*32 Approved Instructional Weeks
Student Tuition Recovery Fund (Non-Refundable) | $37.50 |
Registration Fee (Non-Refundable) | $100.00 |
Books (Non-Refundable, if accessed) | $75.00 |
Tuition Fee | $14,680.00 |
TOTAL PROGRAM COST Program Fees are subject to change* |
$14,892.50 |
Welcome to a bright future here at Gurnick. We are as passionate about your success as you are and more than willing to help you achieve your desired goals and dreams. I am Donna Bega, the Dental Assisting Program Director at Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts, Modesto campus.
First, let me say you are in the right place to pursue your goal as a future dental assistant in healthcare. I applaud you for taking the journey to academic greatness. The dental assistant program gives students and graduates the knowledge to be proficient in dental healthcare by providing the right learning environment for a good foundation.
The dental assisting instructors partner together and put in the required work to ensure that you have a positive learning experience. The instructors combined have spent over 30 years in the dental field. This gives students a well-versed education while bringing different approaches to learning. Thus, providing students with comprehensive hands-on instruction. You will definitely reap the benefit of this exciting career-building education.
I am confident we can help you make a difference in healthcare and do great things. I can’t wait for us to unlock your full potential together!
Program Mission
The Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts’ mission is to offer quality allied health and nursing programs that integrate professional skills, career-focused education, and hands-on practical experience by empowering students to develop and achieve their personal and career goals.
Program Description
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts Dental Assistant graduates work in a dental office or other dental facility and are considered indispensable partners on the team. A Dental Assistant performs a variety of administrative and clinical tasks. Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts Dental Assistant students will be taught the principles of front and back-office dental assisting. They will be introduced to the anatomy and physiology fundamentals of the oral cavity. Students will practice and become adept at various clinical skills, including patient education, chair-side assistance, x-ray, and coronal polishing. The program includes didactic and hands-on laboratory training and a clinical externship component where each student will be placed in a dental office or facility.
Graduate students demonstrate the knowledge and skills required of a competent entry-level dental assistant.
Provide quality education and training that develops each student’s potential to become a productive, responsible, and professional member of society and a skilled member of the dental assisting workforce.
Provide our students with open access and a supportive environment that encourages student success in the classroom, laboratory, and externship sites.
Prepare students to organize, prioritize, and delegate care by communicating effectively with the dental team members.
Adhere to professional standards incorporating a Dental Assistant’s legal and ethical responsibilities.
Encourage professionalism, integrity, and high standards in students.
Adhere to professional standards incorporating a Dental Assistant’s legal and ethical responsibilities.
*(32 Approved instruction Weeks)
The program information, length, and schedule may change. Please read the accompanying Addendum for changes and updates. Connect with an Admissions Advisor for details.
The Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts Dental Assistant program provides a library and classrooms with modern audiovisual teaching aids, textbooks, and simulators. The instructor to Student ratio is 1:12 in the laboratory and 1:30 in the residential lecture, and 1:25 in an online lecture. Classes begin every four (4) weeks. The program compromises seven (7) didactic/laboratory courses in 4-week blocks. DA 100-Infection control is taught before the students start any other courses. After completing the DA-100 course, students will complete all courses. DA 200 through DA 205 is offered regardless of the sequence. Students must complete all didactic/laboratory courses before starting the DA 300 Externship course.
Students must be available 8:00 AM-6:00 PM Monday through Friday for didactic and laboratory coursework. Externships may be required to accommodate alternative schedules based on facility placement business h during externship hours. Students must be able to complete those special rotations at the schedule provided.
Students receive two hundred hours (200) of didactic instruction, three hundred eighty-four (384) hours of laboratory instruction, and one hundred and eighty (180) hours of clinical externship. This allows students to apply their knowledge of lecture topics and hands-on lab skills to practical use when placed in a dental facility. Students will take technical courses that may be given on campus, online, or in both formats.
One hundred eighty-two and a half (182.5) hours are the minimum required students’ outside work time. The curriculum provides students with the technical, clinical, and interpersonal skills necessary to succeed in the dental assisting field. Upon completion of the program, a certificate is awarded. This program’s standard completion time is thirty-two (32) weeks, excluding holidays and vacation.
Class times can and may be rescheduled on an alternate day of the week (Sunday through Saturday) to ensure program completion is on time and the required program hours are fulfilled.
Additional Program Notes
Students may be required to accommodate alternative schedules based on facility placement business hours during the externship.
Students must be able to complete their rotations according to the schedule provided.
Lab hours are done with daily theory delivery and are conducted under instructor guidance and supervision.
The externship allows students to assist facility staff with daily duties in the front and back office under staff supervision. This marks the transition from being a student to becoming a dental assistant.
Instructors will assign outside work in correlation to daily theory topics and skills. Assignments will vary daily according to tasks done on students’ time and set due dates.
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts considers clinical experience one of the most critical parts of medical education. While attending our dental assistant school, students will be provided with clinical training at one affiliated clinical site.
The clinical externship includes student placement in a facility that performs various skills and exposes theory concepts and hands-on practice opportunities. This hands-on training allows students to assist facility staff with daily duties in the front and back office under staff supervision.
Reaching this portion of the program marks transitioning from being a student to becoming a dental assistant. The externship is a practicum without pay to help students apply learned classroom skills. Students will have a variety of tasks to perform and document for verification. Facility personnel verifies daily attendance and performance at the site.
Please review the following requirements: General Admission Requirements for all programs.
