Dental assistant programs in Alabama

12 dental assistant programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

12 schools offer these dental assisting programs, and Alabama has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Dental assistants care for patients, take x-rays, keep records and schedule appointments. Many programs take about a year and lead to a certificate or diploma, and some states require you to graduate from an accredited program and pass an exam.¹ In Alabama, 1 of the 12 programs takes students without a high school diploma, and 1 is taught partly or fully online.

See the 12 programs

How much do dental assistant programs cost in Alabama?

$1,474 to $8,050 is what most dental assistant programs in Alabama cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 12 programs with a price. All of them: $1,175 to $10,432

In the typical program

Finished the program: 86%
Working 6 months later: Not reported
Earned a year, estimated: about $18,700
Length: Not reported for most programs

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Alabama may also offer dental assistant programs. How these figures are made

Are there free dental assistant programs in Alabama?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page.²³
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁴
Or pay yourself. Most dental assisting programs in Alabama cost $1,474 to $8,050.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

Dental assistant programs in Birmingham, Montgomery, Huntsville and other Alabama cities

Choosing an area filters the list below. 1 more program is in 1 other area, 2 in smaller cities and towns and 1 online.

All 12 dental assistant programs in Alabama approved for WIOA funding

12 programs

Dental assistantIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Dental Assistant
Jefferson State Community College
Birmingham
High school diploma or equivalent
Jefferson State Community College, Birmingham · Dental assistant · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$22,100
Price if you pay yourself$1,199
School website, Dental Assistant at Jefferson State Community College
More details about Dental Assistant at Jefferson State Community College
Finished
96%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
$5,525
Length
11 weeks, 4 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$466
Students counted
123
a year, estimated
$22,100
price
$1,199
Dental assistantIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Dental Assisting
Trenholm State Community College
Montgomery
High school diploma or equivalent
Trenholm State Community College, Montgomery · Dental assistant · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$10,432
Program website, Dental Assisting at Trenholm State Community College
More details about Dental Assisting at Trenholm State Community College
Finished
40%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
$2,050
Students counted
110
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$10,432
Dental assistantIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Dental Assisting Certificate
Lawson State Community College
Birmingham
High school diploma or equivalent
Lawson State Community College, Birmingham · Dental assistant · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$7,533
Program website, Dental Assisting Certificate at Lawson State Community College
More details about Dental Assisting Certificate at Lawson State Community College
Finished
84%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
$4,000
Students counted
60
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$7,533
Dental assistant (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Dental Assisting Degree Program
Calhoun Community College
Decatur
High school diploma or equivalent
Calhoun Community College, Decatur · Dental assistant (associate degree) · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$9,680
Program website, Dental Assisting Degree Program at Calhoun Community College
More details about Dental Assisting Degree Program at Calhoun Community College
Finished
89%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
$1,500
Students counted
46
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$9,680
Dental assistantIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Dental Assisting with Clinical Externship
Shelton State Community College
Tuscaloosa
High school diploma or equivalent
Shelton State Community College, Tuscaloosa · Dental assistant · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$18,600
Price if you pay yourself$1,499
Program website, Dental Assisting with Clinical Externship at Shelton State Community College
More details about Dental Assisting with Clinical Externship at Shelton State Community College
Finished
93%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
$4,646
Length
12 weeks, 7 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$650
Students counted
43
a year, estimated
$18,600
price
$1,499
Dental assistantIn personPrerequisite courses
Dental Assistant
George C. Wallace Community College
Dothan
Prerequisite courses
George C. Wallace Community College, Dothan · Dental assistant · In person · Prerequisite courses
Earned a year, estimated$18,200
Price if you pay yourself$2,050
School website, Dental Assistant at George C. Wallace Community College
More details about Dental Assistant at George C. Wallace Community College
Finished
83%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
$4,550
Length
20 weeks, 8 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
36
a year, estimated
$18,200
price
$2,050
Dental assistantIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Accelerated Dental Assisting Academy
Accelerated Dental Assisting Academy
Denham Springs, LA
High school diploma or equivalent
Accelerated Dental Assisting Academy, Denham Springs, LA · Dental assistant · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Classes are outside Alabama; Alabama approved the program for its funding.
Earned a year, estimated$15,400
Price if you pay yourself$2,974
More details about Accelerated Dental Assisting Academy at Accelerated Dental Assisting Academy
Finished
60%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
$3,861
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
$285
Students counted
28
a year, estimated
$15,400
price
$2,974
Dental assistantIn personNo diploma needed
Dental Assistant non-credit
Bevill State Community College
Sumiton
No diploma needed
Bevill State Community College, Sumiton · Dental assistant · In person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$1,175
Program website, Dental Assistant non-credit at Bevill State Community College
More details about Dental Assistant non-credit at Bevill State Community College
Finished
100%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
17
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$1,175
Dental assistant (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Dental Assisting - AAS
Coastal Alabama Community College
Bay Minette
High school diploma or equivalent
Coastal Alabama Community College, Bay Minette · Dental assistant (associate degree) · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$25,100
Price if you pay yourself$9,600
School website, Dental Assisting - AAS at Coastal Alabama Community College
More details about Dental Assisting - AAS at Coastal Alabama Community College
Finished
88%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
$6,266
Length
70 weeks, 18 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$3,650
Students counted
17
a year, estimated
$25,100
price
$9,600
Dental assistantIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Dental Assistant with Clinical Externship
Enterprise State Community College
Enterprise
High school diploma or equivalent
Enterprise State Community College, Enterprise · Dental assistant · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$1,499
Program website, Dental Assistant with Clinical Externship at Enterprise State Community College
More details about Dental Assistant with Clinical Externship at Enterprise State Community College
Finished
86%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
14
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$1,499
Dental assistantIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Dental Assistant with Clinical Externship
LBW
Andalusia
High school diploma or equivalent
LBW, Andalusia · Dental assistant · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$18,800
Price if you pay yourself$1,399
Program website, Dental Assistant with Clinical Externship at LBW
More details about Dental Assistant with Clinical Externship at LBW
Finished
60%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
$4,698
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
$400
Students counted
13
a year, estimated
$18,800
price
$1,399
Dental assistantOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent
Dental Assisting Certificate Program with Clinical Externship
Auburn University
Based in Auburn, AL
High school diploma or equivalent
Auburn University, based in Auburn, AL · Dental assistant · Online · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$3,950
Program website, Dental Assisting Certificate Program with Clinical Externship at Auburn University
More details about Dental Assisting Certificate Program with Clinical Externship at Auburn University
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$3,950

