• No need to travel or move to another area to attend college
• Can work full time and earn wages & benefits while completing the program
• Much cheaper than a community or charter college
• Extensive hands-on experience in technical skills
• A broad skill set that ensures the MA is a valued member of the care team
• Experienced MAs who were classified as MA-R or MA-P after the certification changed in 2013 can get their certification without having to leave their jobs.

• Apprentice wages. Apprentices are paid 92% of the starting MA-C salary (or minimum wage, whichever is greater). There is a wage increase to 96% at the midpoint of the program. In-REACH determines the MA-C starting salary based on an annual wage survey. The wage standards are minimums, so you can choose to pay your apprentices more if desired.
• A 1:1 coach, ideally an MA-C with at least 2 years of experience. The coach must share the apprentice’s work schedule at least 75% of the time. The coach and apprentice do not need to work together as a single unit, but the coach should be available (in the vicinity) to answer questions and supervise new skills practice. If you have multiple apprentices, each one must have their own coach.
• Scheduling considerations and time for skill practice. It is very important that apprentices and coaches have the time to practice skills together. The model you use depends on your clinic needs and set-up, but we recommend the following if possible:
  • A daily or weekly schedule review to identify learning opportunities for the apprentice
  • At least 1 – 2 scheduled hours per week for the apprentice and coach to meet one-on-one to work on skills
  • A float who can cover for the coach or apprentice on the above occasions
  • The apprentice should NOT be a lead/primary assigned to a single provider, if possible, as this limits their flexibility. (Also consider carefully whether coaches who are leads will have enough time to spend with the apprentice).
  • The apprentice should NOT be used as a regular translator, as this takes up a lot of time they could be using practicing technical skills.
• General support. Although the program is designed to involve minimal work on the part of employers, it is important that the apprentice’s direct supervisor and other administrators know what is going on in the program. We recommend a monthly check-in meeting with everyone at the clinic who is involved in the program (apprentices, coaches, supervisors and administrators), to review the apprentices’ progress and troubleshoot any problems.
• Data and feedback. Once a year we will ask you to send us information on the wages and career progression of current and past apprentices. You may also be asked to complete a brief survey on your experience with the program a couple times a year. Lastly, you may be contacted by an evaluator (no more than annually) for an optional interview.
• A contact person. InReach needs one designated contact person at your organization who will receive regular communications about the program and forward them as needed.

You will be given a spreadsheet to report your apprentices names, emails, clinic placements, hourly wage, and clinical support team members to InReach. You don’t have to do any paperwork related to the online coursework. Apprentices need to keep timesheets and skill logs documenting their skill practice, which are signed off by a coach or supervisor.

We strongly recommend that the employer cover the training fee, as an investment in a committed, quality workforce.

Most employers who pay the training fee ask their apprentices to sign a 1- to 2-year commitment contract in exchange for this investment in their education. InReach will not invoice an apprentice for any tuition fees.

• Full refund within 2 weeks of program start
• 67% refund within 10 weeks of program start
• No refund after probationary period (10 weeks)

Unfortunately, no. Although the program does not require extra time of the coach, we understand that it is an added responsibility. Some employers choose to pay their coaches a slight differential wage when working with an apprentice. Currently we offer an MA Coach Training Course that provides additional training and a certificate of completion.  

After completing this program, graduates will take the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam administered by the National Healthcareer Association. The CCMA is a national credential, and it is also one of four exams accepted in Washington State as a pre-requisite to get the Medical Assistant–Certified state credential. Successful program graduates who pass the test will obtain both a state credential (MA-C), which allows them to work at any public or private clinic in Washington State, and a national credential (CCMA), which is accepted by many (but not all) employers in other states.

Apprentices in Washington State have the opportunity to co-enroll with Peninsula College to earn up to 58 college credits on a PC transcript at no cost to the apprentice. Apprentices can use these credits from the apprenticeship toward electives required for an Associate of Arts – Direct Transfer Agreement degree. Credits can also transfer to any of the professional or technical programs offered at community colleges throughout the state, giving you the flexibility to advance your career and education wherever you are!

MA apprentices can perform any skills under the Medical Assistant Certified scope of work from the first day of their apprenticeship WITH DIRECT VISUAL SUPERVISION (from a coach or supervisor in the room watching the procedure).

For invasive, MA-C level skills, like injections and phlebotomy, we require that apprentices have completed all the required skills practice and been signed off as competent by their coach AND the course instructor before they can perform these skills independently (without direct visual supervision).

An apprentice can perform MA-R level skills independently (without direct visual supervision) after the coach and supervisor both feel the apprentice is competent in the skill. These skills do NOT require an instructor’s signature.

