Career guide · Training, diplomas and professional orders
Becoming a dental assistant: the DEP in dental assisting explained
The DEP in dental assisting is the classic entry point, but not the only one. Here is the program, the schools near you and the other ways into the trade.
What is the DEP in dental assisting?
A 1,500-hour vocational diploma (code 5144, in English 5644 « Dental Assistance ») that trains you in chairside assisting, infection prevention, radiography, lab techniques and administrative tasks. It is completed in 12 to 18 months full-time depending on the centre.
Where can you take the DEP in Montérégie?
Notably at the Centre de formation professionnelle des Patriotes (Sainte-Julie) and the École de formation professionnelle de Châteauguay, less than 45 minutes from Valleyfield and Vaudreuil-Dorion. In Montreal: École des métiers des Faubourgs-de-Montréal and CDI College (private).
What are the prerequisites?
Generally a high school diploma or Secondary 4 credits in French, English and mathematics (depending on the admission regime), or an equivalent for adults. A placement test is sometimes required. Each centre posts its conditions; check with the one that interests you.
How much does the DEP cost?
Public training is free for Quebec residents (registration and material fees of a few hundred dollars); budget for uniforms, shoes and sometimes an instrument kit. Quebec government loans and bursaries apply. Private schools charge higher tuition.
Are there placements during training?
Yes, a clinic placement is part of the program, often at the end. That is when most graduates land their first job: clinics facing shortages offer a position as soon as the placement ends. Go Dentiste welcomes interns in its clinics.
What is the placement rate?
High: the Quebec government reports a placement rate of about 82% for the DEP in dental assisting, with a « good » job outlook for 2025-2029 and about 7,000 jobs in the province.
Can you become a dental assistant without a DEP?
Yes: the DEP is not mandatory in Quebec to assist chairside. Many clinics train motivated people on site, starting with sterilization and reception, then progressive assisting. Radiography does require recognized training, though. The DEP speeds up progression and pay.
What do you actually learn in the program?
Four-handed assisting, tray preparation, dental materials, impressions, radiography, asepsis and sterilization, biomedical waste management, prevention, lab work (models, trays), reception and booking, CPR, and billing basics.
Can you take the DEP while working?
Some centres offer evening schedules or a work-study formula, and a few clinics hire a candidate in training part-time (sterilization, front desk). Ask the centre about available formulas and the clinic whether it supports this path.
What comes after the DEP to progress?
Specializing (implantology, surgery, orthodontics), obtaining advanced radiography training, becoming lead assistant or sterilization coordinator, or moving into clinical coordination. Our guide Growing as a dental assistant presents these paths.
Go further
- Dental assistant jobs at Go Dentiste
- Dental assistant salary
- Dental career guide: the 1,000 questions
- All positions at Go Dentiste
Sources and references
- Gouvernement du Québec — Dental assistants: wages and outlook (IMT)
- FP Montérégie — DEP in dental assisting (1,500 hours)
Content prepared by the Go Dentiste team (Dr Dominic Morel-Maynard, general dentist and owner). Last updated: September 25, 2026. General information for guidance only: only an in-clinic exam can establish a diagnosis and a treatment plan suited to your situation.