Health Sciences - Dental Assistant with Expanded Functions

What is a Dental Assistant with Expanded Functions? A dental assistant performs many important tasks in a dental office, including handling patient records, scheduling appointments, sterilizing equipment, and preparing patients for procedures. Expanded functions may include fabricating temporary restoration and whitening trays, taking digital and analog X-rays, and creating impressions. Working as a Dental Assistant with Expanded Functions When you enroll in the Dental Assistant with Expanded Functions Diploma Program at UMA's Clearwater Campus, you'll learn field-spspecific subject matter such as dental and medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, vital signs, nutrition, health, infection control, tooth morphology, preventive dentistry, dental radiology, and dental office management. The training you receive will prepare you to pursue entry-level positions as a dental assistant. Employment is projected to grow 6% from 2024 to 2034, faster than average for all occupations. This field is projected to have 52,900 job openings each year, on average, over that decade.1 UMA graduates in this program have found entry-level dental assistant positions in the following environments: Dental officesPhysicians' offices Why UMA? 1-on-1 academic assistanceIndividual help in the job searchPotential resource guidance for outside the classroomCommitted advisors from start to finishUMA On-Campus LearningOn-campus programs are blended, featuring hands-on training and online coursework.Programs include on-site externships to help you gain real-world experience.You'll participate in classrooms with a maximum size of 25 students.Certification PrepOur programs help prepare you to sit for applicable certification exams.3Our team will help you with exam-focused material and support you in areas where you might need extra help, at no additional cost. What inspired me to do UMA is that I felt like I had been taking care of everyone else … it was just time for me to do something for myself. The role of a dental assistant differs from that of a dental hygienist since hygienists typically perform more complex work such as patient examinations, dental cleanings, and other preventative oral care.

Ultimate Medical Academy was founded in 1993 to serve the Tampa community’s need to train healthcare professionals, launched its online campus in 2009, and since 2015 has been owned by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (now Vocate Education Solutions). UMA says it has supported more than 100,000 graduates.

• UMA is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education.
• Many programs are fully online, and tech support is available 24/7.
• Standardized testing is not required to enroll: no SAT, GMAT, GRE or ACT.
• Tuition includes coursework materials (textbooks, e-books and software), online and on-campus libraries with librarian support, and externship or professional practice experience in select programs.
• Student support includes one-on-one academic assistance, a personalized student portal, committed advisors from start to finish, and laptops for those who qualify.
• Certification preparation, where applicable, with exam-focused material and support at no additional cost.
• Job search assistance that begins before graduation, resume and mock interview sessions, and ongoing alumni services.

General admissions requirements. Before enrolling, prospective students must have completed a valid high school diploma or equivalent (a standard diploma, official home-schooling, a GED, HiSET or TASC, a state-recognized equivalency certificate, or a DD-214 showing high school completion; special diplomas are not accepted), be proficient in verbal and written English, and be beyond the age of compulsory school attendance in Florida. Students in an entirely online program must pass an Identity Verification (IDV) check.

Enrollment steps. Applicants interview with admissions, complete all required admission documents and an Attestation of High School Graduation or Equivalent, participate in orientation before the program starts, and attend a financial aid appointment. A Level I background check must be completed satisfactorily by the eighth calendar day after the start (Level II for Patient Care Technician). Every new student is first registered on a provisional basis for the first module (the first two modules for Health Sciences - Pharmacy Technician); provisionally registered students do not pay tuition, and those who cancel during this period incur no tuition obligation. Standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT are not required.

Externship. A 175-hour externship is required. Externship hours are offered during the site’s regularly scheduled business hours, and facilities that accept students may conduct criminal or personal background checks or drug screening and may have additional requirements.

Length. Instructional time is 77 weeks and normal time is 83 weeks for 62.0 semester credits (3,100 total clock hours (1,260 clock hours and 1,840 recognized outside clock hours)). Normal time is UMA’s more realistic completion estimate because it includes scheduled breaks; actual completion can vary with leaves of absence, transfer credit or repeated coursework.

Format. The program is offered at the Clearwater campus in a blended format: the didactic portion of courses is delivered via distance education and the laboratory portion on campus, with the externship in a healthcare setting. Out-of-class work is required.

Courses and starts. Each course is a module of 5 to 16 weeks depending on the program, and attendance online is based on completing academically related activities such as discussion boards, assignments and tests. Externship hours are based on a minimum of 30 hours per week and are offered during the site’s regular business hours; UMA does not guarantee night or weekend hours.

Tuition. Tuition for the 62.0-semester-credit Health Sciences - Dental Assistant with Expanded Functions Associate of Science degree is $29,450, calculated at $475 per credit hour, with books included, so the total cost is also $29,450 (published for Clearwater). Tuition varies when courses are failed and must be repeated; retake fees are charged at full tuition equal to the original cost of the course. UMA tuition includes coursework materials (textbooks, e-books and software), online and on-campus libraries, student services and laptops for those who qualify.

Financial aid. UMA offers Federal Student Aid to those who qualify, including Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS loans for parents, and Federal Work Study at the Clearwater campus. Students apply by completing the FAFSA each award year, listing UMA’s school code 035493. UMA also participates in military and veterans’ benefits (Tuition Assistance, the GI Bill® chapters, MyCAA and the Yellow Ribbon Program, with special military pricing published in the catalog) and Florida state aid such as the Florida Student Assistance Grant and Bright Futures. Student Finance advisors help applicants understand their options.

The program prepares students to seek entry-level employment in a dental office as a dental assistant and/or in other dental auxiliary positions. Dental assistants have many tasks ranging from providing patient care and taking x-rays to recordkeeping and scheduling appointments.

UMA reports that graduates of this program have found entry-level work in these environments:

• Dental offices
• Physicians' offices

Certification. Students receive course preparation to sit for the Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) examination offered through American Medical Technologists (AMT); graduates must meet eligibility requirements to sit for the examination. UMA’s Health Sciences - Dental Assistant with Expanded Functions program is approved by the Florida Board of Dentistry.

UMA’s Career Services advisors help graduates with resume reviews, job search strategy, interview preparation and the application process, and provide on-the-job support for a graduate’s first weeks of employment. UMA does not guarantee employment.

Support from start to finish. New Student Advisors help students adjust to UMA during their first 10-15 weeks, after which each student is assigned a Learner Services Advisor who stays with them through graduation. Academic Specialists answer questions about discussions, assignments and assessments and connect students with instructors, who can also be reached during office hours or by email.

Resources. The UMA Virtual Library holds thousands of peer-reviewed, full-text articles available at any time, with a full-time librarian for research help. The Student Success Center, Wellness Center and Puma Den Information Center offer on-demand webinars, instructor sessions and help with laptops and technical support, and the UMA Student Guidance Center provides confidential counseling 24/7 at no additional cost.

Externships and careers. In select programs the Externship Team helps students find real-world experience before graduation; Certification Services helps students register for certification exams; and more than 125 Career Services advisors offer resume, interview and LinkedIn coaching, with Alumni Services continuing after graduation.

Attendance and graduation. Online attendance is based on completing academically related activities such as discussion boards, assignments and tests; students absent for 14 consecutive calendar days are withdrawn. To graduate, students complete all required courses and any externship, clinical or PPE hours, earn a minimum CGPA of 2.0, and satisfy attendance requirements.