10 Online Dental Assistant Programs Compared

Dental assistants help dentists with patient care, equipment and office tasks, and many people start with a short certificate program. Online programs can make studying easier, but dental assisting is hands-on, so most programs combine online lessons with clinical training.

This guide compares ten online and hybrid dental assistant programs using the schools’ own public program pages. Details such as length, format, cost, accreditation and exam paths are listed only when the source states them. Where a source did not say, we tell you to ask the school.

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Scroll through the programs, then use the free comparison sheet to pick one, choose what matters most and print or copy your notes. Nothing here guarantees admission, a job or a salary.

10 Online Dental Assistant Programs to Consider

Quick jump: 1. Hudson Valley 2. Eastern WV 3. Bismarck State 4. CHCP 5. SF State 6. Monroe CC 7. Reynolds 8. DuPage 9. Pitt 10. LMU Extension

1. Hudson Valley Community College

Credential and length: Certificate, 27 credit hours, one year.
Format: Offered only online, with a formal clinical internship at a dental site.
Accreditation and exam: The page says it satisfies New York State requirements for Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) licensure. Accreditation is not stated. Graduates may apply for the NYPDA, RHS and ICE exams, and licensure requires U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residence.
Hands-on hours and cost: 225 clinical hours: 90 in the fall and 135 in the spring, plus a one-time $100 tracking fee. Tuition is not listed.

Good fit if: you live in New York and want an online route toward RDA licensure.
Keep in mind: Check whether your state accepts New York program requirements.

2. Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College

Credential and length: Details could not be confirmed from the school’s pages for this guide. Ask the program coordinator for the credential, length and cost.
Format: Ask whether the program is self-paced online and how clinical training works.
Accreditation and exam: Ask about accreditation and exam eligibility.
Hands-on hours and cost: Ask about clinical hours and total cost.

Good fit if: you want to compare a West Virginia option.
Keep in mind: Get the details in writing before you enroll.

3. Bismarck State College

Credential and length: Certificate of completion for the Qualified Dental Assistant (QDA) path in North Dakota. All requirements must be finished within one year.
Format: Up to 144 hours of self-paced online coursework on Blackboard, plus an in-person externship at an affiliated dental office.
Accreditation and exam: The certificate can be submitted to the North Dakota Board of Dental Examiners when applying for QDA licensure. Module exams must be passed with 80% or higher.
Hands-on hours and cost: 300 chairside hours. Cost is $1,250 if you already work in a sponsoring clinic, or $1,750 if you do not, including help finding a placement. The textbook is extra.

Good fit if: you live in North Dakota and want a lower-cost path to QDA licensure.
Keep in mind: Placement in a specific office or timeframe is not guaranteed, so ask how it works.

4. College of Health Care Professions

Credential and length: Dental Assistant Certificate. As little as 35 weeks on campus or 48 weeks online.
Format: Online instruction with in-person weekend skills training at a campus, or on-campus weekday and evening classes. Campuses are in Texas.
Accreditation and exam: Institutionally accredited by ABHES. The program is designed to help students prepare for the Texas RDA exam.
Hands-on hours and cost: The program ends with a hands-on externship at an employer partner site. Externship hours and cost are not stated on the page.

Good fit if: you live in Texas and want an online option with weekend skills sessions.
Keep in mind: Ask for the externship hours and the total cost.

5. San Francisco State University, Professional and Global Education

Credential and length: Dental Assistant Online Course offered with Health Ed Today. Six months of access.
Format: Online and self-paced, with an optional clinical externship.
Accreditation and exam: Accreditation is not stated on the page. It mentions national and state certification opportunities.
Hands-on hours and cost: Optional 40-hour externship. Tuition is $1,399, with payment plans of 3, 6 or 10 months.

Good fit if: you want a self-paced online course with a lower upfront cost.
Keep in mind: Ask whether it meets your state’s requirements, including California rules for registered dental assistants, since the page does not say.

6. Monroe Community College

Credential and length: Dental Assisting Rapid Track (D.A.R.T.) certificate.
Format: 100% online, but open only to currently employed dental assistants. A sponsoring dentist and a preceptor packet are required.
Accreditation and exam: Accreditation is not stated. The page says it meets the criteria for NYS DANB Pathway II.
Hands-on hours and cost: The page lists both 500 clinical hours and 1,000 hours of work experience, so ask which applies. The program is not financial aid eligible.

Good fit if: you already work as a dental assistant in New York.
Keep in mind: Confirm the hour requirement with the college.