Applicants must:
Each program has physical and non-physical requirements to ensure our students’ and patients’ safety and welfare. Almost all of our students (check with an Admission Advisor if applicable) must be able to:
The following requirements must be met for a student to graduate from the Dental Assistant program at Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts:
Please review the following requirements: General Admission Requirements for all programs.
Applicants must:
Each program has physical and non-physical requirements to ensure our students’ and patients’ safety and welfare. Almost all of our students (check with an Admission Advisor if applicable) must be able to:
The following requirements must be met for a student to graduate from the Dental Assistant program at Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts:
Course Number | Title | Clock Hours | Outside of School Preparation Hours | Total Clock Hours | Quarter Credit Hours |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DA 100 | Infection Control | 8.0 | 2.5 | 10.5 | 0.5 |
DA 200 | Fundamentals of Dental Assisting | 96.0 | 30.0 | 126.0 | 6.0 |
DA 201 | Sciences of Dentistry/Infection Prevention | 96.0 | 30.0 | 126.0 | 6.0 |
DA 202 | Foundations of Clinical Dentistry | 96.0 | 30.0 | 126.0 | 6.0 |
DA 203 | Dental Materials/Coronal Polishing | 96.0 | 30.0 | 126.0 | 6.0 |
DA 204 | Radiology Safety/Administrative | 96.0 | 30.0 | 126.0 | 6.0 |
DA 205 | Dental Specialties/Patient Assessment | 96.0 | 30.0 | 126.0 | 6.0 |
DA 300 | Clinical Externship | 180.0 | 0.0 | 180.0 | 6.0 |
Total | 764.0 | 182.5 | 946.5 | 42.5 |
Find more information about Certification for Dental Assistants in California.
Learn more about becoming licensed as a Dental Assistant in California.
*Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts has not determined if any programs fulfill the educational requirements for specific professional licensure or certification required for employment outside California unless identified by the program below. It is recommended that students located in or planning to relocate to a state apart from where the program’s physical campus is located research any certification or employment requirements for their intended state.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of dental assistants is projected to grow eight (8) percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. This growth is mainly due to ongoing research that links oral health to overall health and the increasing demand for preventive dental services.
In California specifically, dental assisting is a growing field. As of May 2020, over 37,000 dental assistants were employed in California, according to the BLS. The state has one of the highest employment levels for dental assistants in the country, and employment in this field is expected to grow.
In addition, the BLS reports that the median annual wage for dental assistants in California as of May 2020 was $43,210, which is higher than the national median annual wage of $40,080. The top ten (10) percent of dental assistants in California earned more than $60,420 per year.
Overall, the job outlook for dental assistants in California is positive, with strong demand for qualified professionals and a good earning potential.
For general information about the professions, view the O*Net Online 31-9091.00 Dental Assistants and O*Net Online 43-6013.00 Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants job profiles. Find information about the salary data in California and the central city near the campus where the program is offered.
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts holds national institutional accreditation by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). ABHES accreditation does not include continuing education courses.
ABHES Mailing Address:
6116 Executive Blvd., Suite 730
North Bethesda, MD 20852
ABHES Phone: 301-291-7550
ABHES Email: Info
ABHES Website: abhes.org
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts is a private institution approved to operate by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. Approval to operate means the institution is compliant with the minimum standards in the California Private Postsecondary Education Act (CPPEA) of 2009 (as amended) and Division 7.5 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations. CPPEA governs the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.
The Office of Student Assistance and Relief is available to support prospective students, current students, or past students of private postsecondary educational institutions in making informed decisions, understanding their rights, and navigating available services and relief options. The office may be reached by calling (888) 370- 7589, option #5, or by visiting osar.bppe.ca.gov.
BPPE Mailing Address:
1747 N. Market Blvd., Suite 225
Sacramento, CA 95834
BPPE Phone: 888-370-7589
BPPE Email: General
BPPE Website: bppe.ca.gov
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts is an approved course provider by the Dental Board of California (DBC) to provide 8-hour Infection Control, Coronal Polishing, and Radiation Safety certificate courses.
DBC Mailing Address:
2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1550
Sacramento, CA 95815
DBC Phone: 916-263-2300
DBC Email: General
DBC Website: dbc.ca.gov
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts aims to help every student obtain Financial Aid* to attend their chosen program. Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts participates in various federal and state student financial assistance programs.
The financial aid programs are designed to assist students with inadequate financial resources to meet their education’s total cost. Each campus has a Financial Aid Advisor who can help students with any financial aid questions.
For more information, please visit our Financial Aid page.
*for those who qualify
Emily Valenzuela
Dental Assistant Program
Everyone on campus is committed to helping and guiding you through your new journey, and it makes you want to work even harder knowing that you have a whole army behind you. I now work in my field and can truthfully say that Gurnick gave me all the tools I needed to be successful as a Dental Assistant!
Mariah Hernandez
Dental Assistant Program
One word to describe the Dental Assisting program Gurnick offers is support. The instructors are there to make sure you understand every concept they teach you. There is no dumb question or answer. There is endless support that these instructors give, and other admin support people as well.
You must be at least 17 years of age to be admitted to the program with parent or guardian consent. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age at the beginning of the Clinical Externship.
We may assist with job placements for all students who complete the Dental Assistant program. However, we cannot guarantee employment.
Please find more info about the Program Length and Schedule.
Please see this page for more info about accreditation.
Financial Aid is available for those who qualify. Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts participates in various federal and state student financial assistance programs.
More information can be provided by contacting the Admissions Department.
The Dental Assistant Program video was filmed at our San Mateo Campus in 2017. Please note the program is currently only offered at our Modesto Campus.
If you are a person who is deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-disabled, please Dial 711 to place a call through California Relay.
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