Assist to Succeed Dental Assisting School Begins Winter Session
Did you know that Sierra Smiles hosts the Assist to Succeed Northern Nevada Dental Assisting School? In fact, our 2022 Winter Session has just launched, with classes beginning on January 15. Our team is proud to educate and train the next generation of dental assistants in northern Nevada’s premiere dental assisting school. Through our comprehensive program, we are helping create a new wave of dental assistants dedicated to creating a complete health shift in our community. We’re excited to share a little bit about our program — how it works, why we do it and what steps to take if you are interested in joining our students in the 2022 Spring Session.
What Is the Assist to Succeed Dental Assisting School?
Assist to Succeed (ATS) was founded by Sierra Smiles’ very own dentist, John Bocchi DDS and Jen Bocchi RDH. Students are trained via a 10-week accelerated program that allows them to enter the workforce immediately after graduation. The ATS curriculum focuses on not just treating patients but educating them on the impact oral health has on overall wellness.
Hands-on Learning for Better Quality of Care
ATS is a rigorous program with a focus on hands-on learning; students leave with a high standard for quality care and real-life experience they can rely on immediately. They work actively with knowledgeable mentors who have decades of experience working in dentistry. In addition to the advantages of receiving an education firmly rooted in compassion and a focus on quality of life, students are also trained in how to use the most advanced, state-of-the-art technology available. This includes training on the CEREC machine that can print same-day crowns and instruction in how to perform CT scans.
ATS students are also trained in the latest safety procedures, such as patient positioning, transmissible diseases and common safety challenges. They receive OSHA training for workplace safety, including the handling hazards and pathogens, disinfection and sanitization procedures, and tool sterilization. Students learn the importance of HIPAA, patient privacy and patient rights to ensure that they follow all privacy laws in their role as a dental assistant. Patients even receive CPR certification as part of their training so they can better serve their patients in the event of an emergency.
While the course is accelerated, ATS also wants students to succeed. All of this instruction is shared across 10 weeks of programming that is grouped by themes. Lessons with complementary applications are grouped together to facilitate learning and retention of the information.
Why Host a Dental School?
In their time traveling, Dr. John Bocchi and his wife RDH Jen Bocchi saw a need for qualified dental assistants in the dental community. As owners of their own thriving dental practice, they understand how important dental assistants are to the smooth operation of a dental practice. Dental assistants are often the unsung heroes of dentistry, providing flexible support through a variety of tasks that are essential to quality patient care and safety. Assistants are often the eyes, ears and hands of both patient and provider and their role is essential to the industry. By founding ATS, both dentists hope to breathe new life into the dental industry by inspiring a new generation of dental assistants to enter the field. They hope to help students establish lifelong careers in the field of dentistry while imparting core values such as commitment, respect, empowerment and responsibility.
While potential students are often interested in the dental assistant role, many are deterred by factors such as cost, or the length of some dental assistant programs. The Bocchis have worked to streamline the training process by offering a 10-week accelerated program. To help students deterred by cost, the program offers competitive tuition rates and flexible payment options. In short, they have done everything possible to encourage new students to find their future career in dental assistance.
Are You Interested in the ATS Program?
With a 10-week accelerated curriculum, you won’t have to wait long for the next session. The 2022 spring program will begin on March 16 and the fall program will begin on August 20. You can easily get started with the process by filling out the form located here. Once your inquiry has been accepted, the ATS team will send out registration information and share the next steps in the application process. Students will be expected to participate in an in-person interview before acceptance. Students will also be subject to a background check to ensure patient safety.
Tuition for the ATS program is just $4,950. The cost includes all educational materials (except scrubs), 10 weeks of hands-on instruction working side-by-side with experienced dentists and CPR certification. Tuition must be paid in advance and students can take advantage of three different payment options. Students may finance their schooling through a third party, pay in full (and receive a $200 discount) or pay in two payments of $2,475. Payment is due in full before orientation day.
If you are interested in getting your career in dentistry started click here to learn more. We look forward to helping you get the registration process started!
