Course Overview

Dental Assistant Course meets on Saturdays. The cost of the program is $5,250.00. This includes tuition, books, supplies, online activities account, and CPR Certification.  The FALL session begins September 7th and meets each Saturday through November 16th, 2019.  Act now to secure your seat in the class.  Click on the “Schedule and Registration” tab for details and enroll today.  For more information or to set up a tour, call 615-707-2513. 

The Dental Staff School of Tennessee will train you to prepare the patient for treatment, take X-ray examinations and obtain dental records. Dental Assistants also provide the dentist with the proper instruments and materials during a patient examination. The Dental Staff School of Tennessee’s Dental Assistant classes will prepare you to:

  • Sterilize and disinfect instruments and equipment
  • Prepare tray setups for dental procedures
  • Provide postoperative instruction
  • Instruct patients in oral health care
  • Prepare materials for making impressions and restorations
  • Digital X-rays
  • Expose radiographs and process dental X-ray film as directed by the Dentist

The following subjects are covered in depth from both a didactic and practical clinical experience. We offer hands-on training with all the equipment, instruments, and materials used in our state-of-the-art practicing dental office. Our curriculum includes digital radiographs, Isolite, and intra-oral camera.

Legal Aspects of Dental Assisting

  1. Ethics and the Law
  2. Legal Aspects of Dentistry
  3. Patient Records
  4. Dental Healthcare Team

General Anatomy and Physiology

  1. Structures of the Head and Neck
  2. Landmarks of the Face and Oral Cavity
  3. Oral Embryology and Histology
  4. Overview of Dentitions

Oral Health and Prevention

  1. Student & Patient Education of Casey
  2. Education of Dental Caries & Oral Health and Prevention
  3. Oral Pathology
  4. Health History

Sterilization Techniques and Infection Control

Sterilization theory & terminology, Autoclave, and Ultrasonic operation

  1. Instrument and equipment sterilization, disinfection, & biologic monitoring
  2. Treatment room disinfection & asepsis techniques
  3. Disease Transmission

Dental Theory and Terminology

  1. Dental and oral anatomy, tooth-numbering system
  2. Instrument nomenclature and identification for all aspects of General Dentistry
  3. Dental Terminology
  4. Equipment operation, chair positioning, assistant equipment usage.
  5. Tissues of the teeth

Four-handed Dental Assisting

  1. Instrument transfer techniques, chair-side assisting and suctioning.
  2. Chair-side doctor-patient-assistant positioning.

Use of instruments and materials in assisting for:

  1. General and Cosmetic Dentistry
  2. All Specialties – Oral Surgery, Endodontics, Pedodontics, and Orthodontics
  3. Hand-piece care and maintenance


  1. X-ray theory and technique.
  2. Intraoral, bitewing, panoramic, and endodontic methods
  3. Digital radiography
  4. Developing x-rays using the automatic processor
  5. X-ray safety and precautions.

Impressions and Model Trimming

  1. Impression materials and practice of there use
  2. Model pouring and trimming
  3. Making bleaching trays with instructions on how to use different products
  4. Zoom Whitening Procedures

Job Interview Techniques and Marketing Skills

  1. Assistance with resume creation
  2. Provide guidelines for interviewing process
  3. Guest speaker on desired qualities for new hires

Overview of Dentrix Software

  1. Charting
  2. Treatment Planning
  3. Scheduling
  4. Clinical Notes