About Us

Our mission statement

We aim to provide dental assistant training to students who want to enter the dental field as a trained dental assistant. We educate our students about the role of the dental assistant and prepare them to become a certified dental assistant. Idaho Dental Assisting Academy will provide information to help students with certifications and start their career as an entry level dental assistant.

Goals and Objectives

To provide fast track dental assisting training. Dental assistants are becoming a vital part of the dental field. As more dentists rely on assistants to prep patients for procedures and record accurate information, the demand for dental assistants should continue to grow. The lack of trained dental assistants make it time consuming for the dentist to find a qualified dental assistant. The program objective at Idaho Dental Assisting Academy is to provide onsite dental office training in a shorter time to help keep qualified dental assistant available to be hired. We provide a fast track low cost program that will allow a dental assistant who complete this program to earn an average dental assistant salary.

About the Field

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there should be more than 74,000 new openings for dental assistants up to the year 2022. That amounts to nearly 24.5 percent employment growth, which is much faster than the average for all professions. There are several reasons for the increased openings, including the fact that current generations take better care of their teeth than their parents and grandparents and regularly visit a dental office. Expanded health insurance coverage has also led to more patients, which should drive the demand for dental assistants in dentists’ offices.

The duties of a dental assistant are among the most comprehensive and varied in the dental office. The dental assistant performs many tasks requiring both interpersonal and technical skills.

Instructors

Clayce Lanham, Owner/Director

Clayce is director of this program and you might see her here and there instructing. She has been in the dental field for the past 17 years at Idaho Pediatric Dentistry. I absolutely love my job! Being the director, I try my hardest to set the tone for a nurturing and dynamic learning environment where both students and staff thrive. When this program was started, I couldn’t wait to help others succeed in dental assisting like I know is possible.

Clayce loves spending time with her husband and three children on a little ranch in Sweet Idaho!

Sandra Coppini, Instructor

Sandra has been with IDAA for the past 5 years. A complete asset to our program. Sandra has been a dental assistant for 17 years. Her joy stems not only from witnessing comprehension dawn on our students' faces but also from nurturing a lifelong love of learning within them. Sandra embodies the belief that education is not just about transferring information but also about nurturing minds and shaping futures. When Sandra isn’t instructing she loves spending time with her husband, little boy and her horses.