Trade Schools
If you want to start a recession-proof career, the dental assisting profession is worth exploring.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage reported by Tennessee dental assistants was $47,620 as of May 2023.
Before being ready to apply for your first job in this profession, you have to learn to perform the tasks that will be included in your job description, tasks such as:
- Preparing patients and work areas for procedures
- Sterilizing dental instruments
- Instructing patients on proper oral hygiene
- Processing x-rays
- Scheduling patient appointments
- And more
These skills can be learned through a post-secondary program that usually combines hands-on with classroom education.
To help you choose the format that best meets your learning style, on this page, we have compiled information about the best training programs for those who want to start a dental assisting career in Tennessee.
1Dental Assistant School of Nashville
About the School
Dental Assistant School of Nashville offers a Dental Assistant program that students can complete in 13 weeks.
The program includes 78 hours of lecture and 50 hours of a dental assisting internship with a practicing dentist.
After completing the program, students receive an RDA number for the State of Tennessee.
They also receive a Registered Dental Assistant Certificate and Radiology and Safety Certificate, approved by the Tennessee Board of Dentistry.
Classes are kept small to allow students to receive individualized attention and prepare for a new job quickly.
Contact Information
- Address: 1800 Mallory Ln Ste A, Brentwood, TN 37027-2818
- Phone: (615) 988-8484
- Website: http://dentalassistantnashville.com
2Dental Staff School of Tennessee
About the School
Dental Staff School of Tennessee offers a program that helps students become Dental Assistants by attending class in person one day a week for 10 weeks.
The program includes 189 contact hours distributed as follows:
- 93.5 hours of weekly in-person clinic and test sessions that are one day a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- 27.5 hours of synchronous Zoom lectures
- 20 mandatory shadowing hours at a dental office
- 48 hours of directed e-learning throughout the 10 weeks
Online coursework consists of online homework assignments
Students must be 18 years old by the completion of the 10-week course
The Registered Dental Assisting program is held four times each year.
Tuition for this program is $4,850.
Books and supplies cost $500.
Students also spend $110 for a uniform and $35 for an optional graduation fee.
Contact Information
- Address: 1800 Mallory Ln Ste A, Brentwood, TN 37027-2818
- Phone: 615-707-2513
- Website: https://www.dentalstaffschooltn.com
3Dental Staff School
About the School
Dental Staff School offers a program for students who want to learn the essential skills needed to become a registered dental assistant.
Classes combine traditional lectures and hands-on training in a real dental office.
The school offers an online portion to enhance the instruction throughout the week.
Students are trained in clinical, radiographic, and administrative procedures.
The school has locations in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and Florida and conducts classes four times a year.
Students attend classes for 10-14 weeks, depending on their chosen location, and graduate with a certificate in Dental Assisting with Radiology and Safety in Georgia or become a Registered Dental Assistant in Tennessee.
The school offers courses in Dental Assisting, Radiology and Safety, Expanded Duties, Nitrous Oxide, Coronal Polishing, Sealant Placement, Orthodontics, Office Administration, BLS CPR, and OSHA-BBP.
Contact Information
- Address: 3020 Roswell Rd NE, Marietta, GA 30062
- Phone: (678) 819-3919
- Website: https://www.dentalstaffschool.com
4Competitive Edge Dental Assisting Academy, LLC
About the School
Competitive Edge Dental Assisting Academy, LLC serves the greater Knoxville and Chattanooga.
Students participate in hands-on learning in a state-of-the-art facility.
The program is eight weeks long.
It is an accelerated dental assistant program, and it’s considered full-time.
Each class is split between lecture and hands-on clinical learning.
Courses Offered
The coursework includes dental anatomy, CPR, OSHA, HIPAA, procedural setup, microbiology, infection control, record keeping, medical history gathering, rules governing dental professionals, and more.
Students learn how to complete tasks such as:
- Seat the patient, take a detailed health history
- Prepare and set up the work area for procedures
- Hand instruments to the dentist
- Help document procedures
- Fabricate temporary crowns and lab work
Contact Information
- Address: 8190 E. Brainerd Rd. Chattanooga, TN 37421
- Phone: (423) 509-5856
- Website: https://compedgeassisting.com
5First Class Dental Assisting School of Nashville
About the School
First Class Dental Assisting prepares students to be skilled and confident dental assistants by the end of the program.
The curriculum blends education, hands-on training, and job application coaching.
The school is accredited by the TN Board of Dentistry and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
Students learn the latest techniques and best practices in dental assisting, including chairside assisting, dental radiology, infection control, and patient communication.
The program is ten weeks long, with an eleventh day available for additional practice or instruction.
The curriculum is blended; it includes about 31 hours of instruction available online and 85 hours in person.
The program usually costs $9,995, but the school offers a $4,000 tuition scholarship to the winter cohort, bringing the cost down to $5,995.
This covers the program and includes dental supplies, textbooks, scrubs and shirts, radiology certification, and the state application fee.
Contact Information
- Address: 1177 Old Hickory Blvd Ste 102, Brentwood, TN 37027
- Phone: 615-637-2905
- Website: https://fcdentalassisting.com
6Cumberland Academy of Dental Assisting
About the School
Cumberland Academy of Dental Assisting offers a TN board certification for dental assisting.
