20 Best Dental Assistant Programs in Cleveland, OH in 2026
As a Higher Education Reform Expert based in the United States, I analyze trends in higher education and evaluate college programs across the country. In this blog post, I will provide an expert overview of the top 20 dental assistant programs in the Cleveland, Ohio area as we enter 2023.
Cleveland is home to several high-quality dental assistant programs offered at community colleges, career schools, universities and private institutions. I have researched and compiled this ranking based on factors like curriculum quality, hands-on training, faculty credentials, career support services and graduate outcomes.
Whether you‘re a recent high school graduate looking to jumpstart your career or someone considering a career change, dental assisting can be a fulfilling and stable profession. Let‘s take a closer look at some of Cleveland‘s best options for education and training in this rapidly growing field.
1. Dental Assisting Program at Cuyahoga Community College
Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) offers a comprehensive dental assisting program across its four campuses in Cleveland and the surrounding suburbs. The program provides both classroom education and clinical experience, preparing students to take the DANB exam for certification.
Key highlights:
- Accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation
- Combines online coursework with in-person labs/clinics
- Opportunity to gain experience through externships
- Credits can transfer to a dental hygiene bachelor’s degree
Graduates have an excellent first-time DANB exam pass rate and the majority secure dental assisting jobs shortly after finishing the program.
Website: https://www.tri-c.edu
2. Dental Assisting at Polaris Career Center
Polaris Career Center is a public career and technical education school district that offers hands-on training programs for high school students and adult learners. Their dental assisting program spans one academic year.
Key highlights:
- All instructors have experience working in dental offices
- Focuses on essential skills like lab procedures, clinical assisting, and x-rays
- Students get exposure to different dental specializations
- Job placement assistance upon completion
This is an affordable pathway to starting your dental assisting career quickly. Graduates leave fully prepared to pass certification exams and enter the workforce.
Website: https://www.polaris.edu
3. Ross Medical Education Center
Ross Medical Education Center has a campus in Elyria, Ohio that offers a comprehensive 42-week dental assisting diploma program.
Key highlights:
- Hands-on training in a simulation lab before clinical rotations
- Covers concepts like patient screening, charting, instrument handing and lab procedures
- Externships available at local dental offices
- Job placement assistance and career counseling services
- Financial aid available if eligible
Ross Medical Education Center also offers medical assistant and veterinary assistant programs. For those interested specifically in dental assisting, this course delivers the necessary hands-on education.
Website: https://rosseducation.edu
4. First Impressions Dental Assisting School
First Impressions Dental Assisting School provides dental assisting programs with flexible day and evening class schedules in several Ohio cities including Powell.
Key highlights:
- Comprehensive curriculum including radiography certification exam prep
- Small class sizes with focused student-instructor interaction
- Goes beyond textbook theory with hands-on learning
- Externship program to gain experience in local dental offices
- Free tutoring and job placement assistance
Run by licensed dentists and assistants, First Impressions delivers practical training tailored to succeeding in clinical dental assisting roles.
Website: https://firstimpressionsdentalassisting.com
5. Columbus Dental Assistant School
The Columbus Dental Assistant School offers training through its Dublin, Ohio campus for those in the Columbus metro region including Cleveland.
Key highlights:
- 10-week intensive program with full-time and part-time options
- Hands-on training in a simulation lab environment
- Covers all dental assistant certification requirements
- Assistance with externship placement
- Job search preparation included
This accelerated program is designed for quick entry into the dental assisting career field. Graduates have a strong foundation of clinical skills and knowledge.
Website: https://columbusdentalassistant.com
6. Dental Assistant Pro LLC
Dental Assistant Pro is a dental career college with a location in Westerville, a northeast suburb of Columbus, that also serves the Cleveland area.
Key highlights:
- Comprehensive curriculum approved by the Ohio Board of Career Colleges
- Covers dental office operations, lab techniques, x-rays and clinical skills
- 40-hour externship with focus on clinical assisting
- Hands-on training in a simulation clinic with practice dummies
- Certified dental assistant prep course
- Job placement support and resume workshops
This program delivers a dependable pathway to gaining expertise as a dental assistant over 11 weeks.
Website: https://dentalassistantpro.com
7. Dental Dynamic Staffing
In addition to staffing services, Dental Dynamic Staffing offers online dental assisting training for dental practices to upskill existing employees.
