The General Chairside & Radiology Dental Assisting Program at Rural Roots Dental Institute is a 15-week career training program designed to prepare students for entry level employment as dental assistants. The program combines classroom instruction, radiology education, extensive hands-on clinical training, and a two week externship in a dental practice. A major focus of the program is hands on learning in our fully functional, 4 chair/operatory mock dental setting. Students train in an environment designed to closely replicate a working dental office, allowing them to practice chairside assisting, operatory setup and breakdown, infection control, instrumentation, four-handed dentistry, dental materials, radiographic procedures, patient care and communication, and everyday dental office workflows before entering an externship or the workforce. By combining foundational dental knowledge with repeated, practical clinical experience, students graduate with the skills, confidence, and familiarity with the dental environment needed to transition into an entry level dental assisting position and become an effective member of the dental team.