The Registered Dental Assisting Program at Citrus College has been reaccredited for seven years, school officials said Wednesday.
The American Dental Association granted the reaccreditation to the college's program, which has been offered for 46 years. The Commission on Dental Accreditation granted the college with an accreditation status of "approval without reporting requirements."
A committee from CODA visited the campus earlier in 2013 to conduct the evaluation. The committee reportedly noted that the program is showing "positive student achievement trends and is working to identify how to increase course completion rates and student retention," school officials said in a press release.
The dental program is home to 55 students. Between 25 and 35 students graduate every year, school officials said.
The program is presented in four, eight-week modules and helps prepare students for the Dental Assistant National Board Examination, along with the California State RDA Exam. Graduating students receive a certificate of completion.
Average pass rate for the college's dental students on the State Board Exam is 100 percent on the written portion and 93 percent on the practical exam. The state average is 80 percent.
“Our dental program has enjoyed a long-standing reputation for excellence in the dental community since its inception almost 50 years ago,” said Geraldine M. Perri, superintendent/president of Citrus College. “It has taken great work to get to this point, and I congratulate the faculty and staff for receiving this outstanding validation of their efforts from the Commission.”
