01
Weeks 1–3
Foundations: infection control, operatory setup, instruments, basic chairside flow, oral anatomy, charting, and early clinical observation.
MCP
12-Week Curriculum
A structured, instructor-led curriculum built around a hybrid model with online didactics, hands-on Saturday labs, clinical shadowing, and a two-week externship.
In California, students receive Dental Board of California-approved Radiation Safety and Infection Control certificates.
Program structure
A traditional graded sequence that students, parents, and practices can understand at a glance.
The page now opens with the visual structure first: instructional weeks, graded lab development, clinical shadowing during the term, crown-and-bridge exposure, digital scanning, and a final two-week externship.
02
Weeks 4–6
Core assisting: preventive support, radiography basics, restorative materials, graded lab practice, and stronger chairside routines.
03
Weeks 7–12
Expanded procedures: crown and bridge, specialty exposure, prosthodontic workflow, iTero digital scanning, review, and externship preparation.
04
Weeks 13–14
Externship: two dedicated weeks totaling 80 hours to reinforce patient flow, professionalism, chairside pace, and live-practice experience.
14
Total program weeks from start of instruction through externship completion
80
Externship hours delivered across two dedicated final weeks
10
Instructional weeks where clinical shadowing can reinforce the classroom and lab sequence
2
Key inclusion areas called out for the page: crown and bridge, plus digital scanning
Week-by-week graph
Curriculum intensity shifts as the term moves from lecture into lab, shadowing, and externship.
The graph shows how the instructional emphasis shifts across the term: strong lecture and foundation work early, more hands-on lab practice mid-term, shadowing layered into the schedule, and a full externship finish.
Lecture / classroom
Lab / hands-on practice
Clinical shadowing
Externship hours
Foundations
Core Assisting
Restorative + Digital
Review + Prep
Externship
Wk 1
Foundation
Wk 2
Safety + Setup
Wk 3
Anatomy
Wk 4
Preventive
Wk 5
Radiography
Wk 6
Restorative I
Wk 7
Crown/Bridge
Wk 8
Specialty
Wk 9
Workflow
Wk 10
Digital Scan
Wk 11
Practicals
Wk 12
Extern Prep
Wk 13
Extern 40h
Wk 14
Extern 40h
Traditional graded progression: students build through classroom instruction, graded lab performance, shadowing during the term, and two dedicated externship weeks at the end of the program.
Week-by-week outline
Every week has a clear teaching job and a clear place in the term.
Each week has a defined teaching purpose so students and prospective applicants can see how the program builds from basics into chairside support, digital workflow exposure, and live-practice experience.
Week 1
Instruction
Foundations and operatory basics
- Program orientation, dental team roles, operatory flow
- Infection control, PPE, sterilization, safety standards
- Intro to instruments, tray setup, seating and positioning
Week 2
Instruction
Chairside fundamentals
- Transfer techniques, suction, isolation and retraction
- Instrument identification and setup accuracy drills
- Core lab practice with graded skills checkoffs
Week 3
Instruction
Oral anatomy and charting
- Tooth anatomy, numbering systems and charting basics
- Medical history review and patient communication
- Clinical shadowing begins during the instructional term
Week 4
Instruction
Preventive assisting and patient prep
- Patient readiness, room setup and preventive procedures
- Moisture control, evacuation and clinical support flow
- Shadowing continues alongside graded classroom work
Week 5
Instruction
Radiography foundations
- Radiographic principles, safety and image basics
- Sensor placement, positioning errors and retakes
- Mounting, review and instructor-led graded evaluation
Week 6
Instruction
Restorative assisting I
- Dental materials, mixing, delivery and timing
- Matrices, wedges, liners, bases and restorative setup
- Hands-on lab performance with graded practicals
Week 7
Instruction
Crown and bridge procedures
- Crown and bridge armamentarium and sequence support
- Temporaries, impression flow and cementation assistance
- Shadowing of restorative and prosthodontic rhythm
Week 8
Instruction
Specialty procedure exposure
- Endodontic, oral surgery and specialty tray logic
- Anesthesia support, room turnover and documentation
- Graded labs tied to real procedure staging
Week 9
Instruction
Prosthodontic and clinical workflow support
- Fixed and removable prosthodontic support concepts
- Crown seat preparation, patient communication and follow-up
- Clinical shadowing focused on full appointment flow
Week 10
Instruction
iTero and digital scanning
- Digital scanning principles and intraoral scan workflow
- iTero exposure, capture sequence and rescan correction
- Digital case communication within modern dental practice
Week 11
Instruction
Integrated review and graded practicals
- Combine radiography, restorative and procedural support skills
- Graded written review, lab practicals and competency checks
- Continued shadowing across active patient flow
Week 12
Instruction
Final review and externship preparation
- Cumulative review, professionalism and transition standards
- Practice communication, pace and assignment readiness
- Externship orientation and final graded preparation
Week 13
Externship
Externship week one
- 40 hours of externship experience in a clinical setting
- Observe and support live patient flow under supervision
- Build confidence in pace, professionalism and teamwork
Week 14
Externship
Externship week two
- 40 additional externship hours to complete the 80-hour total
- Expand exposure to restorative, operative and patient support tasks
- Finish the term with real-practice reinforcement
MCP Dental Assisting program
Why the program format is easy to understand.
The structure is straightforward: graded instruction, instructor-led labs, shadowing within the cogort, and an externship finish that reinforces pace, professionalism, and clinical exposure.
Graded structure
Written assignments, quizzes, practicals, and instructor evaluations fit the language of a traditional graded school model.
Clinical shadowing
Shadowing supports the term throughout instruction instead of using clinical block language.
Crown and bridge
Restorative and prosthodontic support are called out directly so the curriculum page reflects real general-dentistry exposure.
Digital scanning
iTero and digital workflow exposure are built into the instructional term rather than treated as an afterthought.
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Prospectus Today
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We’ll also send you the next steps to becoming an MCP Dental Assisting School owner and a draft budget spreadsheet so you can see how the numbers work!
