Superior Orthodontics
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Learn dental assisting inside our Eastpointe office.

Dr. Kole-James does not just treat patients. He teaches. Superior Dental Academy is a hands-on dental assistant program that runs inside Superior Orthodontics in Eastpointe — one day a week, eight weeks, taught by the same team that treats our patients every day.

If you have been thinking about a career in dentistry, this page walks you through how the program works, what it costs, and what to do next.

Apply for the next classSee tuition & payments
A treatment room at Superior Orthodontics in Eastpointe, MI, where Superior Dental Academy classes are held
  • Real operatories, real equipmentreal patient flow.
  • General dentistry and basic orthodonticsMost programs only cover one.
  • Job-placement helpfor every graduate.
  • Graduates can be hiredright here at Superior Orthodontics.

What you will learn

The program covers the clinical, radiographic, and front-office skills a dental office actually hires for — and prepares you for the requirements to become a Registered Dental Assistant in Michigan.

Class is split between book work, practical work, and online assignments. You'll have reading, quizzes, and coursework to complete during the week between class days.

  • Chairside clinical skills & four-handed dentistry
  • Basic orthodontic assisting
  • Dental radiography & imaging
  • Infection control & sterilization
  • Dental anatomy & terminology
  • Instruments, materials & modern equipment
  • Entry-level front office administration
  • Patient communication & chair-side manner
  • Board-exam preparation
  • Resume help & interview prep

The program at a glance

Built for people who already have a job, kids, or both. You come in one day a week — that is it.

  • Class day: Fridays, 10:00am – 5:00pm (two breaks)
  • Length: 8 weeks of class + 4-week externship
  • Class size: 8 students maximum
  • Location: Inside Superior Orthodontics — 22770 Kelly Rd, Eastpointe, MI 48021
  • Included: A set of scrubs, plus all supplies and materials for class
  • Not included: Textbook (about $120 new, $60 used, $30 e-book)
  • After you finish: Job-placement assistance — most students have offers by week 9

Tuition & payment options

The same thing we do for orthodontic patients, we do for students: tell you the price up front and make it payable monthly.

Covers all 8 weeks of hands-on instruction, your externship placement, scrubs, and every supply and material used in class.

Pay monthly instead

Tuition does not have to come out in one payment. Call the academy and we will go through the monthly options with you, what each one costs, and what you would put down to start.

Ask about the payment plan when you call. Terms depend on the plan you choose.

  • Tuition: $4,500
  • Scrubs & class supplies: Included
  • Externship placement: Included
  • Job-placement assistance: Included
  • Textbook: ~$120 (separate)

Who can enroll

You do not need any dental experience. Here is what you do need:

  • Be 18 or older

    You'll need a valid U.S. government-issued photo ID or passport before class starts.

  • High school diploma or GED

    A U.S. high school diploma, GED, or U.S. college transcript. Degree from outside the U.S.? Call the academy — there may be another option.

  • Immunization records

    Hep B, TDaP, MMR, and Varicella — or a signed vaccination declination waiver.

  • Transportation

    To class each week and to your externship site.

  • Computer access

    For weekly reading, quizzes, and online assignments between class days.

  • Time for the externship

    A 40-hour externship is required to graduate and is completed during the program.

Where it can take you

Dental assistants work chairside with dentists, but the license opens more doors than most people realize. Starting pay for dental assistants generally runs $15–$24 per hour, and becoming a Registered Dental Assistant expands where you can go from there.

Roles our graduates move into

  • Dental Assistant
  • Registered Dental Assistant
  • Orthodontic / specialty assistant
  • Public health dental assistant
  • Treatment coordinator
  • Financial coordinator
  • Continuing care coordinator
  • Sterilization & infection control
  • Dental administrator / receptionist
  • Dental sales or insurance rep
Dr. Kishawn Kole-James beside his diplomas at Superior Orthodontics in Eastpointe, MI

Taught by Dr. Kishawn Kole-James

Dr. Kole-James has practiced orthodontics in the Detroit area for over 8 years. He earned his DDS from the University of Detroit Mercy and his orthodontics degree from Howard University, and served as Dental Director for three community health clinics in Detroit before opening Superior Orthodontics.

He started the academy for the same reason he built the practice the way he did — to make a path into dentistry that people in this community can actually afford and finish.

Meet Dr. Kole-James

Common questions

  • No. The program is built for people starting from zero. Most students come in with no dental background at all.

  • That's the whole design. Hands-on class meets one day a week — Fridays, 10am to 5pm. Your reading, quizzes, and online work happen on your own schedule during the week.

  • Eight weeks of class plus a four-week externship. Most students have job offers by around week 9, though you still have to finish the full program and meet Michigan's licensing requirements to work as a Registered Dental Assistant.

  • It happens. Several of our team members came up through the academy. Every graduate also gets job-placement help — resume, interview prep, and introductions to offices that are hiring.

  • Payment plans are available. Call the academy on (313) 314-3310 and we will go through the monthly options and what you would put down to start. See the tuition section above.

  • Inside our Eastpointe office at 22770 Kelly Rd, Eastpointe, MI 48021 — the same operatories our patients are treated in.

Ready to start a career in dentistry?

Classes are capped at 8 students, so seats go fast. Call the academy directly or apply online — someone will walk you through the schedule, the cost, and what your first day looks like.

Superior Dental Academy · Visit the academy website · info@yourdentalassistantschool.com

Apply for the next classCall the academy — (313) 314-3310
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