- Earn Your CPR Certification: The course includes Basic Life Support (BLS) training (4 hours on a Saturday morning), and you will earn your CPR certification once you pass the exam.
- Be Prepared for DANB Exams: The curriculum prepares you to take the DANB RHS (Radiology Health & Safety) and DANB Infection Control (ICE) exams, which are components of the full CDA certification. Exam fees are not included in tuition. Exams administered through the DANB include:
About the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) Certification
The CDA exam includes RHS, ICE, and GC exams, lasts 195 minutes, has 245 questions, and is a milestone achievement.
To earn CDA certification, you must pass the Radiation Health and Safety (RHS), Infection Control (ICE) and General Chairside Assisting (GC) exams within a five-year period. The exams may be taken together or separately. There are no eligibility requirements to take the RHS and ICE exams.
This non-CODA accredited course allows you to take the CDA exam through Pathway II as cited by DANB.
To become a Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) in Massachusetts, you generally need 3,500 hours of approved work experience, though this can also be met through two years of full-time work over a four-year period. In addition to the work experience, you must also pass the DANB's Radiation Health and Safety, Infection Control, and General Chairside Assisting exams.
Pathway II
Minimum at least two years to a maximum of four years of dental assisting work experience; must be verified by a licensed dentist.
Required Documentation to take the CDA exam (When this section is clicked, the answer below is revealed).
Completed Employer Work Experience Statement (WES), signed by a licensed dentist. Only the Work Experience Statement form found on page 12 of the CDA Application Packet is acceptable documentation. Visit the DANB CDA page for details.
Letters from employers or pay stubs showing hours worked are not acceptable.
AND
High school graduation or equivalent:
- Copy of diploma, GED certificate or copy of a transcript from an institution recognized in the U.S. or Canadian education system OR
- Proof of college or postsecondary coursework at an institution accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency
If high school is outside U.S. and Canada:
- Copy of high school or postsecondary diploma/transcript with graduation date
- Copy of document translated into English
- Copy of an equivalency report from any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services
Note on Obtaining Your Dental Assisting Licensure
Completing this course does not automatically qualify you for a Dental Assisting license in Massachusetts. In Massachusetts, to become a licensed Dental Assistant with a non-CODA accredited education, you must complete six months of supervised on-the-job training (OJT) and then pass the Board of Registration in Dentistry (BORID) ethics and jurisprudence exam, along with completing required courses in coronal polishing, radiation safety, and dental sealants.
Your supervising dentist will help you obtain your Dental Assisting license in the state of Massachusetts.
Externship Placement
The clinical externship is a mandatory and critical component of your training, providing real-world experience.
- Placement Process: An externship coordinator will contact you starting on the 11th week to begin the placement process. You will submit required documents and prioritize your desired placement based on geographic location.
- Length: The externship lasts for 2 weeks or 80 hours.
- Requirements: You will be required to comply with all externship site immunization requirements, including TB and/or Hepatitis B series, and submit proof of your current CPR certification. You must also provide your updated resume to the coordinator.
Application Process
The application deadline for the Dental Assisting Essentials course that starts February 17, 2026 is December 10, 2025. Please review the following eligibility criteria and submission requirements carefully. Meeting these requirements is mandatory to being considered for entry into the course.
1. Required Application Documents
The following documents must be submitted as part of your application package:
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Proof of Education |
To verify foundational academic readiness. |
Submit either a copy of your High School Diploma, GED, or HiSet. OR an Unofficial College Transcript NOTE 1: ALL translated documents must include the stamp/seal and signature of the official translator.
NOTE 2: If you have earned your degree or certificate from a college or university, you do not need to submit your high school diploma or transcript.
NOTE 3: International high school diplomas and transcripts not in English must be translated into English and evaluated. Translation agencies to consider: |
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Updated Professional Resume |
To review your work and educational background. |
Ensure all contact information and relevant experience is current. |
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Personal Essay (Maximum Half-Page) |
To assess your motivation, writing ability, and career focus. |
Your essay must be no more than half a page in length and cover the following three points: 1. A brief background about yourself. 2. Why you are interested in studying Dental Assisting. 3. Your professional goals after successfully completing the course. |
2. Answer Survey Questions
After uploading your three required documents, you will be prompted to answer several survey questions, including one about transportation.
Student Gateway Upload Documents Visual Step By Step Guide
Start Your Dental Assisting Essentials Application
3. Process After Application Submission:
Should your initial application meet our eligibility requirements, you will be invited to participate in an interview to evaluate your communication and interpersonal abilities. Successful candidates will receive an invitation to join the cohort.
- Application Review: Your submitted documents are reviewed. If you meet the initial requirements, your application will be recommended to advance to the interview stage.
- Interview (In-Person or Virtual): Candidates will be invited to do an interview.
- Decisions shared by January 15, 2026.
Any questions, please contact dentalassisting@bhcc.edu