The mission of the American Denturist College is to provide an exceptional education with a superior level of academic and technical education through distance modes of delivery, preparing students for immediate success and productivity in the workforce, for continuing formal education, and for lifelong learning.
The American Denturist College was formed in the spring of 2011 to serve the Denturist profession and the people in need of dental prosthetics throughout the Pacific Northwest.
The Denturist profession was born in the United States in 1978 when Oregon voters passed a ballot measure to create the profession. Currently, there are six states in which Denturists are practicing with licenses. According to the National Denturist Association, there are several states that are evaluating the profession, but are looking for an educational institution to deliver fulfillment of the baseline competencies required to practice this profession prior to granting licensure. Denturist practice around the world under a variety of names, including Clinical Dental Technician, and Dental Prosthetist, among others. With an aging population and an aging base of Licensed Denturists in Oregon and Washington, Todd and Brad Young formed the ADC through a rigorous process overseen by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission and the Oregon Health Licensing Agency. The first Denturist Diploma program started in January of 2013. Currently the program is licensed and recognized in Oregon, Washington, Maine, and meets the standards for other States and Countries. The ADC is working toward recognition or acceptance of our programs in other eligible states and countries throughout the world.
In 2020, the ADC began offering a Technical Bachelor’s Degree in Denturism. This program is licensed by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. This is the first-degree program of its kind in the United States. The Technical Bachelor’s Degree in Denturism is not required for licensure.
The American Denturist College Technical Bachelor’s Degree in Denturism is designed as a stackable credential. This means the Degree cannot be achieved until the Diploma in Denturism is completed. Applicants who have already earned their Diploma in Denturism from the ADC or an ADC recognized program will be allowed to transfer in the coursework associated with the Diploma and will only be required to complete the additional coursework to earn the Bachelor’s degree. Applicants who have not earned a Diploma in Denturism will be required to first complete all coursework required for the Diploma in Denturism. Once that course work is completed, the American Denturist College will confer the Diploma. The student may then continue on to complete the additional coursework to earn the Bachelor’s degree.
We are accredited by the DEAC (Distance Education Accrediting Commission- www.deac.org), A nationally recognized accrediting body by the United States Department of Education (https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/). The Distance Education Accrediting Commission is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Accreditation is the review of the quality of education offered by an institution or program. In the United States, accreditation is the primary way that students, families, the public, and government officials know that an institution provides a quality education. When you graduate form the American Denturist College, you know that you have received an education that meets the highest standard set forth in education and is accepted by every denturist, licensing body in the United States.
You might be asking, “what does this mean for me?”. With accreditation, the school is officially listed on the United States Department of Education website. This listing does not issue us a school number to be used for FAFSA, it does not allow us to issue 1098-T forms to students for their tuition payments. Obtaining a student loan through a financial institution may be easier. We would advise you to check with your specific financial institution to verify our school meets their requirements for loan approval. The American Denturist College also offers in-house financing options to all our students. Please check with the Director of Admissions, Krissie McBride, to find out which option would work best for you.
Certifications
Approved By
Please click through the above for Licensure information from the above States. If you reside in any other State or Country, please contact your local Licensing Board for details on Licensure.
Other State Denturist Licensure Boards that ADC’s Diploma curriculum meets the requirements of:
Contact information for all Regulated States Licensing agencies: Denturist Professional Licensure Directory