Dental assistant programs in Wisconsin

18 dental assistant programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

17 schools offer these dental assisting programs, and Wisconsin has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Dental assistants care for patients, take x-rays, keep records and schedule appointments. Many programs take about a year and lead to a certificate or diploma, and some states require you to graduate from an accredited program and pass an exam.¹

In Wisconsin, 4 of the 18 programs take students without a high school diploma, 13 ask for a diploma or equivalent and 1 asks for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 18 programs here are dental assistant (17 programs) and expanded functions dental assistant (EFDA, 1 program).

See the 18 programs

How much do dental assistant programs cost in Wisconsin?

$2,988 to $6,223 is what most dental assistant programs in Wisconsin cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 18 programs with a price. All of them: $2,349 to $9,152

In the typical program

Finished the program: 75%
Working 6 months later: 85%
Earned a year, estimated: about $30,800
Length: 16 to 32 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Wisconsin may also offer dental assistant programs. How these figures are made

Are there free dental assistant programs in Wisconsin?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.²³⁴In program year 2024 it paid toward the training of at least 15 people at 2 of the 18 programs here.
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁵ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁴
Or pay yourself. Most dental assisting programs in Wisconsin cost $2,988 to $6,223. Prices on this page run from $2,349 to $9,152.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

How to pay for dental assistant programs in Wisconsin

WIOA funding can pay for dental assistant programs in Wisconsin

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for dental assistant programs

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁶⁷

GI Bill for dental assistant programs

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁸

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Quick facts: Dental assistant programs in Wisconsin

programs with a price cost under $3,000: 6 of 18
lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare: 8th of 32
other states where the typical program's graduates earned less: 15 of 22
dental assistant programs here, against the typical state's 12: 18 vs 12

State comparisons use the same figures as the dental assistant programs by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Dental assistant programs in Milwaukee, Eau Claire, Wausau and other Wisconsin cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 7 more programs are in 7 other areas, 1 in smaller cities and towns and 1 online.

Other training in Wisconsin

How dental assistant programs compare with the rest of allied health: Allied health programs in Wisconsin

Where the Wisconsin dental assisting program numbers come from

Which Wisconsin dental assisting programs are on this list?

These are the dental assisting programs Wisconsin approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁹ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Wisconsin offers.

How the prices and results of Wisconsin dental assisting programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about dental assistant programs in Wisconsin

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Dental assistant programs in Wisconsin

How much do dental assistant programs cost in Wisconsin?

Are there free dental assistant programs in Wisconsin?

All 18 dental assistant programs in Wisconsin approved for WIOA funding