Get the Details!
Earn a Post-Graduate Diploma and become eligible to write the National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) exam, with no Clinical Practice Evaluation (CPE) required. Classes start in January, May, and September, with morning, afternoon, and evening schedules at six Ontario campuses.
Built for newcomers, career changers, and recent graduates.
50
Weeks
to a Post-Graduate Diploma
3
intakes a year
with morning, afternoon, and evening schedules
27
Courses
From infection control and chairside skills to Radiology I and II
$54,080
Ontario median wage
for dental assistants (Job Bank Canada, NOC 33100, updated November 19, 2025)
Why You Can Start Sooner and Finish Faster
Most people considering a career change ask the same question: how soon can I be trained and ready to work? This program shortens that timeline in four ways.
You finish in 50 weeks
The program takes 50 weeks from your first class to your Post-Graduate Diploma. There are no long breaks between terms, so you keep moving from one course to the next until you graduate.
You take one course at a time
Instead of juggling several subjects at once, you focus on one course, complete it, and move to the next. This keeps your workload clear and your progress steady.
You can start within a few months
New classes begin three times a year, in January, May, and September. Once you decide to enroll, you do not have to wait a full year for the next start date.
You can train around your job
You choose a morning, afternoon, or evening schedule, and you can attend at the campus closest to you in Toronto, Scarborough, Mississauga, Burlington, Barrie, or Peterborough. This means you may not have to quit your current job or add a long commute to your week.
Who This Program Is For
Is This Program a Fit for You?
Students in this program usually come from one of three situations. If one of them sounds like you, this program was designed for you.
You have dental or health care training from another country
Your experience with patients is real, but your credential may not let you work in a Canadian dental office. In 50 weeks, this program gives you a Canadian Post-Graduate Diploma and prepares you to write the NDAEB exam, so you can work in patient care again without spending years in school. You will study alongside classmates from more than 200 nationalities.
You want to leave retail, office, or administrative work
You are ready for a hands-on job in health care, and you need training that does not take years. You do not need any health care experience to start. With a morning, afternoon, or evening schedule, you can plan your classes around your current job.
You recently finished high school or college
You may be comparing a four-year degree with a faster route into health care. This program takes 50 weeks, and you can start in January, May, or September. When you finish, you will have a diploma and supervised clinical training in a dental setting.
This program is not a fit if you want to study fully online
Dental assisting is hands-on clinical work. You will work close to patients and handle saliva, blood, and other bodily fluids as part of routine care. Clinical hours, radiology labs, and the 80-hour field placement all take place in person, so you can’t complete the program online.
The Credential and the Exam
Your Diploma and Your Path to National Certification
When you graduate, you earn a Post-Graduate Diploma in Intra-Oral Dental Assisting Level I and II. You are also eligible to write the NDAEB exam, which is the national certification exam for dental assistants in Canada.
What the NDAEB exam is
The National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) runs a national exam that tests whether a dental assistant has the knowledge to work safely and competently. Passing it shows employers that you meet a national standard for the profession.
No CPE required
Some dental assisting candidates must complete a Clinical Practice Evaluation before they can be certified. The CPE is a separate hands-on assessment that adds time and cost. Graduates of this program can write the NDAEB exam with no CPE requirement, so there is one less step between you and certification.
X-ray training included
Taking dental X-rays is a regulated part of intra-oral work in Ontario. This program includes Radiology I and II, and the training follows Ontario’s Healing Arts Radiation Protection (HARP) Act. You practice these skills in person in radiology labs.
How the program prepares you for the exam
Your courses cover dental science, infection control, chairside assisting, intra-oral procedures, and radiology. You also complete supervised clinical practice and an 80-hour field placement, so you have hands-on experience with the skills the exam tests.
The People, the Numbers, and the Demand Behind
This Program
Before you commit 50 weeks and $20,075, you should know who will teach you, what the job market looks like, and what graduates go on to do. Here is what Oxford College can verify today. Oxford College will add graduate results as it completes its data collection.
