Nebraska Dental Assistant Schools and Salary Guide

As a dental assistant, your work ensures the dental clinic runs smoothly.

The roles include general administration and assistance from the dentist’s chairside.

However, you must study to become a dental assistant for that to happen.

Training courses for dental assistants may be either a certificate or a diploma.

Certificate courses run for 10 to 15 weeks, while diplomas can last 11 months.

After graduation, you qualify for employment in a dental clinic or hospital.

5 Dental Assistant Schools in Nebraska

1. Midwest Dental Assistant School

Potential dental assistants can get training from the Midwest Dental Assistant School (MDAS).

At the school, students undergo a 15-week training program covering relevant topics like:

• BLS CPR
• Radiography
• Basic Dental Sciences
• Practice Management
• Restorative and laboratory work
• Preclinical and clinical skills

Participants in the dental assistant training program require a minimum of a GED or high school diploma.

Registration comes first, followed by enrollment, where a class only carries 8 students.

The entire course costs $4200 to cover registration fees, uniforms, books, supplies, and extra costs.

The 15-week course provides students with the necessary skills to get employment as dental assistants.

Each graduate gets a certificate approved by the State of Nebraska.

2. Heartland Dental Assisting

Heartland Dental Assisting (HDA) has a course that trains you to be a dental assistant in 10 weeks.

The school has been around for more than 2 decades.

It offers a fast-tracked dental assisting course with trained instructors.

At school, you can gain experience using modern dental technology.

In addition, there are opportunities to get hands-on experience at real dental clinics assisting real dentists.

The entire course is affordable, costing only $4000.

Requirements to take the dental assistant course include:

• Be 18 years or older
• Complete the enrollment agreement
• Pay tuition or get a plan to pay before class starts
• Shadow instructors in the offices

3. Dental Assistant Education Center

At the Dental Assistant Education Center (DAEC), you can take part in an entry-level course.

The course lasts for 15 weeks and covers topics such as:

• BLS CPR
• Radiography Theory
• Preclinical and clinical skills
• Restorative and laboratory work
• Practice Management

Enrolling in the entry-level course requires a GED or high school diploma.

Once enrolled, each student gets assigned a class of no more than 5 students.

Registration cost for the course is $5500 to cover.

After completing the course, graduate students can work as dental assistants in entry-level positions.

You can work upon attaining the right certificate from the State of Nebraska offered by DAEC.

4. Central Community College- Lexington

At the Hastings Campus of Central Community College, you can study to become a dental assistant.

After completing the course and getting your certificate, you can work as a dental assistant in Nebraska.

The course also makes you eligible to apply for the Dental Assisting National Board examination.

The first requirement is a high school diploma or a GED with a 2.0 GPA average.

Also, have documentation showing your relevant placement test scores.

After the course, you have ample preparation for:

• Professional practice
• Maintain ethical standards
• Offer clinical support at a dental clinic
• Performing laboratory work
• Offer administrative support functions in the office

5. Mid-Plains Community College

Get a diploma in Dental Assisting at the Mid-plains Community College.

The program lasts 11 months and gives students hands-on, real-world experience working in a dental clinic.

Upon graduating from this college, you can assist a dentist on the chairside.

As a certified graduate, you can do dental radiography and coronal polishing.

Also, you qualify to sit for the national exams from the DANB (Dental Assisting National Board).

Dental Assistant Schools in Nebraska – Summary Table

Dental Assistant Salary in Nebraska

How much do dental assistants earn in Nebraska?

Well, in Nebraska, dental assistants get paid by the hour.

The average salary is $18.54 per hour.

As of April 2022, the annual salary was $37,422. However, this is only an average.

As a dental assistant, you can earn upwards of $19 per hour, depending on your years of experience.

For those with more than 10 years on the job, it’s possible to earn $24.63.

Regional Salary in Nebraska