A dental office administrator is responsible for the clerical duties of a dental office.  The administrator is pivotal in any dental practice because they essentially manage the dental office.  In the Dental Office Administration Program, students gain the knowledge and skills necessary for an entry-level position in a dental office.  Training includes general office skills and specialized dental office instruction to include the following:

• Marketing
• Oral and written communications
• Telephone techniques
• Patient records management
• Business records management
• Appointment scheduling
• Accounts receivable
• Accounts payable
• Insurance processing

Additionally, students will acquire the basic clinical skills to perform as a multifunctional dental professional.  Courses completed in the Dental Office Administration program articulate with the Dental Assistant Program.  The approximate completion time for the Dental Office Administration Certificate is 1365 hours or 11 months at 30 hours per week and maintaining 100% progress.

Admission Requirements

• Please meet with a counselor to schedule testing.
• Accuplacer reading score of 86 or DRP (Degree of Reading Power) of 68 or ACT score of 21.
• Accuplacer math score of 65 or Compass math exam with minimum of 43 in all areas or math ACT score of 17 or successful completion of OWATC Math I course.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you are enrolling in any health occupation program, any misdemeanor or felony conviction that you have on your record, may negatively impact your chances of completing the program, being placed on an externship site, and employment in a health care career.  See your program coordinator for more detailed information.

Employer Advisory Team

• Stephanie, Bossenberger, RDH, MS, Dental Hygiene – Weber State University
• Marc Collman, DDS
• Benjamin Garr, DMD
• Tyler Shaw, DDS

Your Instructor(s)

Brenda Fell, CDA, CDPMA is the Coordinator of the Dental Occupations Program.  She has over 30 years of experience in the dental field to include clinical assisting, administrative assisting, and dental assisting education.  Ms. Fell is an active member of the American Dental Assistants Association.  She has served six years on the Board of Trustees of the American Dental Assistants Association and six years on the Board of Directors of the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc.  While on the DANB Board of Directors, she held the office of Secretary, Vice-Chair and Chair.  Ms. Fell currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the DALE (Dental Assisting Learning and Education) Foundation.   She holds the office of President.

Heidi Denson, CDA, comes to the Dental Assisting Program with 17 years of clinical dental assisting experience.  Her background includes extensive expanded functions experience.  She is an active member of the American Dental Assistants Association and currently serves as President of the Utah Dental Assistants Association.

Jeannie Barrette comes to the OWATC Dental Office Administration Program with over 25 years of dental experience. Her work experience has provided her with a wide-range of both administrative and clinical skills. She is an active member of the American Dental Assistants Association.

Christa Wagstaff, CDA, is a graduate of the OWATC Dental Assisting Program with an additional 9 years of clinical dental assisting experience. She is an active member of the American Dental Assistants Association.