Dental assistant programs in South Dakota

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

3 schools offer these dental assisting programs, and South Dakota 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 South Dakota, every program asks for a diploma or other schooling first, and 1 is taught partly or fully online.

See the 4 programs

How much do dental assistant programs cost in South Dakota?

$10,710 to $16,138

is what the 4 programs with a price cost if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program: Too few programs to say
Working 6 months later: Not reported
Earned a year, estimated: Too few programs to say
Length: Too few programs to say

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

Are there free dental assistant programs in South Dakota?

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. These programs cost $10,710 to $16,138.

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

Dental assistant programs in Watertown, Sioux Falls, Rapid City and other South Dakota cities

Choosing an area filters the list below.

All 4 dental assistant programs in South Dakota approved for WIOA funding

4 programs

Dental assistantIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Dental Assisting | Diploma | In-person
Southeast Technical College
Sioux Falls
High school diploma or equivalent
Southeast Technical College, Sioux Falls · Dental assistant · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$34,000
Price if you pay yourself$10,710
Program website, Dental Assisting | Diploma | In-person at Southeast Technical College
More details about Dental Assisting | Diploma | In-person at Southeast Technical College
Finished
89%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
$8,492
Length
42 weeks, 22 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$2,930
Students counted
64
a year, estimated
$34,000
price
$10,710
Dental assistant (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Dental Assisting | AAS | In-person
Lake Area Technical College
Watertown
High school diploma or equivalent
Lake Area Technical College, Watertown · Dental assistant (associate degree) · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$16,138
Program website, Dental Assisting | AAS | In-person at Lake Area Technical College
More details about Dental Assisting | AAS | In-person at Lake Area Technical College
Finished
73%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
66 weeks, 28 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$2,770
Students counted
21
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$16,138
Dental assistantIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Dental Assisting | Certificate | In-person
Western Dakota Technical College
Rapid City
High school diploma or equivalent
Western Dakota Technical College, Rapid City · Dental assistant · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$11,220
Program website, Dental Assisting | Certificate | In-person at Western Dakota Technical College
More details about Dental Assisting | Certificate | In-person at Western Dakota Technical College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
44 weeks, 18 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$2,692
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$11,220
Dental assistant (associate degree)HybridHigh school diploma or equivalent
Certified Dental Assisting | AAS | Hybrid
Lake Area Technical College
Watertown
High school diploma or equivalent
Lake Area Technical College, Watertown · Dental assistant (associate degree) · Hybrid · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$16,138
Program website, Certified Dental Assisting | AAS | Hybrid at Lake Area Technical College
More details about Certified Dental Assisting | AAS | Hybrid at Lake Area Technical College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
66 weeks, 28 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$2,770
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$16,138

How to pay for dental assistant programs in South Dakota

WIOA funding can pay for dental assistant programs in South Dakota

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

Where the South Dakota dental assisting program numbers come from

Which South Dakota dental assisting programs are on this list?

These are the dental assisting programs South Dakota 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 South Dakota offers.

How the prices and results of South Dakota dental assisting programs are measured

The price is tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported it. Results describe students who left the program in recent years, and the yearly earnings figure is the reported quarter times four, an estimate. They describe past students, so they are no guarantee. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported". Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

How reliable are the South Dakota figures?

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

Other training in South Dakota

Sources for the facts about dental assistant programs in South Dakota

Show the 8 sourcesHide the sources