How the Dental Assisting Diploma Program Prepares You for the NDAEB

Anyone aiming to become a Registered Dental Assistant in Alberta eventually reaches the same checkpoint: the National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) written exam. It is an important moment, but real preparation begins long before exam day. It starts the moment you walk into Reeves College and begin learning the skills, habits, and clinical reasoning that define this profession. 

Reeves College’s Dental Assisting program is built to help you grow steadily, from your first introduction to dental sciences to your final practicum shift. Every class, lab, and clinical activity is designed to help you think, act, and problem-solve like someone who belongs to a real dental practice. Students learn the foundations needed for the NDAEB and the practical abilities needed for employment in Alberta dental offices. 

This approach works. Graduates from the Edmonton South campus reached a 95 percent NDAEB pass rate in 2025. This result reflects a program that understands what future dental assistants truly need. Here is how Reeves College gets you ready for both the NDAEB and your career. 

Dental Assisting Curriculum Built Around Real Competencies 

The NDAEB evaluates whether new dental assistants meet national standards, so Reeves College aligns its curriculum with those expectations from the first week of class. Students study essential areas that support both the exam and daily practice in Alberta clinics. Training includes topics such as: 

• Infection control procedures 
• Radiography theory and safe image acquisition 
• Chairside assisting methods 
• Oral facial sciences 
• Dental materials and their applications 
• Professional communication and ethics 
• Office coordination and patient management 
•  

Nothing feels disconnected or random. Each concept links to something you will eventually do in a real clinical setting, which means the NDAEB becomes far easier to understand once you reach review stages later in the program. 

Hands On Learning Helps You Make Sense of Clinical Situations 

Many NDAEB questions describe a patient or a dental procedure and ask you to determine the appropriate response. To feel confident with these questions, you need more than memorized facts. You need experience. Reeves College provides extensive hands-on learning through simulations, labs, and early clinical exposure. Students practice: 

• Assisting dentists during procedures 
• Taking and evaluating radiographs 
• Sterilizing instruments and maintaining aseptic environments 
• Identifying instruments and preparing trays 
• Communicating effectively with patients of all ages 

When you eventually face a scenario on the NDAEB, it feels familiar because you have already performed the steps in class or during job shadowing. This practical knowledge also helps you enter the workforce with confidence rather than hesitation. 

A Clear and Supportive Learning Structure 

The amount of material covered in a dental assisting program can feel overwhelming if it is not delivered in the right order. Reeves College organizes learning in a way that supports long-term understanding. 

You begin with introductory concepts and gradually build toward more complex clinical tasks. Each course reinforces previous knowledge, and instructors consistently connect new topics to what you have already learned. Lectures, labs, demonstrations, quizzes, and discussions help you absorb material from multiple angles. 

Instructors also guide you in identifying your strengths and areas that may need more practice. Their clinical backgrounds make them an important resource as you work toward exam readiness. 

Focused NDAEB Preparation in the Final Stages of the Program 

Although preparation happens throughout the entire program, the final phase includes direct review for the NDAEB. Students practice with timed questions, case-based scenarios, and exam style reviews. You also learn practical strategies for managing time, analyzing questions, and approaching unfamiliar scenarios calmly. 

By the time you complete your final review sessions, the NDAEB feels more predictable and far less stressful. Many students describe the exam as manageable because the format and question style already feel familiar. 

Practicum Experience Helps All the Pieces Come Together 

There is a noticeable shift in confidence once students begin their practicum placement. After completing your early job shadowing requirement and progressing through your coursework, you step into a clinic and see how everything works together. 

You interact with real patients and dental teams. You experience busy days, unexpected challenges, and the rhythms of a functioning dental practice. These experiences deepen your understanding of what the NDAEB scenarios are describing, which makes studying in the final weeks far more effective. 

Reeves College requires a minimum 5-hour job shadow early in the program and 140 hours of additional practical experience, so students graduate with meaningful exposure to real clinical environments. 

Professional Skills That Matter Beyond the Exam Room 

Technical skills are important, but so is the human side of dental assisting. Reeves College emphasizes professionalism, communication, confidentiality, and ethical behaviour throughout the program. You learn how to support nervous patients, communicate clearly with dentists and hygienists, and uphold the standards expected in Alberta dental offices. These abilities show up on the NDAEB, but their true value becomes clear once you start working with patients every day. 

Career Preparation for Long Term Success 

Passing the NDAEB opens the door to registration with the College of Alberta Dental Assistants, but that is only the beginning of your professional journey. Reeves College prepares you for the real expectations of dental practices by training you in: 

• Patient scheduling and charting 
• Dental office communication 
• Chairside support across multiple specialties 
• Adaptability in busy clinical settings 
• Safety protocols required in Alberta 

Graduates step into clinics with practical knowledge, confidence, and a realistic understanding of what the job requires. 

The results speak for themselves. Recent graduates have achieved strong NDAEB pass rates and impressive employment outcomes in roles such as chairside assistant, sterilization assistant, and front desk coordinator. 

Final Thoughts 
 

Preparing for the NDAEB is not something you do in a rush at the end of the program. It is something that develops naturally as you learn, practice, and grow throughout your training. Reeves College provides a learning environment where students gain real clinical skills, build solid exam readiness, and develop professional confidence that lasts well beyond graduation. 

If your goal is to become a Registered Dental Assistant in Alberta, the Dental Assisting program at Reeves College give you the structure, support, and real experience needed to get there.