Key highlights:
- Self-paced eLearning platform available 24/7
- Special package focused specifically on infection control and PPE
- Continuing education for existing dental assistants
- Custom training solutions available for larger practices
While not a full certification program, practices can leverage these à la carte online courses to expand specific skills within their teams.
Website: https://dentaldynamicstaffing.com
8. Adapt Academy of Dental Assisting
Adapt Academy is a dental career college located in Springdale, Ohio, a northern suburb of Cincinnati that also serves the greater Cleveland area.
Key highlights:
- Diploma program spanning 36 weeks of full-time attendance
- Certification exam preparation for Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) and Infection Control Exam (ICE)
- Hands-on labs and clinical rotations
- Training in digital x-rays and CAD/CAM technology
- Job placement assistance service
With small classes of under 15 learners, Adapt Academy delivers focused training for succeeding on dental assisting certification exams.
Website: https://adaptdental.com
9. Accelerated Dental Assisting Academy
Accelerated Dental Assisting Academy operates multiple locations across Ohio delivering a fast-track program for certification. The school has a campus in North Ridgeville, providing accessibility to Cleveland residents.
Key highlights:
- Condensed curriculum allowing completion in as little as 3 months
- 8 hours daily attendance plus independent study outside of class
- Training on digital x-ray systems and intraoral cameras
- Externship experience in a dental office
- Lifetime job placement assistance
For an accelerated route to certification, Accelerated Dental Assisting Academy delivers focused training tailored to passing exams quickly.
Website: http://adaa.us
10. Dental Assisting at Case Western Reserve University
Ranked #37 in dental schools nationwide, Case Western Reserve offers a renowned Doctor of Dental Medicine program that trains practicing dentists. Dental assistants are critical for supporting these programs with world-class care experience.
Key highlights:
- Work alongside professional dentistry students
- State-of-the-art dental simulation laboratory
- Opportunity to work with experts across dental specializations
- Academic medical center environment focused on research
- Located in the Health Education Campus building
This program allows dental assistants to be part of cutting-edge oral medicine education.
Website: [https://case.edu][10]
11. Dental Assistant Academy
The Dental Assistant Academy has a campus located in West Chester Township that offers a diploma program for dental assisting.
Key highlights:
- All instructors have years of professional dental assisting experience
- Small class sizes for individualized attention
- Focuses curriculum on essential certifications
- Hands-on training lab mimicking a real dental office
- Job interview preparation and resume building workshops
With 80% of students successfully finding employment, the Dental Assistant Academy has strong outcomes within both dental corporates and small local practices.
Website: https://dentalassistantacademy.academy
12. Accelerated Dental Assisting Academy North Ridgeville
In addition to their Cincinnati area campus, Accelerated Dental Assisting Academy also has a location in the Cleveland suburb of North Ridgeville.
Key highlights:
- 11 week intensive program meeting 5 days a week
- Training in law & ethics, infection control, dental anatomy and basic procedures
- Practice equipment training lab and digital x-ray certification
- Clinical experience through 40-hour externship
- Free tutoring and career support with job opportunities
This is an accelerated route to gaining requisite skills and experience needed to pass board examinations for licensing in Ohio and surrounding states.
Website: http://adaa.us
13. A Caring Dental Group
Headquartered in Cleveland, A Caring Dental Group operates practices across Northeast Ohio delivering care in specialties like sedation dentistry and sleep apnea treatment. Their extensive operations require a large dental support staff workforce.
Key highlights:
- Opportunities to assist across specialty dental services: family, pediatric, orthodontic and more
- Case exposure and experience in sleep dentistry
- Rotations across multiple clinic locations in the Cleveland area
- Training in digital systems and advanced dental technology
- Collaborative work between dentists, hygienists and other assistants
A Caring Dental Group offers dental assistants robust learning opportunities across their comprehensive operations.
Website: https://acaringdentalgroup.com
14. School of Dental Medicine at Case Western Reserve University
Affiliated with Case Western Reserve University, the School of Dental Medicine operates over 200,000 square feet of clinic space providing care opportunities.