7. J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College

Credential and length: Certificate, 44 credit hours, about one year (three full-time semesters).
Format: In-person, hybrid and online options are listed, so ask which courses are online.
Accreditation and exam: Accredited by CODA with the status approval with reporting requirements. It prepares students to qualify for the DANB certification exam, listed at about $450.
Hands-on hours and cost: Over 300 hours of clinical training at nearby dental offices. Students provide their own transportation. Total cost is not listed.

Good fit if: you want a CODA-accredited program in Virginia.
Keep in mind: Ask which courses are online and how clinical sites are assigned.

8. College of DuPage

Credential and length: Continuing education dental assisting program, one semester. The page does not name a credential.
Format: Hybrid: a virtual classroom session and an on-campus session in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, using Zoom or Blackboard.
Accreditation and exam: Accreditation is not stated, and the page does not mention a certification or licensing exam.
Hands-on hours and cost: Required 120-hour externship. Tuition is $2,999 and includes the externship, with a payment plan available.

Good fit if: you live near Chicago and want a one-semester hybrid program.
Keep in mind: Attend the required information session and ask about exam eligibility.

9. University of Pittsburgh

Credential and length: Non-degree vocational certificate, about 6 months.
Format: Format is not clearly stated. Students complete hands-on clinical hours at the Regional Training Center in Titusville, Pennsylvania.
Accreditation and exam: Accreditation is not stated. Graduates are prepared to sit for the DANB Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) exam.
Hands-on hours and cost: Hands-on clinical hours under licensed faculty. Cost is not stated.

Good fit if: you live in Pennsylvania and want a six-month program from a university dental school.
Keep in mind: Ask whether the program is online, hybrid or in person for your location.

10. Loyola Marymount University Extension

Credential and length: Details could not be confirmed from the school’s pages for this guide. Ask LMU Extension in Los Angeles for the credential, length and cost.
Format: Ask whether the program is hybrid and what the in-person parts are.
Accreditation and exam: Ask about accreditation, and whether California employers and the state accept the program.
Hands-on hours and cost: Ask about externship hours and total cost.

Good fit if: you want to compare a California option.
Keep in mind: Confirm state recognition before you pay.

Comparison of Online Dental Assistant Programs

Details come from each school’s public page and can change, so confirm them with the school.

Program	Credential	Format
Hudson Valley CC	Certificate, 1 year	Online plus clinical
Eastern WV CTC	Ask the school	Ask the school
Bismarck State	QDA certificate	Online plus externship
CHCP	Certificate, 35-48 weeks	Online plus weekend skills
SF State	Online course	Self-paced online
Monroe CC	D.A.R.T. certificate	Online, for employed assistants
Reynolds CC	Certificate, 1 year	In-person, hybrid, online
College of DuPage	One-semester program	Hybrid
Univ. of Pittsburgh	Certificate, 6 months	Clinical hours on site
LMU Extension	Ask the school	Ask the school

Accreditation and Exam Paths at a Glance

CODA is the Commission on Dental Accreditation. DANB is the Dental Assisting National Board. ABHES is the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools. “Not stated” means the school page did not say.

Program	Accreditation stated	Exam or license path
Hudson Valley CC	Not stated	NY RDA, NYPDA, RHS, ICE
Eastern WV CTC	Ask the school	Ask the school
Bismarck State	Not stated	ND QDA application
CHCP	ABHES (institution)	Texas RDA exam prep
SF State	Not stated	Not stated
Monroe CC	Not stated	NYS DANB Pathway II
Reynolds CC	CODA	DANB exam
College of DuPage	Not stated	Not stated
Univ. of Pittsburgh	Not stated	DANB RHS exam
LMU Extension	Ask the school	Ask the school

Free Dental Assistant Program Comparison Sheet

What Do Online Dental Assistant Programs Teach?

Programs commonly cover topics such as these, but check each school’s course list:

Anatomy and dental terminology
Infection control
Radiography (x-rays)
Chairside assisting
Dental materials
Office administration
Professional conduct

DANB’s CDA exam covers Radiation Health and Safety, Infection Control and General Chairside Assisting, which line up with several of these subjects.

Are Online Dental Assistant Programs Accredited?

Institutional accreditation applies to the whole school. CHCP, for example, states ABHES institutional accreditation.
Programmatic accreditation applies to the dental assisting program. CODA accredits dental assisting programs, and the ADA says there are approximately 240 CODA-accredited programs in the United States.
A certificate of completion shows you finished a course. It is not the same as accreditation, so ask what it allows you to do in your state.

Graduates of CODA-accredited programs are eligible for the DANB CDA exam directly, according to the ADA. You can verify programs with the CODA program finder and the DANB school search.

Do You Need Certification to Become a Dental Assistant?