How to pay for dental assistant programs in Alabama

WIOA funding can pay for dental assistant programs in Alabama

Every program on this page is approved for WIOA funding: public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. It can pay for training for eligible adults, people who lost their job and young people.²People on public assistance, with a low income or lacking basic skills come first, and veterans have priority.³

Ask at an American Job Center

Eligibility rules apply, and services vary from state to state. Your local American Job Center can tell you whether you qualify. The Department of Labor's page links to the center finder, or call 1-877-US-2JOBS (1-877-872-5627).⁴

Financial aid and grants for dental assistant programs

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁵⁶

GI Bill for dental assistant programs

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁷

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Does WIOA pay for job training? Who qualifies and how to apply

Quick facts: Dental assistant programs in Alabama

programs with a price cost under $2,000: 5 of 12
lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare: 3rd of 32
other states where the typical program's graduates earned less: 1 of 22
dental assistant programs here, against the typical state's 12: 12 vs 12

State comparisons use the same figures as the dental assistant programs by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Where the Alabama dental assisting program numbers come from

Which Alabama dental assisting programs are on this list?

These are the dental assisting programs Alabama approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁸ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Alabama offers.

How Alabama dental assisting program prices are reported

The price is tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported it. Prices under $100 are treated as not reported, because the file holds many blanks entered as $0. Check the current price with the school.

What the graduate results of these programs measure

The figures at the top of this page are the middle program among those that report results: half did better, half did worse. Results describe students who left each program in recent years: the share who finished, the share working in the second quarter after leaving, and the middle earnings of those working in that quarter. States report earnings for that one quarter because they take them from the wage reports employers file every three months. The yearly figure here is that quarter times four, rounded to the nearest $100: an estimate, and an early one, since it is measured about half a year after training. The quarter as reported is under "More details" on each program. Results are withheld for small programs, and they describe past students, so they are no guarantee.

Why do some dental assisting programs say "Not reported"?

Where a school or the state left a field empty, or the Department of Labor withheld it, the page says "Not reported". Nothing here is estimated to fill a gap.

Why the kind of school is left off each program

The file also records whether a school is public, private or nonprofit, but those entries are wrong too often to print next to a school's name, so this page leaves them out.

How reliable are the Alabama figures?

The US Department of Labor's own results site lists Alabama among the states with "known data quality concerns".⁹ We leave out the share working 6 months later for Alabama: its rates sit far below every other state's.

Other training in Alabama

Sources for the facts about dental assistant programs in Alabama

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources

Dental assistant programs in Alabama

How much do dental assistant programs cost in Alabama?

Are there free dental assistant programs in Alabama?

Dental assistant programs in Birmingham, Montgomery, Huntsville and other Alabama cities

All 12 dental assistant programs in Alabama approved for WIOA funding