Wake Tech is operating on a normal schedule on Monday. Officials will watch the weather and make any adjustments to classes if needed. Please monitor Wake Tech WARN for updates.
Dental assistants play a critical role in delivering high-quality oral health care. The profession is well suited for individuals who demonstrate strong communication skills, possess manual dexterity and seek a career with meaningful responsibilities and opportunities for growth.
The Dental Assisting program provides knowledge, practical skills and professional values to support public health and advance the dental profession. Faculty are committed to providing a student-centered educational experience that promotes critical thinking, independent judgment and professional conduct to maximize each student's academic, clinical and personal development.
The program features advanced technology designed to enhance student learning and clinical training:
Wake Tech contracts with health care sites to provide clinical training to students. These clinical sites require that students assigned there provide a criminal background check to Wake Tech and that the college notify the site of any individuals who have criminal records.
The background check includes every county where an applicant has lived during the past 10 years. "Criminal record" includes the following:
Clinical sites have the right to refuse any student with a criminal record from receiving training in their facility. Wake Tech has no input in these decisions. Most clinical sites will not review or make a determination on cases that have not been resolved.
Students must comply with the requirements of clinical facilities regarding immunizations. Proof of immunity is mandated with rare exceptions, and only if there is a documented medical reason, such as pregnancy, allergy or a life-threatening reaction.
The Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene programs at Wake Tech are committed to maintaining the highest standards of infection prevention and environmental safety in all instructional and clinical settings. The programs strictly adhere to current guidelines and regulations issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners.
Students enrolled in these programs may encounter bloodborne and/or airborne pathogens through contact with blood, body fluids and aerosols generated during patient care procedures. As part of their professional responsibilities, students must understand the potential for transmission of infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, the hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Although the overall risk of disease transmission in dental settings is considered low, it remains a significant consideration in clinical practice.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, discrimination against patients with infectious diseases, including HIV, is prohibited. Students are therefore required to provide care to all assigned patients regardless of health status.
Students shall not engage in patient care activities until they have successfully completed comprehensive training in infection control, universal/standard precautions and emergency preparedness, consistent with current OSHA and CDC standards. Students must demonstrate competency in these areas within laboratory or preclinical environments prior to progression to clinical care. This requirement ensures readiness to manage both routine infection control procedures and potential medical emergencies in the dental setting.
Faculty oversight is maintained throughout laboratory, preclinical and clinical instruction to ensure compliance with established infection control protocols and to promote a safe learning and clinical environment. The programs remain committed to ongoing evaluation and updating of infection control practices to align with evolving evidence-based guidelines and public health recommendations.
Potential employers are welcome to post job openings at no cost on Handshake, Wake Tech's career services platform. Opportunities may include positions for dental hygienists, dental assistants, front office staff and related roles.
Additionally, the Dental Assisting program maintains a private alumni Facebook group where job openings are shared with graduates who are active on the platform. To have a job opening posted in this group, email the job details to Assistant Professor Cindy Daniels at [email protected].
Wake Tech academic programs (degree and non-degree) that are designed to lead to professional licenses are tied to North Carolina or national certifications. If you intend to pursue professional licenses outside North Carolina once you have completed your academic program at Wake Tech, please refer to the Professional Licensure section of the college's distance education authorization page for additional information.
The Dental Assisting program is accredited by the American Dental Association and the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and has been granted the accreditation status of Accredited Without Reporting Requirements. The commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
A copy of the Dental Assisting Accreditation Standards is available online, along with the CODA Policies and Procedures, including guidelines for filing complaints. CODA can be contacted at 800-232-6108 or at 401 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 3300, Chicago, IL 60611-2678. The commission's website is https://coda.ada.org.
Wake Technical Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees. Wake Technical Community College also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Wake Technical Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling 404-679-4500 or by using information available on SACSCOC's website (www.sacscoc.org).