Currently taking a dental assisting course online that i just found out is

[gandm040407]

not ADAA accredited. What do I do? Does this mean I will not be able to get a job as a Dental Assistant or do I just need to get certified when I am done? Am I wasting my money and time?

[mwinterwolf2004]

In most states, you will be required (if not now then soon in the future) to be a Certified Dental Assistant, which means you have to have graduated from an accredited school. Unfortunately, you are out of luck if you continue with this school. There is a strong movement to not allow any grandfathering of folks who are not graduates from accredited programs to become CDAs. Part of the application process is proving either your experience (which you don't have) or the fact that you graduated from an accredited program (which you don't have). You are wasting your money and your time. Online education is great for some things, but not dental or medical assisting. There are entirely too many skills, such as chairside assisting, that you will need to learn and can't possibly do that online. Most dentists won't even entertain your resume if they see you took online courses unless they were for continuing education.

Check out DANB -- it has everything there you need.

http://danb.org/exams/examinfo.asp

[Jennifer E]

You do not need to be accredited to be a dental assistant. These classes you are taking are not enough. You need actual chairside assisting experience. The only way to do that is to actually assist the dentist. Find a good dentist willing to train you. That is the best education of all.

[jsied96]

is there a licensing exam or qualification you recieve at the end of the course? does it meet you state qualifications?

If so, who cares what the ADAA says- They are a professional organizations whose objective is to promote what they believe is required training but not the only method of learning