As long as they are actively enrolled in the apprenticeship program, apprentices do NOT need to have obtained any MA credential to perform these skills. However, if an apprentice fails to pass the exam and is dis-enrolled from the program, they must stop performing MA-C level procedures until they have obtained either an interim or full MA-C credential. Employers will be contacted if this ever happens to one of their apprentices.

Please bring the issue to InReach staff, so they can communicate with the Apprenticeship Committee. The apprentice can also bring complaints against the employer to the Committee. The Committee mediates any disputes between employers and apprentices.

InReach is in regular contact with apprentices and can help troubleshoot problems. The program coordinators and course instructor can help if the apprentice is having problems with the coursework. If there is a significant issue, the Apprenticeship Committee will review the situation, talk to the apprentice and employer, and take appropriate action (from additional support to disciplinary suspension or removal from the program).

You can ask the apprentice to sign a commitment contract for a set time period. This is especially appropriate if the employer is paying for the program.

InReach has several full-time employees dedicated to supporting this program. They stay in close contact with all apprentices and employers and can help resolve any program concerns. You can contact them any time with questions. They also send monthly progress reports to the apprentice, coach, and supervisor.

The Course Instructor is also available any time to answer apprentices’ questions about technical skills they are learning. They review the online coursework and discussion posts, and provide regular feedback to apprentices.

• No need to travel or move to another area to attend a training program.
• No cost to the trainee for marketable dental skills
• Can work full time while completing the program.
• A broad skill set that ensures the Dental Assistant is a valued and trained member of the care team.
• There’s no need to travel or attend in-person classes to develop their dental assisting skills.
• The teacher guided structure allows beginners to dental assisting to start with knowledge fundamentals and get support as they learn online.

Yes, modules are due weekly. However, the course is structured to be self-paced, and all topics are available to the trainee from the start. Trainees are welcome to jump to a topic, or revisit topics at any time for review.

• Yes, the course focuses on building skills and practical knowledge. Skill competency is demonstrated in clinic by the quality of the trainee’s work and their increasing value as a dental assistant, as well as a cumulative online grade of 70% in all modules and tests.
• Intermittent quizzes produce a grade that allows a trainee to gauge their proficiency in each topic, the minimum score a trainee must earn is 70% to pass the course.

There is no limit to the number of times a trainee can take any quiz or complete any of the interactive learning activities. Learning Review quizzes draw from extensive question banks, providing a unique question set every time a trainee takes a quiz.

No. Certification preparation courses must meet specific requirements for trainees to be eligible for an exam upon course completion. This course is focused on flexible skill mastery and is not structured to meet the requirements of any certifying body.

No. There is no college credit associated with the course.

No. No in-person trainings are required or offered as part of this course.

• Yes. The structure of the course is set up to encourage trainee-guided learning and topic exploration with the guidance and direct support of an instructor.
• An in-clinic mentor is valuable to the development of a trainee’s dental assisting skills, if available.
• Assignments in the course provide immediate trainee feedback and are also graded by an instructor.

Employers are encouraged to designate a learning mentor to monitor trainee progress and provide clinical training.

The cost is $1800 per student.

Yes, the text Modern Dental Assisting, most current edition, by Bird and Robinson is required to use the course. The textbook is included in the course fee. The study guide associated with the course is not required, but trainees may find it helpful.

Yes, the refund schedule is as follows:

• Full refund within 2 weeks of program start
• 67% refund within 3-10 weeks of program
• No refund after 10 weeks

Trainees receive full technical support for the duration of their enrollment. Details on how to reach out for help are included in the course’s orientation.

We host two cohorts per year with start dates in May & November. Enrollment opening will be emailed to all interested employers. Please contact us for more information.

Currently, this training course is only open to current coaches or soon-to-be coaches and supervisors. We hope to expand our audience in the coming year. 

The course is free to all current and soon-to-be coaches and supervisors. When the audience opens up more broadly, there will be a small registration fee. 

Yes. At minimum your clinic needs to be in the process of enrolling apprentices before allowing coaches or supervisors to sign up for the course. 

The course is self-paced and participants are given access to the course for 3 months, but we estimate it will take approximately 6-8 hours to complete. 

Yes, participants will receive a certificate of completion and a new level of knowledge and understanding in being a successful coach and mentor.

No, the course can be completed entirely online. 

No. The course is optional, but highly encouraged.

Participants can expect to receive an email from InReach prior to being enrolled in the learning management system, Canvas. After that, you won’t be contacted about the course until it concludes, and you receive your Certificate of Completion.

For additional support, coaches are encouraged to review the MA Coaching Guide, attend kickoff, and join a Coach & Apprentice Check In session hosted by InReach.