A Little bit about our Dental Assisting School
CASDA is a fully licensed dental assistant school
The job opportunities for trained dental assistants are numerous in today’s marketplace with excellent starting salaries. Our student’s have reported back that they have started from $14 to $17 an hour. While no one can guarantee job placement, the dental profession is currently facing a shortage of trained dental assistants. Following your training at CASDA you will have the confidence and the skills necessary to apply for these positions. We give you the training to hit the ground running with the best chance at success! Our dental assistant school in Little Rock, AR really do strive to have a very professional, but fun and educational training environment and our previous student’s success proves it.
We offer our 10 week course three times a year; spring, fall and winter. Our hours are from 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m., with a half-hour lunch break and two 10-minute breaks. The following subjects are covered in depth from both a didactic and a practical clinical experience. The morning lecture is followed by an afternoon of clinical “hands-on” training in dental procedures, operation of equipment, instrumentation and materials used. Upon graduation you will be a registered Dental Assistant in the state of Arkansas!
Our Dental Assistant course is designed to give the student maximum “hands-on” training and experience in an actual dental office with an additional large classroom using mannequins, each other (for live feedback) and real patients. The teaching is stimulating, fast-paced, and relies heavily on individual participation. There will be an instructor per group of 8 students. This insures personal attention and a worthwhile learning experience. A syllabus containing notes on lecture material as well as an excellent textbook and handouts are provided so as to heighten the classroom experience and eliminate the fatigue of a lot of note taking.
A career of helping people improve their dental health will be rewarding and enormously satisfying for you. No two days will ever be the same and your job will renew itself. It is a career that will always be in demand and in need of capable, trained and caring Dental Assistants. Becoming a Dental Assistant can be the first step on a career path leading to a Dental Hygienist or a Dentist!
Dental Assistant School- Meet Our Team
Ann Nguyen – RDH/RDA – Director
Ann is an Arkansas native, born in Fort Smith. She moved to Little Rock in 2003. She received her Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 2005.
Ann has been a registered dental hygienist with Heathman’s Family Dental since 2018. She strives to serve patients by promoting health and wellness through the provision of dental hygiene care.
For years, Ann has also been a dental assisting instructor and has developed a passion for teaching new assistants everything they need to know to be successful in the dental field. This is why in 2018 she decided to become the director of NWASDA & CASDA to cater to the needs of students in Arkansas.
Ann’s interests include traveling, keeping active at the gym and hanging out with her family.
Nikki Tarvin – RDA – Instructor
Nikki joined Dr. Heathman’s Family Dentistry team July 2017 and is his lead dental assistant. She has been assisting for 8 years and just moved to Arkansas from Virginia Beach, Virginia. She is with you from start to finish during your dental procedures.
Nikki has been teaching at CASDA since 2019 and loves being an instructor.
In her free time, she enjoys being with her husband, Chris and their two fur babies. They enjoy going camping and exploring or natural state.
Dr. Montgomery Heathman – Licensing Doctor
Dr. Montgomery “Monty” Heathman is an Arkansas native, born in Jonesboro, Arkansas and raised in Springdale. He graduated from Springdale High School in 1984. He moved to Dallas, Texas and attended Video Technical Institute, graduating with an Associate of Applied Sciences Degree in 1988. He then attended Brookhaven Community College in Dallas. He returned to Fayetteville, Arkansas in 1993 to complete his undergraduate degree at the University of Arkansas, receiving his Bachelor of Science Degree in 1997. Upon graduation, he then attended dental school at University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences in Memphis, Tennessee, graduating in 2000 with a Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree.
In 2010, Dr. Heathman moved to Little Rock, Arkansas and worked as an associate dentist in various clinics. Dr. Heathman returned to solo practice in 2012 and owns Interdisciplinary Dental Therapy PA, in Little Rock. Dr. Heathman also opened The Dental Clinic at Stuttgart and opened Heathman Family Dental in 2016 in West Little Rock, Arkansas.
Dr. Heathman and his wife Kelli, live in Roland, Arkansas with their 4 dogs; Puma, Madison, Oakley, and Loca. He has a son, Zachary, who loves football. His interests include golfing, fishing, and all things Razorback related. His personal philosophy of life is to treat people with dignity, respect, integrity, and understanding, with an open heart and mind. He has a great passion for excellent dentistry and highly values and enjoys the relationships he builds with his patients and peers.
Pictures from class
