Dental Assisting Program

Applications for Fall 2023 entrance through Fall 2025 entrance (DAST)

Admissions Guidelines

Minimum requirements to apply to the Dental Assisting program:

1. CCRI Application for Enrollment into General Studies with a pre-dental (DENT) concentration.
2. Official copy of a high school transcript, GED® transcript or baccalaureate transcript from an accredited institution, including date of graduation or completion.
3. ACCUPLACER test issued by CCRI's Department of Advising and Counseling. Students may retake the ACCUPLACER test once before completing any remedial course(s).
   • Reading Comprehension Requirement:
     • Waived for students with a Bachelor's degree or higher
       Score of 80 or above in Classic Accuplacer is required in Reading Comprehension
       or score of 253 or above in Next Generation Accuplacer is required in Reading Comprehension
       or ENGL 1002: Critical Reading with a grade of "B-" or better
       or 0950: Integrated Critical Reading and Writing
   • Mathematics Requirement:
     • Score of 65 or above in Classic Accuplacer is required for Math (Arithmetic)
       or score of 255 in Next Generation Accuplacer is required for Math (Arithmetic)
       or MATH 0100: Fundamentals of Mathematics with a grade of "C" or better
     • The following courses will substitute for MATH 0100: 1025, 1139, 1175, 1240, 1241, 2077, 2110, 2111, 2138, 2141, 2142, or 2243.
   • English Requirement:
     • English (writing) Accuplacer test must show readiness to take ENGL 1010: Composition I
       or applicant must have completed ENGL 1005: College Writing with a grade of "C" or better.
       ENGL 1300 will not substitute for ENGL 1010. 
4. Optional: Complete courses required for admission with a grade of "C" or better - DENT 1000: Introduction to Dental Health Careers.
5. A minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.0 for all college courses taken is required to apply to the program.
   

   ---

   All the above requirements must be met satisfactorily BEFORE submission of the Performance-Based Health Science (PBHS) application and does not guarantee acceptance.  Students declining acceptance into the program for the semester must resubmit a PBHS application for the program and meet current requirements.  Once accepted into the program, the student must attend a mandatory orientation conducted by the Dental Health Department.
   

   ---

6. Complete and submit an online PBHS application here.
   Deadlines are listed on the form.

Conditionally accepted students are required to complete the following:

1. • When directed by notification from the Office of Enrollment Services, students must submit a background check
     Results of BCI may prevent admission due to clinical agencies' requirements.

Final acceptance is based upon the completion of the above criteria.

Policies following acceptance into the Dental Assisting program: 

• COVID vaccine series plus booster OR bivalent vaccine required.
• Individuals who disclose the presence of bloodborne infectious disease will be shown the same consideration as noninfected individuals and will be offered reasonable accommodation. Information regarding health status of an individual is considered confidential and protected by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.
  Participation in the dental assisting program potentially exposes students to bloodborne pathogens, hazardous materials and ionizing radiation.
• Students must have a physical examination and required immunizations completed.
• Students must have a current CPR card (American Heart Association, Health Care Provider Level) obtained through an AHA-recognized community training center.
  This course is available at CCRI - HEAL 0200.

Please note: Requirements are subject to change. 

---

Most students in the Dental Assisting certificate program attend classes full time. Therefore, the “normal” time to complete this certificate would be three (3) semesters (or 18 months).

---

 For more clarifying information regarding any of the above please contact the Office of Enrollment Services at:

• Adam Moreau, Flanagan (Lincoln) Campus, 401-333-7471, [email protected]
• If more specific information is needed, contact Kerri Friel, Dental Assisting Program Director, at 401-333-7277 or via email at [email protected] 

---

Dental Assisting Program Admission Criteria Point System

---

The performance‐based acceptance process is based on the performance indicators identified for the Dental Assisting program. A point system based on the admissions guidelines has been assigned to the performance criteria.

The criteria for the incoming class will include:

• DENT1000 grade - Optional
• Accuplacer test reading score
• Number of general education courses completed

*ACCUPLACER may be taken no more than two times.

In the event of a tie, the students' cumulative GPA will be used as the tie-breaker.

Credits granted through AP, CLEP, challenge exams or assessment of prior learning will be recognized as satisfying course requirements and will be assigned points equivalent to a grade of "B."

Please review the Department of Health website to learn about licensing requirements for the health sciences professions.