Dental Reception – Short Certificate
Dental receptionists are vital members of the dental team and are the face and smile of the office. They play an important role in building and maintaining good patient relations and good organizational skills in the dental office. This accelerated and intense program will provide you with the basic skills and knowledge necessary to efficiently provide administrative support in a computerized dental office.
If you are organized, with good communication skills, have good time management skills, enjoy working with the public, like a fast-paced work environment, are good at working alone and as part of a team, this is the career for you!
The program is offered three times per year (January, May, September).
Summer 2025 (May-Aug) intake started May 3, 2025.
Registration is ongoing, limited seats available.
Call Continuing Studies registration office at 604.323.5322 or come in person to register.
Industry Approved
This program meets industry demand by providing training in specialized dental software, electronic insurance submission, and computer-generated reports. It does not emphasize skills that may have been obtained elsewhere such as MS Word and Excel, keyboarding, marketing, answering phones, and manual appointment bookings. The short-term program will give you the skills you need and have you dental office ready after 11 weekends or 17 weeks (evenings) of classes.
*This program does not have a practicum component
Requirements for Successful Program Completion/Credential Eligibility
To qualify for the certification, students must complete all four courses. Successful completion of all the required courses with a minimum final grade of 70% for each course is required, or a Satisfactory 'S' for First Aid – Standard C with AED.
There is no option for taking each course individually. Once the program has started there is no refund.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register?
Please contact the Continuing Studies registration office at 604.323.5322 to register for the four courses that make up the Dental Reception Certificate program (DRCP 1000, DRCP 1001, DRCP 1002, DRCP 1003).
- All courses must be taken together - you cannot register for them individually.
- This program fills up quickly.
- It is advisable to register as soon as registration opens for the upcoming term (approximately 6 weeks prior to the term start of January, May or September). Please call 604-323-5322 for details or:
- Although there is no application process, it is extremely important that students interested in this program understand that it is an intensive, accelerated program and will be fast-paced.
Is this program for me?
This program is ideal for those who are interested in working in a dental office, have some administrative skills, who are comfortable with computers, are detail oriented, interested in a fast-paced job that has a focus on good time management, and who like to work within a team. To succeed in Dental Reception, you must be comfortable as the face of the office, be good with people, and enjoy working with others.
A large portion of this program will require the use of a computer and specialized software and databases. You will not learn word processing, spreadsheet use, or other computer programs. You should be able to easily navigate through a computer and use these programs to be successful in this certificate program.
*Please note these skills are required to obtain employment in this field.
People in this profession require strong English skills, in both speaking and writing.
If you have decided this program is suitable for you, please register by contacting the registration office at 604-323-5322.
What's different about the Langara Dental Reception program?
Other institutions offer longer programs that cover additional content we do not cover in this intensive, shortened program. The Langara CS Dental Reception Certificate program only teaches content that specifically applies to working in a computerized dental office and does not cover any manual applications such as One Write, marketing, etc. Administrative skills that would transfer to other administrative jobs such as computer skills, word processing, keyboarding, spreadsheets, telephone skills, etc., are not covered in this program.
This program is designed to provide the basic necessary skills in a 11 weekend (including the first aid course) format vs other programs that are 6 months or longer.
NOTE: The Langara DRC program does not include a practicum.
What is the passing grade? What happens if I don't pass?
Students must receive a 70% or more on all courses, a minimum of 60% on the final exam for each course, and a Pass on the First Aid course. Criteria for assignments, quizzes, exams, and projects will be provided in a course outline on the first day of each course. Students who do not achieve the minimum grade in a course, will not receive their certificate and would be required to retake the course in another term in order to do so. There is no option to challenge any exam(s).
What happens if I miss a class?
Attendance in all classes is mandatory.
Although some emergencies are unpreventable students must understand that, due to the accelerated nature of the program, absences from class may hinder their success in receiving a passing grade in the program.
- Missing any days of this intensive program is detrimental to your success in this program.
- Any content missed for illness/family emergency will have to be obtained from your fellow students so it is important to meet your classmates and obtain a class 'buddy'.
- Any absence from class must be pre-approved by the instructor and/or program coordinator, or supported by a doctor's note.
- Where classes are missed, the student must come to the next class prepared and caught up on all assignments provided in the previous class(es).
- If possible, the instructor will try to provide opportunities for catching up on missed work or exam/quizzes, but this would occur only during class time; students will therefore be doubly pressed to stay up to date on all work.
- Due to make up schedules only being during class time, it may not be possible for the student to catch up on missed evaluations. Should this be the case, a student may not be successful in receiving a passing grade.
- If you miss a final exam, without prior consent by the instructor and/or the program coordinator, you may not be able to write it at another time.
Successful Course Completion
Students must successfully pass all components of the program with a minimum of 70% or a Pass; students are responsible for the entire program content which includes all materials assigned from the manual and handouts, plus any topics covered or discussed in class. It is important that students pre-read the assigned material and or/readings for the next week’s coverage. Students should plan for approximately 10 hours of homework/week.
What if I already have First Aid Certification?
If you have received extensive first aid training within six (6) months prior to the start of the program, you may be exempt from taking the two day course. This will be considered on an individual basis depending on a) when the course was taken, and b) the content of the course.
Please contact Gemma at goropesa@langara.ca to find out if you may be exempt from the First Aid course.
What is the English proficiency requirement?
There is no formal English proficiency test requirement for admission to apply for the Dental Reception Certificate program. However, you should have basic English skills—both speaking and writing—so you can understand lessons, complete assignments, and communicate effectively.
How do I apply for my certificate and graduation?
Once you have completed all content and successfully passed all evaluations in the Dental Reception program, you may apply for your Dental Reception Certificate. Please follow this link to download your Certificate/Graduation application. Directions for submitting your completed application, and required fees, can be found on the application.
To view graduation dates, should you wish to attend, please click below:
Depending on your completion date of the program, you may have to wait until the next graduation/convocation date to attend. If you are uncertain, or need more information, please contact the CS registration office at 604.323.5322 or csgeneral@langara.ca.
Will I be able to get a job after I finish the program?
According to Labour Market statistics and the dental community at large, there is a high demand for trained and skilled Dental Receptionists in the Lower Mainland.
We recommend that all graduates work on resumes, job interview techniques, and effective job search methods by going to any WorkBC location near you.
What if I want to withdraw from the program?
If you wish to withdraw from the program you must give a minimum of 24 hours notice prior to the program start. Please note that there is a $35 administrative fee per course when you withdraw. There are no refunds once you have started the program.
Should you wish to withdraw after taking the First Aid course, you will be considered to have started the Dental Reception program and will therefore not be eligible for a refund.
Do you teach computer skills?
Although tasks will be assigned that require the use of a computer, this program does not provide instruction in word processing, spreadsheet or other computer programs. You should be able to easily navigate through a computer, be comfortable learning new concepts and software, and be able to perform basic word processing to be successful in this certificate program. You will learn Exan PowerPractice, a software specific to dental offices and how it is used in a practice.
Cheating and Plagiarism
Any student suspected of plagiarism or cheating will be required to meet with the instructor and program coordinator. Please be sure to keep all copies of your work from start to finish in order to be able to show your thought and work processes to the end.
Please familiarize yourself with Langara's Academic Integrity policies before registering for the program.
