Ortho Assistant Permit Program

Dental Board of California Approved 84 hours of CE credit: DBC Category 1

  • Now open for registration—Great Deal! CLASS SIZE LIMITED TO 14 STUDENTS. Eligibility requires working in an office where orthodontic procedures are offered. There's no need to bring any materials; all course supplies will be provided.

Program Instructor

Dr. Matt Freeman 

IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS:

  • Six months of work experience
  • 2 hrs Dental Board Dental Practice Act
  • 8 Hr Infection Control for DA's or 2 hrs for RDAs, or concurrent enrollment in our COMBO course. 
  • All participants involved in the direct provision of patient care must be certified in Basic life support (BLS/CPR) including cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Red Cross or American Heart Association only; re-certification intervals may not exceed two years.
  • Proof of Coronal Polish for RDA's. You may not perform coronal polish unless you are a licensed RDA with proof of coronal polish.
  • Ultrasonic Scaling Permit
  • Proof of Liability Insurance Coverage 
    • Option 1: (ADAA) American Dental Assistants Association
    • Option 2: (HPSO) Healthcare Providers Service Organization


Our OAP course will train you to:

The OAP DA course is at least 84 hours in length and has three components: 24 hours of didactic, 28 hours of lab/preclinical, and 32 hours of clinical.


The OAP RDA Course spans a minimum of 60 hours and is divided into three sections: over 24 hours of didactic learning, 26 hours of lab/preclinical training, and 22 hours of clinical experience. Additionally, there is a 2-hour orientation for the lab and clinical components of the OAP course. A compulsory 24-hour online module must be finished before the second class meeting. Failure to complete the online portion by the course start date will result in the participant being withdrawn from the program without a refund. They will then need to re-enroll and pay the full tuition fee.


Some of the online courses for the Orthodontic Assistant Permit are as follows:

1. Separators
2. Orthodontic Banding
3. Bonding: Introduction
4. Bonding: Brackets
5. Bonding: Preparing Teeth For Bonding
6. Bonding: Materials
7. Bonding: Bracket Placement
8. Bonding: Bracket Positioning
9. Bonding: Difficult Areas, Troubleshooting, and Rebonding
10. Bonding: Special Surfaces
11. Orthodontic Wire Basics
12. Initial Wire Insertion
13. Finishing: Marking finishing wires
14. Finishing: Inserting finishing wires
15. Orthodontic Debanding

Orthodontic Assistants (OAs) The following is an excerpt from the DBC website:

a. Permit Requirements - to register for this course:
B&P Sections 1750.2 and 1750.4 establish Orthodontic Assistant (OA) permit categories, which require completion of 12 months of work experience as a DA, completion of a board-approved OA course, which may commence after 6 months of work experience, a written examination, and completion of board-approved courses in the California Dental Practice Act, infection control, and basic life support. These permits must be maintained in the same manner as other licenses, including renewal and required CE.

b. Course Requirements. See Important Requirements Above.
B&P Sections 1756.1 and 1756.2 specifies that the OA course must be a minimum of 84 hours, must be board-approved. B&P Sections 1754.5, 1755, 1756.1 and 1756.2 specify the requirements that courses must meet to obtain Board approval.

c. RDAs Seeking OA Permit.
OA permit may be applied for before RDA licensure, or an RDA may apply for such permits post-RDA licensure.

d. OA Duties.
B&P Section 1750.3 specifies the duties of an OA as:
1750.3. A person holding an orthodontic assistant permit pursuant to Section 1750.2 may perform the following duties under the direct supervision of a supervising licensed dentist: (a) All duties that a dental assistant is allowed to perform. (b) Prepare teeth for bonding, and select, preposition, and cure orthodontic brackets after there position has been approved by the licensed dentist. (c) Remove only orthodontic brackets and attachments with the removal of the bonding material by the supervising licensed dentist. (d) Size, fit, and cement orthodontic bands. (e) Remove orthodontic bands and remove excess cement from supragingival surfaces of teeth with a hand instrument. (f) Place and ligate archwires. (g) Remove excess cement with an ultrasonic scaler from supragingival surfaces of teeth undergoing orthodontic treatment. (h) Any additional duties that the board may prescribe by regulation.
 

  • Prepare teeth for bonding, select, preposition, and cure orthodontic brackets after they're position has been approved by the licensed dentist.
  • Remove orthodontic brackets, bands, attachments with the removal of the bonding material using a scaler and adhesive removing plier under the direct supervision of licensed dentists/orthodontists. It is not legal for ortho assistants to remove orthodontic adhesive with a motorized instrument.
  • Size, fit, and cement orthodontic bands.
  • Remove orthodontic bands and remove excess cement from supragingival surfaces of teeth with a hand instrument or ultrasonic scaler (separate permit).
  • Place and ligate archwires.
  • Facebow transfer
  • Apply orthodontic clinical efficiency and patient management techniques
  • Understand and apply appropriate work habits and professionalism while being employed as an orthodontic clinical assistant.
  • The candidate must pass all required online course post-tests.
  • A comprehensive study guide review for the State Board written an examination.
  • Candidates must pass the OAP didactic-online final exam, and then they will be eligible to advance to the OAP lab and clinical course.
  • Candidates who have successfully completed the OAP course will then be eligible to take the OAP exam given by the Dental Board of California.
  • Assistants apply for their (OAP) orthodontic assistant permit by submitting the (OAP) course certificate and they're OAP exam score.

 

Photography

Photographing, recording, or videotaping any Dental Specialties Institute's program is not allowed without advance written permission From time to time, a photographer may be present and taking photographs of various courses, instructors, and attendees for marketing and advertising purposes. Participants not wishing to be photographed should inform the course director and photographer.

Program Type: Classroom

Register

Registration Fee:

Price: $2,500.00

Part 1 (Lab)
July 15th, 2023
9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Part 2 (Lab)
July 16th, 2023
9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Group 3 - Lab
August 19th, 2023
9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Part 4 (Lab-Final Exam)
August 20th, 2023
9:00 am - 5:00 pm