This presentation explores strategies for effectively teaching a diverse range of students in dental assisting education. Unlike dental hygiene programs, where students share a common academic foundation due to prerequisite requirements, dental assisting classes often include students with varying levels of college experience. These students range from those with prior degrees or significant coursework to recent high school graduates with minimal college exposure. This variability presents unique challenges in designing instruction that challenges advanced learners while providing foundational support for those with less experience. The session will address teaching strategies for clinical science courses, where instructors must balance individualized attention with group instruction, particularly in topics requiring precision, such as infection control and sterilization.

Objectives:

• Identify challenges and opportunities in teaching students with diverse academic and professional backgrounds.
• Develop strategies to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of advanced learners and those requiring additional foundational support.
• Implement time-efficient methods to provide individualized feedback in clinical lab settings.
• Enhance the structure of lab sessions to optimize student learning and maintain high standards of competency in essential skills like infection control and sterilization.
• Explore tools and techniques to teach essential study and time-management skills to less-experienced students.