The program includes coronal polishing, monitoring nitrous oxide, and sealant application for current RDAs.
Courses Offered
The following courses are available at the school:
- Dental Assisting Course
- Coronal Polishing Course
- Sealant Course
- N2O Monitoring Course.
The Dental Assisting course is four weeks long and has the following schedule:
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday- 9 to 5 p.m.
An online portion that can be done by students at home on their own time
In total, the program includes 148 clinical and didactic hours.
Students spend a minimum of 14 hours in radiology per Tennessee Board of Dentistry requirements.
Contact Information
- Address: 1540 Rock Springs Rd. Smyrna, TN 37167
- Phone: 615-239-6524
- Website: https://cadassisting.com
7Accelerated Dental Assisting Program of Tennessee
Accelerated Dental Assisting Program of Tennessee offers a ten-week hands-on program approved by the Board of Dentistry.
This program costs $4,200 and takes place on 10 Saturdays.
After completing the program, students receive the Registered Dental Assistant credential.
The training includes lectures, hands-on practice, lab work, and a dental assistant internship with a practicing dentist.
Graduates receive a Registered Dental Assistant Certificate and Radiology and Safety Certificate, both approved by the Tennessee Board of Dentistry.
Courses Offered
The course outline includes:
- Introduction to Dentistry
- Oral Health Education and Dental Anatomy
- Dental Instruments and Materials
- Four-handed Dental Assisting
- Impressions and Model Trimming
- Sterilization and Disinfection
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 1925 Madison Square Blvd. La Vergne, TN 37086
- Phone: 615-257-1157
- Website: http://dentalassistingtn.com
8The Tennessee College of Applied Technology
About the School
The Tennessee College of Applied Technology offers a Dental Assisting program that prepares students to become members of a healthcare team in a dental setting.
The course includes theory with demonstrations and classroom instruction.
Students also receive supervised experience performing procedures using study models, mannequins, and other simulated methods.
They have to complete three months of supervised experience in a clinical setting, assisting procedures on dental patients in a dental office.
The Diploma program includes 864 hours.
Class meets Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Clinical training begins in the second trimester of the program.
The program can be completed in eight months.
Total tuition and fees sum up to $2,880.
Textbooks and supplies cost $1,242.
Contact Information
- Address:Â 100 White Bridge Pike, Nashville, TN 37209
- Phone: (615) 425-5500
- Website: https://tcatnashville.edu
9Concorde Career Colleges
About the School
Concorde Career Colleges helps students prepare for a new career, playing a key role in delivering quality care.
The college has a campus in Memphis.
The Dental Assisting diploma program can be completed in nine months and awards 26 credit hours.
Students participate in 240 lab hours and 230 externship hours.
A 17-month Associate in Applied Science Degree option is also available.
Courses Offered
The Dental Assisting curriculum includes:
- Introduction to Dental Assisting & Dental Terminology
- Dental Specialties
- Materials & Procedures
- Patient Care & Management
- Diagnostics & Orthodontics
- Dental Radiology
Students learn how to:
- Take patients’ 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: 5100 Poplar Ave.Suite 132, Memphis, Tennessee 38137
- Phone: (901) 881-2694
- Website: https://www.concorde.edu
10Volunteer State Community College
About the School
Volunteer State Community College offers a 12-month Dental Assisting technical certificate program that includes classroom and clinical instruction.
The goal of this program is to prepare students to work in the field and qualify for national and state examinations.
Only 24 students are admitted to this program each year.
Applicants must write an essay, watch a Dental Assistant at work, complete an observation form, and answer questions in an interview.
The technical certificate option is a one-year, three-semester program.
Those who want to pursue a two-year degree can take the Associate of Applied Science- Health Sciences program.
The program in Dental Assisting is accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation.
Contact Information
- Address: 1480 Nashville Pike, Gallatin, TN 37066
- Phone: (615) 452-8600
- Website: https://www.volstate.edu
Regional Salary in Tennessee
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 580 | $44,010 | $21.16 | $58,180 | $35,750 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 290 | $41,560 | $19.98 | $50,420 | $31,440 |
| Cleveland, TN | 120 | $39,740 | $19.11 | $46,910 | $31,040 |
| Jackson, TN | 160 | $42,160 | $20.27 | $48,200 | $33,330 |
| Johnson City, TN | 230 | $42,060 | $20.22 | $49,470 | $34,900 |
| Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | 320 | $40,700 | $19.57 | $47,930 | $31,100 |
| Knoxville, TN | 760 | $43,740 | $21.03 | $49,490 | $36,750 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 1,160 | $44,580 | $21.43 | $56,400 | $33,950 |
| Morristown, TN | 100 | $40,930 | $19.68 | $46,870 | $30,430 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 2,260 | $45,880 | $22.06 | $58,460 | $37,090 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to start a career in the dental field, the dental assistant profession is worth exploring.
Now that you have read our selection of the best dental assistant schools in the state of Tennessee, the next step is to decide if this profession fits your skills and career aspirations and choose the program that will prepare you for entry-level employment in the field.
