Photo of Patient Having Dental Work Done

Requirements

Program Admissions

Admission to the dental assisting program is limited to 24 students per year. To be accepted into the program you must do the following:

  1. Be accepted by IPFW
  2. Take IPFW placement tests in English and Math
  3. Make an appointment with a dental assisting department advisor (Mandatory)
  4. Submit a separate dental assisting application
  5. Bring copies of all unofficial transcripts to your advising meeting
  6. Observe in two general dental offices and complete the forms provided by our department
  7. Take prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better

Application and Forms

Application Deadline

Your acceptance into the program is based on timely completion of all requirements, prerequisite and preferred admission course grades, and courses taken at IPFW, IU or Purdue campuses.

The Dental Assisting application and two observation forms must be completed and received by March 1st prior to the fall term in which you wish to enter. The number of eligible applicants each year greatly exceeds the number of spaces available. Students tend to apply one year in advance for the dental assisting program.

All applications received after the March 1st deadline will be considered on a space available basis only.

All prerequisite courses must be completed by June 1st with a grade of C or better.

Prerequisite Courses:

  • COM 114 — Fundamentals of Speech Communication (3 cr. hrs.)
  • ENG W131 — Elementary Composition I (3 cr. hrs.)
  • NUR 106 — Medical Terminology (3 cr. hrs.)
  • PSY 120 — Elementary Psychology (3 cr. hrs.)

Preferred Admission Courses:

  • BIOL 203 — Anatomy & Physiology I (4 cr. hrs.)
  • BIOL 204 — Anatomy & Physiology II (4 cr. hrs.)
  • DAST A122 — Introduction to Dentistry (1 cr. hr.)

Computer Skills:

The dental profession requires that dental assistants be competent in computer software in not only the business office, but the clinical treatment room. Most dental practices use dental software. Please assess your computer knowledge and determine if you will need to take a computer course. If you do not feel you are comfortable with computer hardware and software, we strongly suggest you take ETCS 106 Introduction to Computers.

General Dentist Observations:

You will need to observe a minimum of two hours at two different dental offices. Observation forms deadline: must be receiveded by March 1st.  Contact any general dentistry offices to complete these observations.

If you have worked in dentistry (must be at least two weeks), please have a signed letter from the dental office in which you were employed or interned, stating the dates and length of time you were employed by or interned with that office.

Class Selection Process

           In Order of Importance –
          
1.        Program Application and Observation Forms:

           A. The dental assisting application was received by March 1st.
           B. Two general dentist observations were received by March 1st.

2.        Prerequisite Courses:

           A. All prerequisite courses were completed with a grade of “C” or better.

           B. A minimum prerequisite GPA of 2.5/4.0 and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0/4.0 is required to be eligible for entrance into the dental assisting program.
                    
           C. Students may repeat required courses one time. However, the second grade will be used to calculate prerequisite GPA.

3.        University Preference:
                                         
           A. Students who complete ALL of their prerequisite courses at IPFW, Indiana University, or Purdue University, will be considered first for entrance into the program. 

           B. Students who complete their prerequisite courses at IPFW, Indiana University, or Purdue University AND other colleges/universities will be considered second for entrance into the program.           
 
           C. Students who complete all of their prerequisite courses from other colleges/universities that are not IPFW, Indiana University, or Purdue University, will be considered third for entrance into the program. 

4.        Number of Preferred Admissions classes successfully completed.

5.        Prerequisite GPA:

           Transfer grades must be included to figure the prerequisite GPA. Required courses may be repeated only one time and the second grade will be the grade used to calculate prerequisite GPA.  Repeated courses will not be averaged.

6.        Overall GPA

Students may repeat courses once. The second course grade will be used in GPA calculations (see the undergraduate bulletin for details).
          
           You will be sent a letter the first or second week in June informing you of your acceptance status.    

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.