Key highlights:
- Hands-on patient care experience in general dentistry and 9 specialties
- Opportunity to earn while learning through a paid workforce Readiness program
- Participate in clinical research and earn co-authorship
- Optional Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) exam preparation course
- Rotations at affiliate clinics like Cleveland Clinic and Louis Stokes VA Center
There are ample learning opportunities for student dental assistants at one of the nation’s top dental schools.
Website: https://case.edu/dental
15. Cleveland Dental Institute
With locations in Cleveland Heights and Buckeye, the Cleveland Dental Institute offers affordable dental care from qualified dentists, hygienists and assistants.
Key highlights:
- CDICAE-accredited education center for dental assistants
- Continuing education offerings certified by the Ohio State Dental Board
- Graduate Certificate in Dental Administration for extended skills
- Opportunities to deliver care across locations as part of a mobile dentistry program
- Chance to work with uninsured and underserved populations
These centers provide valuable experience in public health dentistry administration and community oral care.
Website: https://cdiohio.org
16. Dental Staffing Services
Dental Staffing Services focuses on recruiting dental professionals for temporary and permanent placement with top practices across the U.S. In addition to staffing, they provide consulting and continuing education for dental assistants.
Key highlights:
- Continuing education articles, videos and webinars for existing dental assistants
- Training content spans clinical skills, practice operations and patient management
- Certificate courses on hipaa compliance, insurance paperwork and credentialing
- Custom consulting and training solutions for larger dental groups
- Exposure to a variety of dental practices through staffing placements
These professional training resources help expand the skillsets of dental assistants throughout their careers.
Website: http://dentalstaffservices.com/
17. Samson Pavilion at Cleveland Clinic
The recently constructed Samson Pavilion at the Cleveland Clinic main campus serves as the health system’s hub for advanced surgical care and procedures.
Key highlights:
- Hands-on experience in one of the nation’s top hospital surgery centers
- Exposure to innovative medical techniques and specialty equipment
- Opportunity to observe advanced maxillofacial dental procedures
- Collaborative learning across surgical platforms like transplant and neurology
The state-of-the-art facilities provide unique experiential training for dental assistants interested in oral health connections to advanced surgery and medicine.
Website: https://my.clevelandclinic.org
18. Lee-Harvard Dental Center
The Lee-Harvard Dental Center operates multiple locations across the Cleveland area providing family dental care and pediatric dentistry.
Key highlights:
- Opportunities for exposure in pediatric specialty services
- Additional specialization in anxiety relief and sleep dentistry
- Experience developing treatment plans informed by digital scan technology
- Hands-on practice with computer-assisted design and manufacturing
- Training across offices spans Ohio City, Buckeye and other neighborhoods
With advanced technique offerings, this is a strong practical learning environment for up-and-coming dental assistants.
Website: https://cdiohio.org
19. Ohio VIP Dental Assisting School
Founded in Parma, Ohio VIP Dental Assisting School has trained over 300 dental assistants to date across the Cleveland metropolitan region.
Key highlights:
- Coursework delivered across 12 Saturdays for flexible scheduling
- Training in four dental specializations: general, orthodontics, surgery and pediatrics
- Covers dental office operations like appointment scheduling and inventory
- Job interview preparation and resume building workshops
- Free tutoring and active job placement support
This school has strong outcomes for connecting graduates to open dental assistant jobs across Cleveland.
Website: https://www.vipdentalasst.com
20. Health Career School of Nursing
While focused primarily on nursing programs, the Health Career School of Nursing also provides training for uncertified dental assistants.
Key highlights:
- Convenient program length of just 5 weeks
- Covers basics of laboratory processes, sterilization, charting and x-rays
- Training tailored specifically to passing state exams for licensing
- Externships at local healthcare providers depending on specialization
- Transfer options to further study in fields like surgical tech or phlebotomy
This accelerated course offers quick skills for becoming an entry-level dental assistant with just one month of training.
Website: https://health-career-school.org
So in summary, Cleveland has no shortage of quality dental assistant programs spanning community colleges, private schools and university partnerships. From entry-level courses focused on passing licensing exams to opportunities specializing with orthodontics and surgery exposure, there are programs matching all interests and professional goals. I hope this expert overview has provided helpful insights into the top providers catering to Cleveland student interest and equipping young professionals with in-demand healthcare skills for long-term career success.
Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions!
[10]: https://case.edu/dental/ patient-services/becoming-a-patient