Aug 06, 2026  
2026-2027 Course Catalog 
    
2026-2027 Course Catalog
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DENA 1012 - Dental Assisting Pre-Clinic II

Credits: 3
Hours/Week: Lecture 3 Lab 0
Course Description: This introductory course explores the roles of Certified Dental Assistant and Licensed Dental Assistant. Topics include dental history, oral embryology/histology, intraoral and extraoral diseases including oral pathology, and pharmacology including drugs and medications used frequently in dentistry. Students must be able to perform physical tasks to complete course requirements and pass Department of Human Services background study with no restrictions.  Acceptance in the Dental Assisting program is required. 

 
MnTC Goals
None

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 1020 or 1021 with a grade of C or higher; and COMM 1021, COMM 1031, COMM 1041 or COMM 1051 with a grade of C or higher
Corequisite(s): None
Recommendation: Concurrently enrolled in DENA 1000  and DENA 1011 .

Major Content

  1. Dental history 
  2. Dental health teams and comparison of dental team roles 
  3. Oral pathology and how it relates to the dental profession
  4. Oral histology, embryology and morphology 
  5. Composition, formation, and eruption of the teeth 
  6. The assistant’s role in the intra and extra oral examination  
  7. Tooth diseases and dental disturbances  
  8. Benign oral tumors and prevention  
  9. Pharmacology, including drugs used in the dental profession, antibiotics and other therapeutic agents  
  10. Dentistry and dental care in various cultures

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course students will be able to:

  1. describe dental history and the role of the dental health team. 
  2. describe the dental professional roles in the oral examination.  
  3. identify causes and effects of diseases of the oral cavity. 
  4. identify developmental disturbances of the oral and maxillofacial region. 
  5. describe oral cancers and prevention.  
  6. describe the life cycle of a tooth and identify the stages of development.
  7. identify standard and universal precautions.
  8. identify drugs used in the dental profession.
  9. describe contraindications and side effects of medications.
  10. compare and contrast dentistry and healthcare in different cultures.

Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC): Goals and Competencies
Competency Goals (MnTC Goals 1-6)
None
Theme Goals (MnTC Goals 7-10)
None


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