The $397 Online Course: Exactly What You Get

No mystery, no "call for pricing." Here is the complete, honest breakdown of our online dental assistant program — what's inside, what it is not, and the 90-day rule that makes $397 a very low-risk way to start.

The short version

The online program is our same dental assistant curriculum, delivered fully online, self-paced, for a one-time $397 — currently on sale from the regular $997. There's no waiting for a cohort date: you enroll and start the same day, from anywhere, on your own schedule. It's built for people who can't rearrange their life around a classroom right now — night-shift workers, parents, anyone outside driving distance of Longview.

Open each box to see what's inside

▸📚 The full curriculum, self-paced

Video lessons and quizzes covering the same material our in-person students learn — terminology, anatomy, instruments, infection control, radiology concepts, chairside procedure knowledge, and the front-office side. You move at your own speed and repeat anything as often as you want.

▸🖥️ The practice-office trainers

Access to the same software trainers our campus students use: Practice Pro (a practice-management trainer with a real anatomical tooth chart, scheduling, and claims workflow) and ChairSide (clinical notes). You practice the digital half of the job on tools built to teach it, not just watch someone else do it.

▸🎓 A certificate of completion

Finish the coursework and you earn a PDA Certificate of Completion — proof for employers that you put in the study. (Completing any program is separate from Texas RDA registration, which runs through the TSBDE — we're honest about that distinction everywhere.)

▸🧰 The free study tools, forever

Flashcards for terminology, the free Texas RDA practice exam, and the rest of the study tools on this site — they're free to everyone, but the course gives you the structure that makes them click.

▸🔄 The 90-day in-person credit

Decide within 90 days that you want the hands-on campus experience, and your full $397 applies as credit toward in-person tuition. Starting online costs you nothing extra if you upgrade.

What online is not

We won't pretend otherwise

The online course is not physical hands-on training. You will not be seating patients, passing instruments, or taking X-rays from your couch — nobody can teach your hands over the internet, and any program that claims to is overselling. Online gives you the knowledge layer. The hand skills come from practice in a real operatory, whether that's our Longview campus or on the job.

That's exactly why the 90-day credit exists. Some students start online, realize they want the equipment and the in-room coaching, and upgrade. Others finish online while working, then build hand skills with their first employer. Both paths are legitimate — we just want you choosing with clear eyes. Our online vs. in-person comparison goes deeper.

The math, in plain numbers

The in-person program is $3,000 paid in full (or $3,500 on a payment plan — $500 down plus the $3,000 balance). The online course is $397. If you start online and move to in-person within 90 days, that $397 comes off your tuition — so trying the material first costs you nothing extra. One honest caveat from our terms: the $397 itself is non-refundable; the credit path is how you keep its full value.

Why is it on sale for $397?

The regular price is $997. We're running a limited-time sale at $397 because we'd rather fill the course and meet future in-person students than sit at a higher price. No countdown-timer games — when the sale ends, the price returns to $997, and we won't pressure you with a fake deadline in the meantime.

Who the online course fits

It's a strong fit if you're working full-time and can only study nights, if you live an hour-plus from Longview, if you're testing whether dental assisting is really for you before committing $3,000, or if you simply learn best at your own pace. If you know you want the fastest route to job-ready hand skills and you can get to campus, go straight to the 12-week in-person program — next cohorts start August 17 and August 25 (see the calendar). Not sure which you are? Take the two-minute online program self-check.

How to start today

Enroll at the enrollment page, pick the online option, and you're in the material the same day. If you have a question first — about the credit, the workload, whether your situation fits — send it below. Amanda answers these herself, usually fast.

Start learning tonight for $397.

Self-paced, starts any day — and the full amount credits toward in-person tuition within 90 days.

Enroll online →

Keep reading: Online vs. in-person training · Is online right for you? Self-check · Staying motivated in an online course

The $397 online course: exactly what you get