Q: What will I need to have ready BEFORE my 1st day of class?

A: Once you have paid your initial tuition deposit to reserve your seat in class, and you have toured the school facilities and been interviewed by one of our instructors, you should begin to get the following items ready and in place:

• Student Liability Insurance: (Must be In place by Class #1)
• You must apply on-line for this coverage by going to www.hpso.com. Apply for this immediately and request that proof be emailed to you & the school (Email: nesda.inc@gmail.com)
• The cost for this coverage is $29.50 (as of January 2010).
• You will not be allowed to do any "hands-on" practice until you have provided a copy of the policy. That's why we ask that you apply and enroll ASAP so that it is in place for when you arrive for your first day of class.
• Completed Health History

Q: What will I need to have ready FOR  my 1st day of class?

A: The following items are expected for Class #1:

• Copy of your high school diploma, GED equivalency, or school transcript showing date of graduation
• Copy of driver's license
• Uniform
• White scrubs - Can be found inexpensively at WalMart.
• Jacket: high collar (no "V" neck), long sleeves with knit cuffs
• Pants: white (straight leg or cuffs)
• Safety glasses - Inexpensive clear ones at Home Depot will do.
• White medical shoes or sneakers

Q: Will I have a textbook and, if "yes", how much will it cost?

A: The textbook our students will use is titled: "Essentials of Dental Assisting", 4th Edition, by Robinson & Bird. The cost is $85.00 and must be paid for at the time you are interviewed in order for the book to be released to you.

Q: Will I be "x-ray certified" when I graduate from this class?

A: The short answer is "unfortunately no." Here is why: 

The State of New Hampshire Board of Dental Examiners Administrative Rules and Regulations does not permit a brand new dental assistant to actually take x-rays right away.  They must first meet two requirements: work as a clinical chairside assistant for a minimum of 400 hours and then complete a radiology-specific course.  The only exception to this rule is for those individuals who go through a graduate level, full-time, 1-year day program that includes at least 400 hours of working chairside with dentists and patients and radiology-specific training included as part of the program. However, not everyone is in a position to go to school full-time.

Our career school is of value to those individuals who must work a full-time job and to those people who do not want to commit to, or cannot afford to attend a 1-year program.  

Those students who graduate from our program must still fulfill the NHBDE 400-workhours and radiology-specific course requirements. 

So our graduates face a three-step process:

1. Get hired to work as a chairside assistant in a dentist's office; then
2. Work a minimum of 400 hours as a chairside assistant so that he or she can then qualify to take the required radiology-specific course;
3. Pass the State-approved radiology course to become x-ray certified. 

We want to emphasize that this rule will not prevent our students from being able to learn and perform all of the other essential x-ray tasks such as developing the exposed x-ray films and mounting the x-ray images to be ready for the dentist's review.

Q: How can I enroll?

A: Call us at (603) 415-2200 to request a full information/enrollment packet, or, send your request by E-mail to: nesda.inc@gmail.com

A: Students will be given a Certificate of Completion, a Final Grading Report, a Transcript of Completion showing the total number of lecture and lab hours completed, and a dental assistant pin.