Cecilia trained as a dental assistant before joining Oxford College as an instructor in this program. She now leads the program as Program Coordinator, overseeing curriculum alignment with the NDAEB exam and the program’s preparation for future accreditation review.
Cecilia Quinteros
Program Coordinator
Campus
Cecilia trained as a dental assistant before joining Oxford College as an instructor in this program. She now leads the program as Program Coordinator, overseeing curriculum alignment with the NDAEB exam and the program’s preparation for future accreditation review.
Cecilia Quinteros
Program Coordinator
Campus
Dental assistants in Ontario earn a median wage of $54,080 per year, or $26.00 per hour, according to Job Bank Canada (NOC 33100, Dental Assistants, updated November 19, 2025). Job Bank rates the employment outlook for dental assistants in Ontario as “Good” for 2025 to 2027.
As of July 31, 2026, 1,836,321 Ontarians were enrolled in the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) for 2026 to 2027. 12,669 participating oral health providers in Ontario serve them, and those providers need chairside support to treat these newly covered patients. (Source: Government of Canada, canada.ca)
Graduates are prepared to apply for roles as an Intra-Oral Dental Assistant, Dental Office Assistant, Preventative Dental Assistant, or Dental Receptionist.
These roles exist in dental offices, community health centers, educational institutions, and clinics.
| MEASURE | RESULT |
|---|---|
| NDAEB exam pass rate, by campus | TO CONFIRM |
| Graduates employed at 3, 6, and 12 months | TO CONFIRM |
| Average time from graduation to first job | TO CONFIRM |
- A leadership philosophy, developed by you (Youth Mentorship and Leadership Development)
- A mentorship toolkit (Youth Mentorship and Leadership Development)
- Advocacy plans, communicated to decision-makers and community partners (Child and Youth Advocacy and Policy)
27 Courses That Take You From Basic to the Dental Chair
Every one of the 27 courses in this program builds a skill you will use in a dental office. You take them one at a time, in five stages, and each stage prepares you for the next.
You learn how the body works, the medical terms the dental team uses, how to write clear patient records, and how health care laws and ethics apply to your work.
- Medical Terminology (HSMT 106)
- Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology (HSAP 106)
- Introduction to the Health Care Workplace (HSHC 106)
- Introduction to Health Care Laws and Ethics (HSHE 106)
- Documentation and Professional Writing (HSDW 106)
- Practical Math (HSTM 106)
You learn to sterilize instruments, keep treatment areas clean, handle hazardous materials safely, and respond to a medical emergency.
- Infection Prevention and Control (HSIC 106)
- Aseptic Procedures (DAAS 106)
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) (GEWH 106)
- First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) (GEFA 106)
You learn to support the dentist during treatment, work with dental materials, understand the medications used in dental care, and deliver preventive care such as fluoride, sealants, and oral hygiene education.
- Principles of Dental Assisting I (DAPP 106)
- Principles of Dental Assisting 2 (HSPR 200)
- Principles of Dental Assisting 3 (HSPR 300)
- Dental Materials (DADM 106)
- Operative Dentistry (DAOD 106)
- Preventive Dentistry (DAPD 106)
- Introduction to Pharmacology (DAPH 106)
You learn to take dental X-rays in line with Ontario’s Healing Arts Radiation Protection (HARP) Act, and you perform chairside and intra-oral procedures in person, in supervised clinical labs.
- Radiology I (DARD 106)
- Radiology II (HSRD 200)
- Principles I (DAPR 106)
- Principles II (DAPR 206)
- Principles III, Clinic A (DAPR 306)
- Principles III, Clinic B (DAPR 406)
You build communication, financial, and job search skills, then complete an 80-hour field placement in a real dental setting. The placement is part of your training and counts toward your diploma. It is not a job offer.
