Why We Started Triangle School of Dental Assisting in Raleigh

A Clear Purpose

We opened Triangle School of Dental Assisting with a simple, focused goal:To prepare students with marketable skills and real confidence — and to meet the local demand for qualified, dependable dental assistants.

At the time, many dental assisting schools in North Carolina weren’t providing the hands-on training or personal support that students deserved. Some programs lacked real-world experience. Others were so impersonal or disorganized that students left confused and unprepared. We believed there had to be a better way — one that emphasized quality instruction, personal investment, and real-life readiness.

TSDA isn’t part of a franchise or a chain. We’re a one-location, locally owned school with a hands-on approach, a streamlined program, and strong relationships with local dental offices.

A Better Way to Train Dental Assistants

Wendy — who teaches every class and personally mentors each student — designed this program from the ground up. She brings nearly two decades of real-world experience to the classroom and has trained hundreds of dental assistants now working across North Carolina.

More than anything, TSDA is built on clarity and care. Students receive direct instruction, consistent feedback, and a clear pathway to success. But beyond clinical skills, Wendy instills something just as important:Work ethic, professionalism, and self-confidence.

Many of our graduates are now working in general dentistry, orthodontics, and specialty practices across the Triangle.

By the time they graduate, TSDA students don’t just know what to do — they feel good doing it.

Rooted in Faith — and Purpose

From the very beginning, TSDA was a step of faith. Wendy said something early on that has stuck with us ever since:

“Even if this fails, it’ll be okay — because God will provide.”

That doesn’t mean we expected it to fail. But it grounded the whole venture in something deeper than business plans or the bottom line. We’re here to serve, to teach, and to walk with our students as they take the next step in their lives.

That’s what success looks like to us.

A Place Where People Grow

Some of our students come to TSDA hoping to land a dental assisting job as soon as they graduate — and many do. Others use it as a launchpad while applying to hygiene or dental school. Still others simply want to build confidence and skills in a supportive environment.

Our favorite part? Watching it all happen. We’ve seen students go from nervous and uncertain to working full-time in clinics, being offered jobs before graduation, or even moving on to become hygienists and dentists.

That’s why we started TSDA.And it’s why we’re still here.

We’ve also put together a guide to choosing a dental assisting program in Raleigh to help students see what matters most.

Interested in joining us?

Learn more about our 15-week program or contact us here. We’d love to help you take the next step.