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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, 10 ask for a diploma or equivalent and 1 asks for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 12 programs here are dental assistant (10 programs) and dental assistant (associate degree, 2 programs).

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
Left out
Alabama's rates sit far below every other state's
Earned a year, estimated
about $18,700
Length
Not enough data
4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5

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?

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

All 12 dental assistant programs in Alabama approved for WIOA funding

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12 programs

  • Dental assistantIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Dental Assistant

    Jefferson State Community College

    Birmingham

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Jefferson State Community College, BirminghamDental assistant · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$22,100
    Price if you pay yourself$1,199

    17 students trained with WIOA funding

    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
    Left out
    Earned in a quarter
    $5,525
    Length
    11 weeks, 4 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $466
    Students counted
    123
    Earned a year, estimated
    $22,100
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,199
    students trained with WIOA funding
    17
    School website, Dental Assistant at Jefferson State Community College

  • Dental assistantIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Dental Assisting

    Trenholm State Community College

    Montgomery

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Trenholm State Community College, MontgomeryDental assistant · Accredited schoolIn 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
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $10,432
    Program website, Dental Assisting at Trenholm State Community College

  • Dental assistantIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Dental Assisting Certificate

    Lawson State Community College

    Birmingham

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Lawson State Community College, BirminghamDental assistant · Accredited schoolIn 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
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $7,533
    Program website, Dental Assisting Certificate at Lawson State Community College

  • Dental assistant (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Dental Assisting Degree Program

    Calhoun Community College

    Decatur

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Calhoun Community College, DecaturDental assistant (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn 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
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $9,680
    Program website, Dental Assisting Degree Program at Calhoun Community College

  • Dental assistantIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Dental Assisting with Clinical Externship

    Shelton State Community College

    Tuscaloosa

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Shelton State Community College, TuscaloosaDental assistant · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$18,600
    Price if you pay yourself$1,499

    3 students trained with WIOA funding

    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
    Left out
    Earned in a quarter
    $4,646
    Length
    12 weeks, 7 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $650
    Students counted
    43
    Earned a year, estimated
    $18,600
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,499
    students trained with WIOA funding
    3
    Program website, Dental Assisting with Clinical Externship at Shelton State Community College

  • Dental assistantIn personPrerequisite courses

    Dental Assistant

    George C. Wallace Community College

    Dothan

    Accredited school

    Prerequisite courses

    George C. Wallace Community College, DothanDental assistant · Accredited schoolIn person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimated$18,200
    Price if you pay yourself$2,050

    6 students trained with WIOA funding

    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
    Left out
    Earned in a quarter
    $4,550
    Length
    20 weeks, 8 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    36
    Earned a year, estimated
    $18,200
    Price if you pay yourself
    $2,050
    students trained with WIOA funding
    6
    School website, Dental Assistant at George C. Wallace Community College

  • 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, LADental assistantIn 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

    11 students trained with WIOA funding

    More details about Accelerated Dental Assisting Academy at Accelerated Dental Assisting Academy
    Finished
    60%
    Working at 6 months
    Left out
    Earned in a quarter
    $3,861
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    $285
    Students counted
    28
    Earned a year, estimated
    $15,400
    Price if you pay yourself
    $2,974
    students trained with WIOA funding
    11

  • Dental assistantIn personNo diploma needed

    Dental Assistant non-credit

    Bevill State Community College

    Sumiton

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Bevill State Community College, SumitonDental assistant · Accredited schoolIn 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
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,175
    Program website, Dental Assistant non-credit at Bevill State Community College

  • Dental assistant (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Dental Assisting - AAS

    Coastal Alabama Community College

    Bay Minette

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Coastal Alabama Community College, Bay MinetteDental assistant (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn 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
    Left out
    Earned in a quarter
    $6,266
    Length
    70 weeks, 18 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $3,650
    Students counted
    17
    Earned a year, estimated
    $25,100
    Price if you pay yourself
    $9,600
    School website, Dental Assisting - AAS at Coastal Alabama Community College

  • Dental assistantIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Dental Assistant with Clinical Externship

    Enterprise State Community College

    Enterprise

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Enterprise State Community College, EnterpriseDental assistant · Accredited schoolIn 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
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,499
    Program website, Dental Assistant with Clinical Externship at Enterprise State Community College

  • Dental assistantIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Dental Assistant with Clinical Externship

    LBW

    Andalusia

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    LBW, AndalusiaDental assistant · Accredited schoolIn 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
    Left out
    Earned in a quarter
    $4,698
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    $400
    Students counted
    13
    Earned a year, estimated
    $18,800
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,399
    Program website, Dental Assistant with Clinical Externship at LBW

  • Dental assistantOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Dental Assisting Certificate Program with Clinical Externship

    Auburn University

    Based in Auburn, AL

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Auburn University, based in Auburn, ALDental assistant · Accredited schoolOnline · 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
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $3,950
    Program website, Dental Assisting Certificate Program with Clinical Externship at Auburn University

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 it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

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.67

GI Bill for dental assistant programs

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.8

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

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).

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

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

Other training in Alabama

How dental assistant programs compare with the rest of allied health: Allied health programs in Alabama

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).9 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 the prices and results of Alabama dental assisting programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

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".10 We leave out the share working 6 months later for Alabama: its rates sit far below every other state's.

Sources for the facts about dental assistant programs in Alabama

Show the 10 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Dental Assistants
  2. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  3. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  4. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  5. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  6. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  8. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  9. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List
  10. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: search page, note on states with known data quality concerns