Dental Assistant major is Inver Hills alumna
Briana Fairhurst, 32, is earning a Dental Assistant diploma at Dakota County Technical College. Briana is also an Inver Hills Community College alumna, having graduated in 2022 with an Associate of Arts (A.A.), the college’s number one transfer degree.
Briana with one of her two daughters at 2025 DCTC Commencement Ceremony
“I got to take a wide variety of really interesting classes at Inver Hills,” she said, “and I really enjoyed that about the college.”
Briana participates in Phi Theta Kappa at DCTC and made the President’s List for spring and fall semester 2024 and spring semester 2025.
A single mother with two daughters, she still finds time to work while going to school. She is completing her Dental Assistant externship at Park Dental and Carousel Pediatric Dentistry, working 37 hours per week.
She also works 14 hours per week as a personal care assistant at Partners in Community Supports (PCA). She volunteered to teach personal oral hygiene at Rosemount Elementary School this past February.
On track to graduate from DCTC this August, Briana took part in the 2025 DCTC Commencement Ceremony at TCO Stadium this past May. She is looking forward to launching her full-time career as a dental assistant.
Briana Fairhurst
First in her class to pass dental assistant board examsBecoming a Licensed Dental Assistant in Minnesota requires candidates to pass specific Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) exams that are components of Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) certification:
- Infection Control (ICE)
- Radiation Health and Safety (RHS)
- General Chairside Assisting (GC)
Candidates must also pass the Minnesota Jurisprudence Examination, which focuses on Minnesota Board of Dentistry statutes and rules.
DCTC News: What advice would you give dental assistant students preparing to take their board exams?
Briana: Quizlet is your best friend. There are a lot of good study guides on almost every single topic that will be covered on boards. Also, you know more than you think you do. You’ve been spending all year learning the material, so trust your gut.
More about Briana…
Briana Fairhurst at 2025 DCTC Commencement Ceremony at TCO Stadium
Originally from Inver Grove Heights, Briana graduated from Simley High School, Class of 2011. Family is the centerpiece of her life.
“I’m a single parent to two wonderful little ladies, Eden and Nora,” she said. “My youngest started kindergarten this year, which gave me the opportunity to go back to school. We have two cats, Freya and Matcha. Freya is the resident scaredy cat and likes to be left alone. Matcha is a typical orange cat with crazy energy and one marble rolling around in his head instead of a brain.
“I’ve got three brothers and two amazing sister-in-laws. We are all very close and talk a few times per week. My younger brother, Connor, just welcomed our first nephew into the family this year, Atlas, and we are obsessed with him.
“My family has been really helpful and supportive of my schooling. My mom, brother, Stuart, and his wife, Liv, and my youngest brother, Leo, came in to be patients during my labs and I got to do X-rays, coronal polishing, and sealants on them, which was very fun. My dad, aunt, and friends have all stepped up and helped with getting the girls on the bus in the morning, and babysit so I could attend all my classes and externship over the summer. I am very, very grateful for them.”
Briana has a full range of activities to fill her free time. “I like keeping my hands busy so in my spare time I like to crochet and weave,” she reported. “At one point, I used to have an Etsy shop where I sold woven tapestries. Eventually the stress on my joints made me take a step back and now I just do it for fun.
“I also enjoy reading, probably more than the average person. I usually read around forty-five to fifty books per year and stay up way too late at night for ‘one more chapter.’ My all time favorite series is Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas. I re-read the series once every year. The Dental Assistant program is very intense, so I’ve only been able to read five or six books for fun this year.”
Briana added that she and her friends have been running 5Ks together since 2014. “We usually pick the ones that have fun events included like the Color Run, Electric Run, and any that have obstacle courses. Two out of the three of us have children now, so we are starting to do some family-friendly ones. My daughter did her first 5K mud obstacle course this past summer, and she did really great, only complained a little.”
Briana resides with her family in Rosemount, Minnesota.
Briana Fairhurst life gallery
Briana Fairhurst • Q & A
Briana Fairhurst
What motivated you to enroll in the Dental Assistant program at DCTC?
My mom has been a dental assistant for nearly 30 years and had suggested it a few times, but I was never interested. I saw the program at DCTC, and it sounded interesting and seemed relatively quick and worked with my kids’ school schedules. Little did I know, it would be the best decision I’ve ever made.
What have you enjoyed most about the Dental Assistant program so far?
I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with dentistry, but the mix of interesting content, great teachers, and fun classmates has made this program really fun and rewarding.
How has your dental assistant externship helped prepare you for your new career?
Schooling laid the foundation, but there are some things that you can only learn by being chairside and in the thick of it. Externship has been very fast-paced, and I’m learning new techniques and new things every single day, and it has been very valuable. I’m glad we get the opportunity to learn on the job instead of having to fend for ourselves.
Three words that describe you as a Dental Assistant student:
DETERMINED. STUDIOUS. SUPPORTIVE.
What do like best about your role as a dental assistant?
I love connecting with and getting to know my patients. I also feel like I make a difference in people’s lives, especially when they come in and are in a lot of pain and leave with a smile on their face.
What person has influenced your life the most and why?
