Earn a dental assisting degree and become possible
- Program length: 20 months
- Transfer up to 51 approved credits into an associate degree program
- Associate degree and diploma options
- Pathway to earn a BSN in Dental Hygiene
- Graduates will be prepared to sit for the Minnesota Board of Dentistry Licensing Exam, Jurisprudence Exam, and the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA®) exam to become a Licensed Dental Assistant (LDA) in the State of Minnesota and earn the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA®) certification through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB).
Program
Dental Assistant ranked among the Best Health Care Support Jobs in America for 2020 by U.S. News & World Report.
A top growth career in the booming field of healthcare.
Dental assistants now play a key role in dental offices in Minnesota and across the country. As the demand for dental services continues to grow, these professionals are being called on to handle a broader range of responsibilities. You can prepare to join this growing career field by earning your associate degree or diploma in dental assisting from Herzing University in Minneapolis - then study toward a dental hygiene degree while you work.
A career as a dental assistant could be right for you if you:
- Are very precise and detail oriented
- Enjoy helping others
- Have strong visual/spatial abilities
- Have good dexterity
- Have good communication and people skills
- Work well as part of a team
- Are interested in teeth and promoting oral health
Classes Start February 8th
Learn More Today
Available at the Minneapolis campus only
Go from Dental Assistant to Dental Hygienist
With Herzing University, you have a path to earn dental assisting and dental hygiene credentials in 4 years! Through our unique pathway, you can start your dental assisting career in as little as 20 months, then continue to study for a dental hygiene career while you work.
- Begin building dental assisting job experience
- Stand out in the job market with two industry-current qualifications
- Finish your dental assisting program with a 3.0 GPA or better and you’ll become eligible for a scholarship opportunity
After four years, you could have relevant work experience plus two in-demand qualifications.
Curriculum
Classes & curriculum details
Herzing University's dental assisting programs near Minneapolis, Minnesota prepare graduates for a wide range of work they will be handling as professionals. This includes both hands-on patient care as well as the equally important tasks related to office scheduling, patient payments and treatment records.
To succeed in this growing career field, Minnesota requires candidates to graduate from an accredited dental assistant program. Dental assisting graduates will be prepared to sit for the Minnesota Board of Dentistry Licensing Exam, Jurisprudence Exam, and the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA®) exam to become a Licensed Dental Assistant (LDA) in the State of Minnesota and earn the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA®) certification through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB).
Dental Assisting Programs in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Program | Credits | Months* |
---|---|---|
Associate of Applied Science in Dental Assisting | 68 | 20 |
Diploma in Dental Assisting | 47 | 16 |
Associate of Applied Science in Dental Assisting
Required Courses
All courses, 45.00 semester credit hours, are required.
Required Courses in General Education
Students enrolled in this associate degree must complete a minimum of 21.00 semester credit hours in general education distributed among the following disciplines. Refer to the General Education section of the catalog for Herzing University courses that would satisfy these requirements. * 9.00 Semester Credit Hours in Communication 3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Humanities (must include 3 semester credit hours of cultural diversity) 3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Mathematics 3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Social or Behavioral Science 3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Science * Transfer students may transfer courses that are within 1.00 semester credit hour of the courses listed above to meet these discipline requirements. Any resulting deficiency in the total of 21.00 semester credit hours required in general education may be made up with general education electives from any of the listed disciplines.
Personal and Professional Development Courses
2.00 semester credit hours are required.
Diploma in Dental Assisting
Required Courses
All courses, 45.00 semester credit hours, are required.
Personal and Professional Development Courses
2.00 semester credit hours are required.
Questions? Speak with an advisor today
Careers
Dental Assisting Career Outlook
Dentists are expected to hire more assistants to perform routine tasks so that they may devote their own time to more complex procedures. In addition, numerous job openings will arise out of the need to replace assistants who transfer to other occupations, retire, or leave for other reasons.
Career Paths
Dental assistants work closely with, and under the supervision of, dentists. For many, this entry-level occupation provides basic dental assisting training and experience and serves as a steppingstone to more highly-skilled and higher paying jobs.
Some dental assistants become:
- Chairside dental assistant
- Dental front office staff
- Dental office receptionist
- Office managers
- Dental assisting instructors
- Dental product sales representatives
- Insurance claims processors for dental insurance companies
- Others go back to school to become dental hygienists
As a dental assistant, you will likely perform a variety of tasks including chairside assisting, patient education, taking radiographs, polishing teeth, taking impressions and much more. In addition, these professionals can also be involved in office-related tasks such as scheduling and confirming appointments, maintaining treatment records, handling patient payments and ordering supplies and other materials.
Dental Assisting Work Environment
Dental assistants work in a well-lit, clean environment either chair-side with a dentist or in an administrative role or lab setting. Full-time and part-time positions offering day and/or evening hours are available, offering a diverse range of work settings from large corporations with multiple locations to smaller private practices. Dental assistants may also work in schools, hospital settings and the military.
Working alongside a dentist, the dental assistant's patient care work includes:
- Handling instruments and operating dental equipment
- Sterilizing instruments and equipment
- Taking dental x-rays and processing the film
- Removing sutures
- Applying topical anesthetics to gums or cavity-preventive agents to teeth
- Placing rubber dams on the teeth to isolate them for individual treatment
- Siting chairside with the dentist to assist with procedures
- Obtaining health and dental history information from patients
- Producing diagnostic dental x-rays to aid in treatment planning
- Applying current infection control techniques within the dental office
- Performing expanded functions, such as polishing, applying sealants and others, with appropriate training in line with state mandates
In addition, these professionals can also be involved in office-related tasks such as scheduling and confirming appointments, maintaining treatment records, handling patient payments and ordering supplies and other materials.
There are a variety of settings in which a dental assistant can work. Those include, but are not limited to, private practice, clinics, military positions, correctional facilities, nursing homes, schools, health departments and labs. Herzing University provides its dental assistant program graduates with a wide range of skills that can be applied to a variety of settings.
Professional dental assistants demonstrate exceptional time management skills, multitasking abilities, are detailed oriented, and contribute to a positive team environment while focusing on patient care as a top priority.
Related Programs

Come visit our campus in Minneapolis, Minnesota to learn more about Herzing’s dental assistant programs and how we can help you reach your career goals.
Minneapolis Campus
435 Ford Road
St. Louis Park, Minnesota 55426
(612) 360-2484
View all Minneapolis degree programs.
I chose to attend Herzing University because of the dental assistant program. Working a full-time job and going to school at the same time was a challenge, but my teachers kept pushing me to keep going. I never took a break.

Jessica Stertzbach
Akron Campus