February 25, 2019
South College will launch at its Nashville campus two new programs in dental assisting and hygiene with the first classes scheduled to start in April.
Last year, South College applied to the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) for initial accreditation to start the two programs – an Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene and a Certificate in Dental Assisting. CODA approved the launch of the new programs this month.
“This is a significant program addition to our Nashville campus,” said Nick South, president of the South College Nashville campus. “Graduates of dental assisting and hygiene programs are in demand in a career field that is rapidly growing. Our goal is to offer academic pursuits that put our students in the best position to succeed professionally, and these new programs help us fulfill that goal.”
From 2016 to 2026, employment of dental assistants is projected to grow 19 percent, well above the average for all occupations. That figure jumps to 20 percent over the same time period for dental hygienists. The growth – projected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – is due both to an aging population and the link between oral health and general health, which means more people will seek preventive dental services.
The associate degree program requires successful completion of 126 quarter hours of coursework, including 82 quarter credit hours of dental hygiene courses. A full-time student can finish the program in 30 months. The certificate program requires successful completion of 48 quarter hours of coursework in dental assisting. A full-time student can finish the program in 9 months.
Both programs blend theoretical, laboratory, and clinical instruction to ensure that graduates are prepared to become licensed dental practitioners.
“Our students are immersed in the curriculum with both academic and real-world applications,” South said. “Graduates will be ready to pursue their careers in a field with opportunities in multiple health care industries, including private dental offices, dental clinics, nursing homes and government and corporate entities.”
Students interested in applying to South College can contact Daniel Guither, the Director of Admissions in Nashville, at 629-802-3000.
The programs in Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting are accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and have been granted the accreditation statuses of “Initial Accreditation.” The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at 312-440-4653 or at 211 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611-2678. The Commission’s web address is http://www.ada.org/en/coda.
South College also offers a host of other degree programs in health care, information technology, business administration and education fields.
South College’s Nashville campus is located at 616 Marriott Drive, just north of Interstate 40.
South College, which is based in Knoxville, Tennessee, also has campuses in Asheville, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, and is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). South College offers programs at the doctorate, educational specialist, master’s, baccalaureate and associate levels. For more information about South College, visit https://www.south.edu.
About South College
South College is a private institution regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to offer programs at the doctorate, educational specialist, master’s, baccalaureate and associate levels. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of South College. For more information about South College retention/graduation rates, the median loan debts of students who complete the program and other important information, please visit our website at https://www.south.edu.