It depends on your state. BLS says states typically do not require licenses for entry-level dental assistants, but states may require specific credentials for radiography, infection control or other specialties, and expanded duties such as coronal polishing may need certification and an exam. The ADA says state regulations vary, and recommends contacting your state board of dental examiners.

DANB’s Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) credential is a national option. Its exam combines the RHS, ICE and GC exams. DANB’s Pathway I is graduation from a CODA-accredited program plus current CPR, BLS or ACLS. Pathway II is high school graduation or equivalent, at least 3,500 hours of approved work experience and the same CPR requirement.

Dental Assistant Career Facts

Dental assistants (BLS)	Figure
Median pay (May 2025)	$48,070 a year, $23.11 an hour
Typical entry education	Postsecondary nondegree award
Jobs in 2025	388,600
Projected growth, 2025-35	7%, much faster than average
Openings a year (average)	About 53,000

These are national figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay and demand vary by state, employer and experience.

How to Choose the Right Online Dental Assistant Program

Check your state’s rules first. Requirements for tasks and credentials vary by state.
Look for CODA accreditation. It affects direct eligibility for the DANB CDA exam.
Ask about practical training. Confirm clinical hours and how sites are assigned.
Compare total cost. Include tuition, fees, books, scrubs and exam costs.
Check the schedule. Ask which parts are online and which are in person.
Ask about career support. Find out whether the school helps with placement.

Mistakes to Avoid

Assuming online means fully online. Clinical hours are part of the training.
Skipping your state’s rules. A program that works in one state may not meet another’s requirements.
Confusing a certificate of completion with accreditation. Ask what each one allows.
Judging by price alone. Compare total cost and what is included.
Ignoring placement. Ask how clinical sites are found.

Program Choice Checklist

Tick each item as you finish. You are ready to apply when the counter reaches 10.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I become a dental assistant entirely online?

Not entirely. The online parts are coursework, but every program on this page that lists hands-on training requires it. Hudson Valley lists 225 clinical hours, Bismarck State lists 300 chairside hours, Reynolds lists over 300 clinical hours and College of DuPage requires a 120-hour externship. San Francisco State lists a 40-hour externship as optional.

How long does dental assistant training take?

The American Dental Association (ADA) says most programs take about nine to eleven months, and some schools offer accelerated, part-time or distance-learning options. On the school pages used here, CHCP lists as little as 35 weeks on campus or 48 weeks online, Pittsburgh lists about six months, and College of DuPage lists one semester. Hudson Valley and Reynolds list about one year.

Are online dental assistant programs accredited?

Some are. The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) accredits dental assisting programs, and Reynolds states CODA accreditation. CHCP states institutional accreditation by ABHES. Several other pages do not state accreditation, so check the CODA and DANB school search tools and ask the school directly.

Do I need certification to work as a dental assistant?

BLS says states typically do not require licenses for entry-level dental assistants, but states may set requirements for tasks such as radiography and infection control. Some expanded duties require certification and an exam. ADA says state regulations vary, so contact your state board of dental examiners.

What is the CDA credential?

The Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) credential is offered by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). The CDA exam includes the Radiation Health and Safety (RHS), Infection Control (ICE) and General Chairside (GC) exams taken together.

How do I become eligible for the CDA exam?

DANB lists several pathways. Pathway I requires graduation from a CODA-accredited dental assisting or dental hygiene program plus current CPR, BLS or ACLS from a DANB-accepted provider. Pathway II requires high school graduation or equivalent, at least 3,500 hours of approved work experience and the same CPR requirement. ADA also says people trained on the job can sit for certification after two years of full-time work.

Which program is best?

There is no single best program. The right one depends on your state, budget, schedule and goals. Compare accreditation, clinical hours, cost and whether the program meets your state’s rules, and use the comparison sheet on this page to keep notes in one place.

How much do dental assistants earn?

BLS reports a median pay of $48,070 a year, or $23.11 an hour, for dental assistants in May 2025. That is a national median for all workers in the job, so pay varies by employer, location and experience.

How much do these programs cost?

Only some schools list costs. Bismarck State lists $1,250 or $1,750, College of DuPage lists $2,999 including the externship, and San Francisco State lists $1,399 for its online course. Reynolds lists a DANB exam cost of about $450. Ask every school for the total cost in writing, including fees, books, scrubs and exams.

What should I ask before enrolling?

Ask whether the program is CODA accredited, whether it meets your state’s requirements, how many clinical hours are included and how sites are assigned, what the total cost is, and which exams graduates are eligible to take.

Final Thoughts

A good dental assistant program meets your state’s rules, includes real clinical practice and has a clear total cost. Use the school details above as a starting point, confirm them directly, and use the comparison sheet to narrow your list to the programs worth applying to.