I am a culmination of all the amazing people that I have crossed paths with throughout my life. My granddad inspired my love for learning, my parents’ work ethic, the wonderful group of strong, intelligent women that I call best friends. Most of all, my daughters Eden and Nora. They have taught me that love has no boundaries, and they bring so much light with them everywhere they go.
If you could make one thing happen on Earth right now, what would it be?
Reverse the effects of global warming and have strict guidelines and regulations to reduce pollution.
One word that best describes your experience at DCTC:
INSPIRING
Briana Fairhurst • 12 Answers
- Favorite sport or physical activity: Mini golf and kayaking
Place you would most like to visit: Ireland- Most exciting thing you’ve ever done: When I was younger I went up in a hot air balloon in France; that has been pretty hard to top
- Three things you would do if you won a $1 billion lottery: 1) Pay off my student loans 2) Buy a house with land and get chickens and a few cows 3) Make more ADA-accessible playgrounds throughout Minnesota for kids and young adults
- Best book or movie you’ve read or seen lately: Throne of Glass series and Song of Achilles
- Time period you would explore if you could time travel: 1500s to witness Michelangelo painting the Sistene Chapel ceiling
- One thing you most want to accomplish in life: All I want out of life is to keep my kids happy, healthy, and kind
Your national bird if you were your own country: Northern cardinal- Dream occupation: Author
- Person you would most like to meet: There are many people I would love to meet; right now, during a busy and stressful period in my life, I would want to meet vanillamace—she is a streamer on Twitch and YouTube, and she has been a hilarious and soothing presence during stressful times, and I resonate deeply with her anxiety and panic attacks and her attitude with handling and overcoming it
- Skill you would most like to learn and master: Right now I want to master all my skills as a dental assistant; I set goals each week with what I want to improve on and take it one day at a time; unrelated to the dental field, I would love to learn and master rollerskating!
- Most important issue or problem facing humankind: This is a tough question to answer because there are so many things going on in the world at the moment—genocide, families being torn apart and separated, homelessness, and people not being able to afford food; I am hopeful that our generation and future generations can work together to make better decisions and policies
Learn more about the Dental Assistant program at DCTC by contacting:
Admissions
admissions@dctc.edu
651-423-8266
Room 2-110
More about the Dental Assistant program…
This is a high-demand program: APPLY EARLY.
Contact Admissions for more information.
The Dental Assistant program at DCTC provides you with the essential skills and knowledge needed for a successful career in the dental field. You will be prepared to effectively assist dental professionals in patient care. The program’s curriculum combines theoretical education with hands-on training to develop expertise in areas such as:
- Patient care management
- Infection control
- Radiography
- Dental materials
- Office procedures
- Assisting with dental treatments
- Including expanded functions delegated by the Minnesota Board of Dentistry
As a Dental Assistant program graduate, you will be prepared to work in various dental settings. The program also prepares you for certification exams, including the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) exam administered by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) and the Jurisprudence exam through the Minnesota Board of Dentistry.
To become a Licensed Dental Assistant in Minnesota, you are required to complete a CODA-accredited dental assistant program, pass all sections of the Certified Dental Assistant exam, pass the Jurisprudence exam, and submit a licensure application to the Minnesota Board of Dentistry.
Employment in this field typically requires successful completion of the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) and Licensed Dental Assistant (LDA) licensing exams.
Awards
Dental Assistant A.A.S. degree: 60 credits
Dental Assistant diploma: 40 creditsAccreditation
The Dental Assistant program at DCTC is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the American Dental Association.
LEARN MORE…
Dental Assistants
Perform limited clinical duties under the direction of a dentist. Clinical duties may include equipment preparation and sterilization, preparing patients for treatment, assisting the dentist during treatment, and providing patients with instructions for oral healthcare procedures. May perform administrative duties such as scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes.
Dental Assistants is a Bright Outlook Occupation.
Reported job titles
- Certified Dental Assistant (CDA)
- Certified Registered Dental Assistant
- Dental Assistant (DA), Expanded Dental Assistant
- Expanded Duty Dental Assistant (EDDA)
- Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA)
- Oral Surgery Assistant
- Orthodontic Assistant (Ortho Assistant)
- Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)
- Surgical Dental Assistant
Hot Technologies are requirements most frequently included across all employer job postings. See all 3 Hot Technologies for this occupation.
In Demand skills are frequently included in employer job postings for this occupation. See all 1 In Demand skills for this occupation.
WAGES
Minnesota
Workers on average earn $64,630.
10 percent of workers earn $48,450 or less.
10 percent of workers earn $74,930 or more.United States
Workers on average earn $47,300.
10 percent of workers earn $36,190 or less.
10 percent of workers earn $61,780 or more.2024 Wage Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Occupational Trends: Minnesota
Employment (2022): 5,950 employees
Projected employment (2032): 6,320 employees
Projected growth (2022–2032): 6 percent
Projected annualjob openings (2022–2032): 880Occupational Trends: United States
Employment (2023): 376,500 employees
Projected employment (2033): 408,000 employees
Projected growth(2023–2033): 8 percent — faster than average
Projected annual job openings (2023–2033): 54,900Visit O*NET OnLine for comprehensive information about the occupation:
Dental AssistantsSOURCE: O*NET OnLine: Dental Assistants
