Why Choose Louisiana Dental Institute?

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Louisiana Dental Institute affiliated with a Dental Office?

Yes! We are the official school of Peach Tree Dental, Peach Tree For Kids and Snaggle Dental. We have 7 locations in Monroe, West Monroe, Ruston and Jonesboro and we provide externships for students at these locations upon graduation.

**Peach Tree Dental School in Ruston, LA IS NOT affiliated with any of our Peach Tree Dental Offices or Louisiana Dental Institute.

How long is the program?

Our training program spans a total of twelve weeks, consisting of lecture hours and hands-on clinical training where students can practice the various routines of chairside assisting. In addition to classes, our students can participate in a 40-hour externship at one of our Dental Offices in Monroe, West Monroe, Ruston or Jonesboro.

When does the next class start?

We offer 3 enrollment periods a year with no more than 25 students. Classes start the 2nd week of February 2nd week of June and the 2nd week of October.

When and where are classes held?

Classes are held on Saturdays from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm at our training facility located in Peach Tree Dental at 2204 Forsythe Avenue, Monroe, Louisiana. 16 dental treatment rooms (equipped with dental chairs, units, and digital x-ray machines) are utilized for student training and proficiencies. There is digital radiography and dental imaging software as well as a fully computerized business office, a large reception room, a break room, a modern classroom, and an on-site dental laboratory. The school utilizes the entire 10,459 square feet of space.

Am I qualified?

We require our students to have a high school diploma or a GED and make a 14 or higher on the Wonderlic.

How much does it cost to apply?

$35 application fee.

What’s the total cost of the training program?

We offer 3 reasonable tuition options so that when you graduate you can start making money immediately with no student debt.

You can visit us at www.louisianadentalinstitute.com/tuition to see which payment option works best for you if the full tuition cannot be paid upfront. If none of those options work for you, that’s ok! Contact us to inquire about a customized payment plan that fits your budget.

Do you have an online option?

Yes! We’ll be conducting our lectures via Zoom conferences but you will be required for in-person clinical training in order to graduate.

Do you accept financial aid?

In order to offer our students federal aid, we would be forced to hold classes full-time Monday-Friday for eight months + terms. Rather than draw out our program over many months at a much greater cost to the individual student, we opted for a leaner program without federal aid. We are happy to offer payment plans to those students who cannot pay for our course upfront.

What is your refund policy?

• All monies paid by a student shall be refunded if requested within 30 days of the start of the class.
• After a student has completed less than 15% of the program, the institution shall refund at least 80% of the tuition.
• After the student has completed less than one fourth of the program, the institution shall refund at least 70% of the tuition.
• After a student has completed one fourth, but less than one half of the program, the institution shall refund at least 45% of the tuition.
• After a student has completed one half or more of the program, the institution may retain 100% of the stated program price.

What can I expect after graduation?

Students who graduate from Louisiana Dental Institute will receive their Dental Assistant Certificate of Completion from our school. In addition, students will also receive their BLS (CPR) and x-ray certification. Upon successful completion of the Dental Assistant program and Louisiana Dental Institute’s 40-hour externship, qualified students will have the opportunity for direct employment with Peach Tree Dental (Monroe, West Monroe and Ruston), Peach Tree For Kids (Ruston) and Snaggle Dental (Monroe and West Monroe).

How do I start?

The first step to enrollment is to apply online. Afterwards an Administrative Representative will contact you to set up an in-person meeting. There you’ll get the chance to tour our facilities and learn more about our program. Seats fill up quickly, so don’t hesitate! Call us and get moving toward your new career today!

How can your program be so fast?

Louisiana Dental Institute is a hands-on learning program. We take a different approach from traditional education. Our classes take place in a dental office rather than a classroom and there is a hands-on component to every part of our course. Our classes begin with a lecture and class discussion, but the majority of the class time is spent in labs learning the essential techniques of Dental Assisting. When our students graduate and begin their career, they feel right at home in a dental office.

How can a short program like yours be as effective as a longer program?

As a newly hired Dental Assistant, your employer will have an expectation that you will know the basic skills of Dental Assisting. It’s those fundamental skills that we focus on teaching our students. Our custom designed curriculum sets students up for success in knowing exactly what dentists will expect them to know.

Will I be more qualified if I attend a longer program?

When you graduate from any dental assisting school you receive a certificate of completion. Many students ask if they can expect to make a higher starting salary if they attend a longer program. The starting salary for a Dental Assistant does not have anything to do with how much time you spend in a dental school or how much you pay for your schooling.

What is the training difference between this school and other schools?

• No other school in North Louisiana has access to a state-of-the-art dental facility like we do or access to the amount of dental offices we have in our network to perform externships upon graduation.
• We train no more than 25 students at a time creating a more intimate classroom and a better teacher to student ratio.
• We are a full-time school, so if you have questions outside of class times we are here to help!
• This is a hands-on program so you can expect your skills to be better and to feel more comfortable in a dental office after this course.
• You will finish in a shorter amount of time.
• You will be debt-free.
• You will have personal mentorship along the way and after you graduate.
• We get to know our students personally. You will have access to your instructor’s personal cell phone number and are free to call/text anytime with questions regarding the program.
• You will receive the same certificate that you would get at a larger school for half of the time and a fraction of the cost.

Who runs the school?

Our school is run by our Administrative Director of Success Joni Porter and an amazing team of instructors and support staff. We believe it is our job to be on each student’s team for success. Our ultimate responsibility is to our students.

Do you have an online option?

Currently you are required to be in person for all instructor led lectures and chairside training, but our testing, course materials, quizzes etc. are all online.

How much do Dental Assistants make?

The national median earnings for a beginning Dental assistant are 38k annually and experienced Dental Assistants can make up to 60k or more annually. Dental Assistants who go on to become Dental Hygienists, Dentists, Dental Office Managers, Finance and Insurance Professionals and other careers in dentistry, can earn up to $70,000 or more annually.

Are Dental Assistants in-demand?

The dental industry is ready for you! The U.S Bureau of Labor statistics projects a nearly 24 percent growth by 2022. This means your dental assistant training is in-demand!  As the Dental Industry continues to grow and more dentists provide more specialized care to their patients, a successful dental office simply cannot function without a Dental Assistant, so this role will continue to be highly sought after.