Trade Schools
Dental assistants work in dentists’ offices and are responsible for providing patient care, taking X-rays, keeping records, scheduling appointments, and other similar tasks.
If you enjoy working with people and you want to prepare for a profession that can be both personally and financially fulfilling, this may be the right path for you.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage reported by dental assistants in Alabama was $37,440 as of May 2023.
This tells us that half of all workers in this profession earned less than this and half earned more.
Although there are no formal educational requirements for dental assistants in Alabama, completing a post-secondary training program is a great way to learn the skills needed for this profession.
To help you choose the program and the format that works best for you, on this page, we have compiled information about the best dental assistant schools in Alabama.
1Huntsville Dental Assistant School
About the School
Huntsville Dental Assistant School offers a 12-week dental assistant course that so far has helped thousands of people start a new career in the dental field.
The school offers affordable tuition and flexible payment plans.
The comprehensive hybrid learning program includes in-person labs at a local dental office once a week, paired with self-paced online lectures that can be completed by students at home during the week.
The school uses a curriculum taught by passionate and knowledgeable school instructors.
Students attend a 4.5-hour class dedicated specifically to learning and perfecting their lab skills in a real dental office in Huntsville.
Contact Information
- Address: 4000 Balmoral Dr. Ste. 102, Huntsville, AL 35801s
- Phone: (256) 228-5735
- Website: https://huntsvilledentalassistant.com
2Accelerated Academy
About the School
The Accelerated Academy offers dental assisting and pharmacy technician classes at several locations across the United States.
The academy holds three dental assistant courses per year.
Classes are available at several locations throughout the United States.
The Dental Assisting course runs for ten weeks.
Classes are held on Saturdays to allow students to balance their work with their training.
After completing the course, students will meet all the requirements to obtain their Registered Dental Assistant license.
The program also offers flexible payment plans so students can graduate without accumulating debt.
Tuition is $3,279 for early registration.
The curriculum includes classes such as:
- Introduction to Dental Assisting, Sterilization, and CPR/BLS
- Radiology
- Impressions
- Crown and Bridge
- Oral Surgery Implants, Partials, and Dentures
- Office Management
- Clinical Day
- And more
Students must be 17 years of age or older.
The school also requires a copy of a high school diploma, a copy of a GED, or a High School Equivalency Test.
Contact Information
- Address: 389 James St, Ozark, AL 36360
- Phone: 866-805-3785
- Website: https://www.acceleratedacademy.us
3Fortis College
About the School
Fortis College offers a Dental Assisting program designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in this growing healthcare field.
Students prepare to work chairside with dentists and perform a variety of patient care procedures and administrative tasks.
The dental assistant program at Fortis College is a diploma program.
The program provides students with hands-on strategies and techniques they need to pursue entry-level positions as medical assistants.
The college has four campuses in Alabama: Birmingham, Dothan, Mobile, and Montgomery.
Fortis College provides career education and training to prepare students for success in the healthcare field or skilled trades business.
Fortis College- Montgomery is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools as a non-main campus of Fortis College.
Contact Information
- Address: 100 London Parkway, Suite 150, Birmingham, AL 35211
- Phone: (205) 940-7800
- Website: https://www.fortis.edu
4Wallace Community College
Wallace Community College provides a variety of training programs.
The in-state tuition is $166 per semester hour.
This includes tuition, bond surety fee, facility fee, special building fee, technology fee, and ACCS enhancement fee.
Courses Offered
Wallace Community College provides a Dental Assistant program that can be completed in 20 weeks.
This program costs $2,050 and includes tuition and books.
Classes meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Wallace Community College.
Students prepare for duties such as:
- Preparing patients for dental procedures
- Ensuring the sterility of the dental environment
- Working with suppliers
- Helping patients schedule appointments
- Teaching patients about proper oral health
Contact Information
- Address: 1141 Wallace Drive, Dothan, AL 36303
- Phone: 334.983.3521
- Website: https://www.wallace.edu
5Trenholm State Community College
Trenholm State Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the associate degree.
The college offers programs for a variety of academic goals.
Courses Offered
The Dental Assisting program at Trenholm State Community College is designed to prepare students for careers in the dental assisting field.
Students gain the knowledge and skills needed to work as dental assistant, lab technician, sterilization technician, or dental office receptionist.
Some of the skills included in the program are:
- Administrative skills
- Recording medical histories
- Taking x-rays
- Providing chairside assistance
Using the different types of dental instruments and materials.
Tuition and fees sum up to $161 per credit hour.
Contact Information
- Address: 1225 Air Base Blvd, Montgomery, AL 36108
- Phone: 334-420-4427
- Website: https://www.trenholmstate.edu
6North Alabama Dental Assisting Program
About the School
North Alabama Dental Assisting Program offers high-quality dental assisting instruction, in a real-world dental practice environment.
Founded in 1987, the North Alabama Dental Assisting Program is the oldest and most experienced of its kind in the country.
Applicants must have a high school diploma, GED, or its equivalent.
The benefits include:
- Comprehensive instruction by dental professionals
- A small instructor-to-student ratio
- Hands-on training in a practicing dental office
After completing this program, students receive a Certificate of Achievement in Dental Assisting and are trained in Dental Radiology.
