Qualify for Special Funding

Dental Assistant Professional Diploma

Employment Opportunities

As a Dental Assistant, you will have the opportunity to work directly with dentists treating patients. You may also provide support to the dental office by working as a receptionist or a sterilization assistant. The average salary for Dental Assistant Professionals in Alberta is $28 per hour. When you become a Registered Dental Assistant, you will unlock doors to careers in many different areas, including:

Public Health Dental Assistant
Dental Specialty Assistant
Dental Assistant Educator
Denturist Assistant
Clinical Float Assistant
Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Clerk (sterilization)
Continuing Care Coordinator
Dental Administrator/Receptionist
Financial Coordinator
Treatment Coordinator
Dental Hygiene Coordinator
Public Educator in Oral Health Prevention
Dental Lab Assistant
Dental Sales Representative
Dental Benefits Representative – Insurance Company

Ortho Module

Columbia College Dental Assistant Professional Diploma Program is excited to offer the theory portion of the Ortho Module to students in the DAPP who are in good academic standing in each Semester. Additional Ortho tutorials are offered to the students while in the program, and the clinical portion of the Ortho Module is offered once they have successfully written the NDAEB exam and become a Registered Dental Assistant.

Graduation/Employment Success

Compare these outcomes with other institutions: 2018 – 2019: 95% Graduation Rate 2018 – 2019: 92% Employment Rate Among the BEST College in Canada Columbia College is proud of the fact that its Dental Assistant Professional Program graduates, as a whole, have consistently scored higher than other colleges in Canada in their passing score on the National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) exam. We believe this independent assessment of our graduates is a testament to the quality of our faculty and staff, learning environment, students, and program. Columbia College is excited to announce that on the most recent NDAEB exam in December 2019, 97% of Columbia’s Dental Graduates passed the national exam! We are very proud of our faculty and our graduates. Typically our students are hired by their practicum office employer and begin to work as soon as they graduate.

Introduction

The Dental Assistant Professional Diploma Program is designed to provide you with the skills, technical knowledge, and clinical experience that are essential for you to become an effective member of the dental healthcare profession. The curriculum provides the education needed by dental assistants who, as members of the dental health team, can assume responsibility for providing patient care in collaboration with other healthcare providers and in accordance with provincial regulations within the scope of practice of dental assistants in their province of registration and employment. Columbia’s Dental Assistant Program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada.

Employers of Graduates

The following is a list of organizations that have hired graduates of this program:

Group Calgary Orthodontics
Renew Dental
Millenium Dental
R Giles Professional Corporation
Summit Dental
Emergency Dental YYC
Outdoor Dental
All North Dental
Southpointe Dental
Family Braces
Sierra Centre for Dental Wellness
Welcome Smile Dental
Innisfail Dental Centre
Evanston Dental
Dr. David Chan Dental Clinic
Crowsnest Dental
Northern Hills Dental
Sundre Dental
Nose Creek Dental
Small to Tall Pediatrics
Birchland Dental Clinic
South Family Dental
West Airdrie Dental
Vista Landing Dental Clinic
Essential Dentistry
IDental
McCall Dental
Sylvan Lake Dental Centre
Urban Oasis Dental Studio
Signal Hill Dental
Alpine Dental
Alpen Dental
Core Dental Edmonton
Okotoks Orthodontics
Aurora Dental Group
North Calgary Pediatric Dentistry
Arbour Estates Dental Health
Railway Avenue Dental
InLine Orthodontics
Dr. Harry Penner and Dr. Bradley Low
Richmond Dental Clinic
Millrise Dental Clinic
Sorenson Dental Clinic
16th Avenue Dental

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Not Sure Where to Start?

Choosing a school or program can feel overwhelming, especially when funding details, eligibility, and timelines may depend on your personal situation.

A good first step is to identify the type of training you’re interested in, then connect with schools that can explain program options, admissions steps, and available support.

Use the search tool to begin narrowing your options based on your goals.

* All student funding, whether made available privately or through various government branches, is only approved to those who qualify, by the original source of funding. There are many criteria that each candidate must meet to be approved. Schools can only inform you of what may be available.