Home › Michigan › Dental Assisting schools
30 schools in Michigan offer dental assisting-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data. Prefer to earn while you learn? 7 registered apprenticeship sponsors in Michigan train dental assisting apprentices — see apprenticeships.
Michigan is one of the few states that fully licenses dental assistants: the Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) license from the Michigan Board of Dentistry requires graduating from a board-approved, CODA-accredited RDA program and passing the Michigan RDA exam (a 2-hour written test with a 75% pass mark plus a 2-hour clinical exam, both within 18 months), along with hands-on BLS certification. Unlicensed assistants may perform only basic supportive duties and can expose x-rays only after completing a board-approved radiography course. There is no work-experience substitute for the required schooling.
Official source: Michigan Board of Dentistry (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing) · Exam: Michigan RDA Examination: 2-hour written exam (75% to pass) plus 2-hour clinical exam, both passed within an 18-month window; 3 failures of either part requires retaking both · Typical requirement: Graduation from a board-approved (CODA-accredited) RDA program is mandatory — no work-experience substitute; current hands-on BLS/ACLS certification; apply via LARA's MiPLUS system. Unregistered assistants may perform only basic supportive procedures (after BLS plus at least 1 hour of infection-control training) and may expose x-rays only after completing a board-approved radiography course.
| School | City | Type | Net price / yr | Completion | Earnings (10 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macomb Community College | Warren | public | $1,618 | 16.6% | $41,596 |
| Kalamazoo Valley Community College | Kalamazoo | public | $2,979 | 21.5% | $38,618 |
| Washtenaw Community College | Ann Arbor | public | $3,249 | 31.1% | $39,449 |
| Delta College | University Center | public | $4,547 | 23.8% | $37,781 |
| Kellogg Community College | Battle Creek | public | $4,858 | 15.2% | $38,329 |
| Lansing Community College | Lansing | public | $5,437 | 19.2% | $39,206 |
| Oakland Community College | Auburn Hills | public | $5,777 | 31.6% | $37,395 |
| Northwestern Michigan College | Traverse City | public | $6,231 | 32% | $38,167 |
| Mott Community College | Flint | public | $5,687 | 21.3% | $32,538 |
| Lake Michigan College | Benton Harbor | public | $6,680 | 22.5% | $34,466 |
| Jackson College | Jackson | public | $7,761 | 19.5% | $36,898 |
| Grand Rapids Community College | Grand Rapids | public | $8,621 | 23.8% | $38,377 |
| Wayne County Community College District | Detroit | public | $7,656 | 19.7% | $29,079 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Kentwood | Kentwood | private for-profit | $18,071 | 60.8% | $30,072 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Canton | Canton | private for-profit | $18,556 | 54.6% | $30,060 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Davison | Davison | private for-profit | $18,616 | 67.9% | $29,898 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Saginaw | Saginaw | private for-profit | $18,831 | 57% | $30,060 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Flint | Flint | private for-profit | $18,996 | 59.6% | $30,060 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Warren | Warren | private for-profit | $19,427 | 56.2% | $30,481 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-New Baltimore | New Baltimore | private for-profit | $19,604 | 84.2% | $30,481 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Lansing | Lansing | private for-profit | $19,501 | 63.6% | $30,072 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Roosevelt Park | Roosevelt Park | private for-profit | $19,544 | 70.3% | $30,060 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Portage | Portage | private for-profit | $19,920 | 61.1% | $30,060 |
| Ross College-Grand Rapids North | Grand Rapids | private for-profit | $20,033 | 64.8% | $30,072 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor | private for-profit | $20,250 | 61.1% | $29,898 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Brighton | Brighton | private for-profit | $20,607 | 65.5% | $29,898 |
| Dorsey College-Dearborn | Detroit | private for-profit | $25,615 | 39.4% | $29,392 |
| Dorsey College | Madison Heights | private for-profit | $28,525 | 59.7% | $29,392 |
| Dorsey College-Roseville | Roseville | private for-profit | $29,232 | 39.4% | $29,392 |
| Dorsey College-Woodhaven | Woodhaven | private for-profit | $30,698 | 49.3% | $29,392 |
Ranking = median earnings 10 years after entry per $1,000 of average yearly net price (methodology). Schools without both figures sort last — "not reported" means the federal dataset lacks the value, not that the school is bad.
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