The program is a 14-week course, taught on 12 Fridays out of the 14-week period.
The curriculum covers many subjects in depth from both a didactic and a practical clinical experience point of view.
Students are required to do an internship/externship for a minimum of 100 hours over the course of the program.
Contact Information
- Address: 1511 Hwy 31 S, Hartselle, AL 35640
- Phone: (256) 773-0800
- Website: https://nadentalassisting.com
7Brookwood Dental Assisting Program
About the School
Brookwood Dental Assisting Program allows students to be in the clinic, working with the equipment the very first day.
Students learn state-of-the-art methods in assisting.
The school’s staff has over 50 years of combined experience in the dental profession and in teaching the art and science of dental assisting.
Graduates receive a Certificate in Dental Assisting and are trained in Dental Radiology.
The course is given four times a year, and each session runs ten consecutive weeks, eight classroom hours per week for a total of 80 classroom hours of instruction.
The classes are taught on Saturdays to allow students to continue their full-time jobs while training for a new career.
Students also spend approximately 60 hours of home study plus a voluntary 10-15 hours of practical on-the-job training for approximately 155 coursework hours.
Contact Information
- Address: 2045 Brookwood Medical Center Dr., Suite 22, Birmingham, AL 35209
- Phone: (205) 870-5445
- Website: https://bdaprogram.com
8Auburn Dental Assisting School
Auburn Dental Assisting School is the premier dental assisting program in the East Alabama/West Georgia Region.
The school prepares students to advise patients on how to improve their dental health.
Courses Offered
Courses are conducted 3 to 4 times a year and limited to 20 students in each session.
Sessions run for ten consecutive weeks, except for certain holiday weekends.
All sessions are taught on Fridays.
Additionally, there are 60 hours of home study and 10-15 voluntary hours of practical on-the-job training for a total of approximately 155 coursework hours.
The training includes radiology, oral anatomy, oral disease, sterilization, crown & bridge, pediatric dentistry, orhtodontics, endodontics, periodontics, dental insurance, and more.
Contact Information
- Address: 1575 Professional Parkway, Auburn, AL 36830
- Phone: 334.821.2846
- Website: https://www.auburndentalassisting.com
9Ross Medical Education Center
Ross Medical Education Center has a campus in Huntsville that was opened in 2014.
Huntsville is the second-largest metropolitan area in Alabama and is home to a large network of hospitals, specialty clinics, pharmacies, and research centers.
Courses Offered
The Dental Assistant program introduces students to clinical as well as administrative skills relevant to the dental office.
Students learn how to perform tasks such as:
- Radiograph processing
- Preparing and disposing of anesthetic
- Taking and recording vital signs
- Taking impressions
- Terminology
- Preparing a new patient chart
- Filing medical records
- Scheduling appointments
- And more
The program also includes a six-week externship.
Contact Information
- Address: 930 Old Monrovia Road Northwest, Huntsville, AL 35806
- Phone: (256) 430-9740
- Website: https://rosseducation.edu/campus/al/huntsville.php
10Central Alabama Dental Assisting School
About the School
Central Alabama Dental Assisting School provides a dental assisting course that runs for ten consecutive weeks and is available three times a year.
Students attend eight classroom hours per week for a total of 80 classroom hours of instruction.
The program includes lectures as well as clinical hands-on training.
Classes are taught on Saturdays.
Students also spend 60 hours in home study and are required to attend a mandatory 30 hours of practical on-the-job training.
The school offers opportunities to observe and work with real dentists in actual practicing offices during the course.
All training is done by dental professionals in a practicing dental office, not a classroom.
The program also includes X-ray training, which complies with all state regulations in dental radiology.
Students are trained in all phases of general dentistry, as well as specialties.
Contact Information
- Address: 4130 Carmichael Road, Suite B, Montgomery, Alabama 36106
- Phone: (334) 799-7040
- Website: cadassiting.com
Regional Salary in Alabama
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL | 110 | $35,270 | $16.96 | $45,970 | $27,300 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | 130 | $38,330 | $18.43 | $48,890 | $28,490 |
| Birmingham-Hoover, AL | 1,250 | $38,120 | $18.33 | $47,550 | $29,250 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | 280 | $37,510 | $18.03 | $47,930 | $28,210 |
| Decatur, AL | 140 | $37,660 | $18.11 | $48,450 | $28,380 |
| Dothan, AL | 160 | $36,120 | $17.37 | $47,160 | $29,610 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 170 | $35,680 | $17.16 | $45,710 | $27,170 |
| Gadsden, AL | 80 | $34,880 | $16.77 | $45,580 | $27,670 |
| Huntsville, AL | 600 | $40,550 | $19.49 | $54,080 | $28,950 |
| Mobile, AL | 400 | $36,080 | $17.35 | $47,250 | $28,450 |
| Montgomery, AL | 410 | $37,240 | $17.9 | $48,450 | $28,210 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 210 | $36,610 | $17.6 | $45,730 | $27,150 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have read our selection of the best dental assisting schools in the state of Alabama, the next step is to decide if this profession is right for you and choose the school that will teach you the skills needed for entry-level employment.
This is an important step, so make sure you gather information about all the factors that are relevant to you before deciding where to enroll.
