The Dental Assisting curriculum prepares individuals to assist the dentist in the delivery of dental treatment and to function as integral members of the dental team while performing chair side and related office and laboratory procedures. Course work includes instruction in general studies, biomedical sciences, dental sciences, clinical sciences, and clinical practice. A combination of lecture, laboratory, and clinical experiences provide students with knowledge in infection/hazard control, radiography, dental materials, preventive dentistry, and clinical procedures. The Dental Assisting program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association.

Dental Assisting is a limited enrollment program and admissions is competitive. The admissions deadline for the fall class is March 15. Students who complete all admissions requirements by March 15 and who have a combined high school and college GPA of 2.5, and completed all developmental coursework, will be scheduled for an interview.

The interviewing committee will be composed of the Dental Assisting Program Director, the Chair of the Department of Industrial and Health Technologies, the Admissions Counselor, and the Registrar of the College. The interview format is specified with each applicant being asked a series of questions with the intent to determine the level of interest and commitment to the program. The results of the interview, cumulative high school and college GPA (High school GPA or GED scores will be considered if no college coursework, otherwise both are considered), and the final grades from any course work completed at the college or accepted for transfer credit from other colleges, will be used to assign a numerical ranking for each applicant. The top 15 applicants will receive acceptance letters with the remaining qualified applicants being placed on a waiting list. Students will move up or down the list depending on their relative scores. The process will be repeated until the class is full. Only students who have submitted all transcripts, taken the placement test, and applied before the deadline will be considered for admission. The application deadline is March 15 of each year, with interviews starting in April.

Notification letters of applicants status will be mailed by June 30. If spaces are available after June 30, additional qualified students will be accepted according to ranking scores. There will be a mandatory orientation session for all accepted students in July.

Graduates may be eligible to take Dental Assisting National Board Examination to become Certified Dental Assistants. As a Dental Assistant II, defined by the Dental Laws of North Carolina, graduates work in dental offices and other related areas.