- Essential Skills I: Communication Skills (GEES 106)
- Essential Skills II: Financial Skills (GEES 107)
- Essential Skills III: Career Skills (GEES 108)
- Dental Field Placement (FPDC 900)
What the Program Asks of You
What You Need to Commit Before You Start
This program moves quickly, and it asks a lot of you in a short time. Here is exactly what you are signing up for, so there are no surprises after you enroll.
Your time
The program runs for 50 weeks, one course at a time. You attend classes on a morning, afternoon, or evening schedule.
Your attendance in person
The program is delivered in person, with some hybrid components. Your clinical hours, radiology labs, and 80-hour field placement all take place in person because you must practice these skills with real equipment under supervision. Some theory-based coursework is delivered in a hybrid format. You cannot complete the program online.
Hands-on clinical work
You will work in a clinical setting, close to patients. Handling saliva, blood, and other bodily fluids is routine in dental care and part of your training.
Health and safety clearances
Because you will work with patients during clinical training and your field placement, you must provide both of the following before you start:
- Proof of current immunization.
- A clear Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) report.
Your investment
The total program cost is $20,075.
| ITEM | COST |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $14,630 |
| Books (estimated) | $1,495 |
| Other fees | $3,950 |
| Total program cost | $20,075 |
You may be eligible for funding through the:
- Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)
- Second Career
- Private student loans
- A monthly payment plan
An Oxford College advisor can help you check which options apply to you.
Who Can Enroll
This program is open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and Protected persons or Convention refugees. International students on a study permit and other visa holders are not eligible.
Academic requirements
You must meet one of the following:
The Wonderlic assessment is a short test of reading, reasoning, and problem-solving skills.
You also need proof of current immunization and a clear Canadian Police Information Center (CPIC) report.
See What It Takes To Finish In 50 Weeks
Find out what the Intra-Oral Dental Assisting Level I and II program covers, what it costs, and when you can start.
NEW CLASSES START IN JANUARY, MAY, AND SEPTEMBER.
Request more information, and an Oxford College advisor will explain the program, the total cost, your funding options, and the next start date at your preferred campus.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Intra-Oral Dental Assisting Level I and II program at Oxford College takes 50 weeks to complete. Students take one course at a time and graduate with a Post-Graduate Diploma. New classes start in January, May, and September.
The NDAEB exam is the national certification exam for dental assistants in Canada, administered by the National Dental Assisting Examining Board. Graduates of Oxford College’s Intra-Oral Dental Assisting Level I and II program are eligible to write the National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) exam.
No. Graduates of this program are eligible to write the National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) exam with no Clinical Practice Evaluation (CPE) requirement. A CPE is a separate hands-on assessment that some candidates must complete, so graduates skip that extra step.
Yes, the program covers dental science, infection control, chairside assisting, intra-oral procedures, and Radiology I and II, and it includes supervised clinical practice and an 80-hour field placement. This gives you both the knowledge and the hands-on experience that the National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) exam tests. Passing depends on your own preparation and exam performance.
No. The program is delivered in person with some hybrid components, and it cannot be completed online. Clinical hours, radiology labs, and the 80-hour field placement all take place in person. Some theory-based coursework is delivered in a hybrid format.
Applicants need an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or Mature Student Status with a minimum score of 17 on the Wonderlic assessment. Applicants must also provide proof of current immunization and a clear Canadian Police Information Center (CPIC) report. The program is open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and Protected persons or Convention refugees.
The total program cost is $20,075. This includes tuition of $14,630, estimated book costs of $1,495, and other fees of $3,950. Funding options include the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), Second Career, private student loans, and monthly payment plans.
You can choose a morning, afternoon, or evening schedule so you can train while working. The program is offered at campuses in Toronto, Scarborough, Mississauga, Burlington, Barrie, and Peterborough. Clinical hours, radiology labs, and the 80-hour field placement are in person, so plan your schedule around those requirements.
An Oxford College advisor will contact you. They will answer your questions about the program, costs, funding, and start dates, and explain the next steps to apply.