The Lawson State Community College Dental Assisting program can be completed as a Certificate Program, or an Associate in Occupational Technologies Degree program. The Dental Assisting program awards the certificate and then offers the student an option to continue with more coursework to complete the Associate in Occupational Technologies degree.
The dental assisting program teaches the following skills:
- office management
- laboratory procedures
- radiography
- infection control
- manipulation of dental materials
- provision of patient care
Clinical experience is facilitated through internships at the University of Alabama School of Dentistry, Veteran’s Hospital, and private dental offices.
The Certificate Program is designed to be completed over 3 terms, and consists of 49 credit hours with the following courses:
Estimated Annual Tuition and Fees (source: College Navigator, US Department of Education)
| Estimated expenses for academic year | 2009-2010 | 2010-2011 | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | % change 2011-2012 to 2012-2013 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition and fees | |||||
| In-state | $3,000 | $3,570 | $4,080 | $4,170 | 2.2% |
| Out-of-state | $5,130 | $6,270 | $7,290 | $7,470 | 2.5% |
| Books and supplies | $1,200 | $1,200 | $1,400 | $1,400 | 0.0% |
| Living arrangement | |||||
| On Campus | |||||
| Room and board | $4,000 | $4,000 | $4,000 | $4,000 | 0.0% |
| Other | $3,000 | $3,000 | $3,000 | $3,000 | 0.0% |
| Off Campus | |||||
| Room and board | $7,793 | $7,793 | $7,793 | $7,793 | 0.0% |
| Other | $3,800 | $3,800 | $4,754 | $4,925 | 3.6% |