Trade Schools
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the dental assistant profession will grow 8 percent by 2033, resulting in 54,900 new job openings across the United States.
The same agency reports that the mean annual wage reported by dental assistants in Kansas was $41,140 as of May 2023.
Dental assistants perform a variety of duties in a dental office, under the supervision of a dentist.
Many Kansas schools offer programs designed to teach you the skills needed for entry-level employment.
If you want to prepare for a rewarding career in healthcare, our selection of the best dental assistant schools in Kansas can be a great start.
Program duration varies depending on the credentials it leads to.
Tuition costs also vary depending on the school, the credential, and the program duration.
1Flint Hill Technical College
About the School
Flint Hill Technical College is a two-year public institution of higher education.
The college provides a Dental Assisting program that offers interactive training focused on dental concepts and practices, chair-side assisting, radiography, office management, and a real-world internship.
Students have technical certificates and associate of applied science degree options.
After successfully completing the courses, students may apply and be accepted to the program with advanced standing eligibility.
The Associate of Applied Science Degree is a two-year program that contains technical and general education courses.
Courses Offered
The curriculum includes courses such as:
- Chairside Assisting
- Infection Control for the Dental Practice
- Human Anatomy
- Dental Radiology
- Dental Materials
- Preventive Dentistry
- First Aid/CPR
- Clinical Chairside
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 3301 West 18th Avenue, Emporia, KS 66801
- Phone: 620.343.4600 | 800.711.6947
- Website: https://www.fhtc.edu
2Salina Tech
About the School
Salina Tech offers a variety of allied health classes throughout the year, including:
- Certified Nurse Aide
- Certified Medication Aide
- Emergency Medical Technician
The college also offers continuing education programs for students interested in evening, short-term, or specialized classes.
Courses Offered
The Dental Assistant program at Salina Tech is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.
Students perform a wide range of duties, including:
- Chairside assisting
- First aid
- Radiology
- Office and laboratory procedures
- Practice management
In addition to classroom work, students also receive more than 300 hours of real-world clinical experience at a variety of dental facilities.
Students participate in service learning opportunities throughout the year, such as volunteering with the Kansas Mission of Mercy program– a program that provides free dental care to thousands of people annually.
The Technical certificate program can be completed in one year and costs $11,952.
Contact Information
- Address: 2562 Centennial Road Salina KS, 67401
- Phone: 785-309-3100
- Website: https://www.salinatech.edu
3Concorde Career Colleges
About the School
Concorde Career Colleges helps students prepare for a new career, playing a key role in delivering quality care.
The program can be completed in nine months and awards 26 credit hours.
Students participate in 240 lab hours and 230 externship hours.
Courses Offered
The curriculum includes:
- Introduction to Dental Assisting & Dental Terminology
- Dental Specialties
- Materials & Procedures
- Patient Care & Management
- Diagnostics & Orthodontics
- Dental Radiology
Students learn how to:
- Take patient histories and vital signs
- Sterilize dental instruments and equipment
- Pass instruments to the dentist during procedures
- Use suction to remove fluids from patients’ mouths during procedures
- Educate patients about proper oral hygiene
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 930 Carondelet Drive, Kansas City, Missouri 64114
- Phone: (816) 787-1029
- Website: https://www.concorde.edu
4Mid-America College of Health Sciences
Mid-America College of Health Sciences offers programs that prepare students for rewarding careers as medication aides, nurse aides, practical nurses, or dental assistants.
Courses Offered
The Dental Assistant program at Mid-America College of Health Sciences allows students to train in a newly revamped lab with state-of-the-art equipment.
The program is seven months long with a 300-hour externship.
The lecture and lab portion of the program is 640 hours, while the program is a total of 940 clock hours long.
The program is set up with nine modules.
The first eight modules are comprised of in-person lectures and labs.
After completing the program, students are awarded a Diploma in Dental Assisting and will be eligible to sit for the ICE and RHS national exams to begin a pathway to become Certified Dental Assistants.
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and hold a high school diploma or GED.
Contact Information
- Address: 10000 W 75th St., Suite 241, Merriam, KS 66204
- Phone: (913) 708-8323
- Website: https://macohs.edu
5Kansas City Kansas Community College
About the School
Kansas City Kansas Community College offers a comprehensive online dental assisting course that prepares students with the essential skills and knowledge needed to become dental assistants.
Students also prepare to pass the radiology, infection control, and anatomy and physiology portions of the Dental Assisting National Board examinations- NELDA or CDA.
The program includes 300 hours of training and costs $2,995.
Students learn how to perform tasks such as:
- Explain deciduous and permanent dentition along with their functions in dental anatomy and pathology
- Use charting techniques to identify dental restorations and disease to create a treatment plan to prevent future disease progression
- Set up equipment for anesthesia and sedation
- Describe dental materials, their uses in dental treatment, and skills needed to use them efficiently
- And more
Courses Offered
The syllabus includes:
- Communication skills
- Ethics for the Dental Assistant
- Dental Anatomy
- Oral Pathology
- Infection Control
- Hazardous Materials
- Caring for Exceptional Patients
- New Patient and Charting
- Anesthesia and Sedation
- Dental Specialities
- Dental Implants and Fixed Prosthetics
- Cosmetic Dentistry
- And many other topics
Contact Information
- Address: 7250 State Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66112 US
- Phone: 855.520.6806
- Website: https://careertraining.kckcc.edu
6Kansas Works
About the School
Kansas Works provides a Dental Assisting Associate in Applied Science program that provides the educational environment and experiences to prepare students for employment as dental assistants.
Graduates may take the Dental Assisting National Board examination to become Certified Dental Assistants.
The total in-state program cost is $9,351.
The program is available in person.
Students prepare with the knowledge and skills needed to assist dentists during the delivery of dental care, perform supportive treatment procedures, and office tasks.
Contact Information
- Address: 4004 N. Webb Road, Wichita, Kansas 67226
- Phone: (316) 677-9400
- Website: https://www.kansasworks.com
7The Accelerated Academy
About the School
The Accelerated Academy offers a Dental program in Salina, Kansas.
Weekly classes start on Saturdays at 8 a.m.
After completing this program, students meet all the requirements needed to work within their state:
- Certificate in Dental Assisting
- Dental Radiography Certificate
- CPR/BLS Certificate
- Opportunity to complete a Nitrous Oxide Course
Students are job-ready in as few as 10 weeks.
Tuition is $2,979 for early registration and $3,379 for final registration.
Courses Offered
The program includes classes such as:
- Introduction to Dental Assisting, Sterilization, and CPR/BLS
- Radiology
- Impressions
- Crown and Bridge
- Endodontics, Orthodontics, Periodontics, and Pedodontics
- Oral Surgery Implants, Parials, and Dentures
- Office Management, OSHA, State Guidelines, Seating a Patient, and Charting
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 133 Aspen Sq Ste H, Denham Springs, LA 70726, Mailing Address, P.O. Box 1120
- Phone: (844) 727-3755
- Website: https://www.acceleratedacademy.us
8Garden City Community College
About the School
Garden City Community College prepares students for the Certified Dental Assistant exam online.
The fully online course helps students gain the technical skills they need to join a dental office as a clinical dental assistant.
After successfully completing the course, students receive vouchers to sit for the Anatomy, Morphology, Physiology, Infection Control, and Radiation Health and Safety portions of the Dental Assisting National Board examinations.
Students have access to real-world perspectives from experienced dental assistants.
Courses Offered
The curriculum includes:
- Communication Skills
- Ethics for the Dental Assistant
- Dental Anatomy
- Infection Control
- Hazardous Materials
- Caring for Exceptional Patients
- Oral Health and Nutrition
- The Dental Office
- Introduction to Chairside Assisting
- New Patients and Charting
- Preventive Care
- Radiation Health Safety
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 801 Campus Drive – Garden City, KS 67846
- Phone: 620-276-7611
- Website: https://www.gcccks.edu
9Plaza Dental Assisting Academy of Kansas City
About the School
Plaza Dental Assisting Academy of Kansas City helps students embark on a fast-paced career in the dental profession without spending years in school and thousands of dollars.
In just 12 weeks, students prepare with the skills, technology, and dental theory needed to succeed in a career in dental assisting.
Students are taught in an environment similar to the one where they will work after graduation.
Graduates receive a certificate of completion and can begin working right away.
The program also includes a two-week clinical rotation as an externship.
Courses Offered
The training covers topics such as:
- Radiology theory and practice of intraoral and extraoral X-ray techniques and procedures
- Impressions
- Crown and bridge instruments and materials
- Office management
- Treatment techniques for all areas of dentistry
- Sterilization procedures
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 801 West 47th Street, Suite 110, Kansas City, MO 64112
- Phone: (816) 931-2191
- Website: https://plazadentalassistingacademy.com
10Johnson County Community College
About the School
Johnson County Community College offers a Dental Assisting Certificate program that prepares students for work experiences such as:
- Working chair-side with dentists
- Taking radiographs
- Mixing dental materials
- Performing laboratory procedures
- Taking dental impressions
- Creating models
- Fabricating bleaching trays and mouthguards
The program has accreditation from the American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation.
Courses Offered
The curriculum includes courses such as:
- Introduction to Psychology
- Introduction to Dental Assisting
- Body Structure and Function
- Head and Neck Anatomy
- Dental Anatomy
- Chairside Assisting
- Dental Materials
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 12345 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS 66210
- Phone: 913-469-8500
- Website: https://www.jccc.edu/
Regional Salary in Kansas
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence, KS | 140 | $41,690 | $20.04 | $54,580 | $34,670 |
| Manhattan, KS | 100 | $41,360 | $19.89 | $53,310 | $30,450 |
| Topeka, KS | 190 | $42,200 | $20.29 | $50,850 | $35,100 |
| Wichita, KS | 820 | $42,280 | $20.33 | $50,610 | $31,060 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Final Thoughts
If you live in Kansas and you want to start a rewarding career in dental assisting, the first step is to choose the program that will teach you the entry-level skills required for this profession.
Now that you have read our list of the best dental assistant schools in Kansas, we encourage you to continue the research and apply for the program that best meets your budget, schedule, and learning style.
