Dental Assisting

Dental Assistants provide quality preventative and corrective dental care under direct supervision of the Dentist or Dental Hygienist.  The Dental Assistant is responsible for assisting dentists and dental hygienists with patient care as well as providing certain administrative support to the office.

Dental Assistant Program – Employment & Education

Dental Assistants work in a variety of health care settings including dentist offices, hospitals and other similar facilities. With the national increase in health care related services and the national shortage of health care professionals, the need for Dental Assistants is growing substantially.     

Educational Requirements*
Most employers prefer that dental assistants and aides have a high school diploma or equivalent. There are state and national examinations that test the competency of Dental Assistants and which often lead to a Dental Assistant / Hygienist certification.

The Program

The 60 hour Dental Assisting Program prepares students for entry level positions in one of the fastest growing health care positions – Dental Assisting. The purpose of this course is to familiarize the student with all areas of pre-clinical dental assisting and provide training in the professional skills required to function as an assistant in the dental practice.

This course covers the following key areas and topics – Administrative Aspects: the history of dentistry and dental assisting; introduction to the dental office; the legal aspects of dentistry and dental assisting; policies and guidelines.  Clinical Aspects include: introduction to oral anatomy; dental operatory; dental equipment, operation, and maintenance; introduction to tooth structure; primary and permanent teeth; the oral cavity and related structures; proper patient positioning; dental hand-pieces; dental anesthesia; sterilization; maintaining sterility and asepsis and other areas. 

In addition to entry-level administrative jobs, this course is ideal for students interested in pursuing a future formal Dental Hygienist program.  The program includes graded quizzes and exams. 

NOTE: This program does not include a national or state certification objective which in most states requires 1 to 2 years of training or education.

Dental Assisting Detailed Course Information:

• Describe dental specialties and the history of dentistry
• Identify the members of the dental staff and general job descriptions.
• Identify and name the parts of the jaw and areas of the mouth.
• Oral embryology and histology.
• Tooth charting, tooth surfaces and classification of restorations on a tooth.
• Identify a single crown restoration, bridge, implant, partial denture, and full denture.
• Overview of dentitions
• Periodontal disease and preventative dentistry
• Identify and name dental equipment and accessories/equipment in a treatment room.
• Oral pathology, microbiology, disease transmission and Infection Control
• Principles and techniques of Instrument processing and sterilization
• Chemical and waste management.
• Dental unit water lines.
• Dental hand pieces and accessories
• Moisture control
• Dental cements, impression materials and general dentistry
• Endodontics, periodontics and oral maxiofacial surgery

Medical Billing and Coding Career Track

The Medical Billing and Coding Career Track combines the necessary skills of a medical billing and coding professional with the unique operational and customer service requirements of the Medical Assistant Administration professional. Through this program, students could be qualified to sit for the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) – Certified Professional Coder Exam (CPC or CPC-H Apprentice); the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam, and/or other national certification exams.

Physical Therapy Aide

The purpose of physical therapy is to restore loco-motor function to the human body through alleviating and correcting movement dysfunction.  Physical Therapy has become a valuable part of total patient care and rehabilitation.  Physical Therapy Aides, under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist, assist with specific components of treatment interventions. 

Employment & Education

The Physical Therapy Aide may be employed in a variety of settings including: Hospitals, Rehabilitation Centers, Nursing Homes, Home Care Agencies, Outpatient Clinics, Community Health Centers and Sports Medicine Clinics

A substantial increase in the amount of physical activity in the general population has resulted in a significant increase in the need for physical therapy services. The Physical Therapy Aide is generally responsible for carrying out the non-technical duties of physical therapy, such as preparing treatment areas, ordering devices and supplies, and transporting patients while working under the direction of the physical therapist.

Many of today’s health conscious citizens are pursuing a healthier lifestyle - which includes increased strenuous physical exercise.  Many are striving to stay in shape and remain healthy through their older years.  As a result of this increase in physical activity, the number of sports related injuries in the adult population has increased substantially – escalating the need for physical therapy services and Physical Therapy Aides.

Educational Requirements* People interested in becoming a Physical Therapy Aide should have a high school diploma or GED equivalent. .

NOTE:  The objectives of this class do not include a national or state certification - which generally requires at least 1 to 2 years of formal education.

Physical Therapy Aide Program Description

This comprehensive 50-hour Physical Therapy Aide Program prepares students for the growing field of Physical Therapy.  This program includes the following areas:

• Introduction to Physical Therapy; History and Evolution of Physical Therapy;  role of the PT aide in the rehabilitation team
• Ethical and legal issues affecting the physical therapy aide
• Parts and types of effective communication
• Abbreviations and medical terminology
• Anatomical Position; Structures of the Musculoskeletal System and function of each (Bones, Ligaments, Tendons, Cartilage, Muscles, Joints)
• Basic Anatomy
• Range of motion exercises
• Ambulation and gait training
• Measuring Vital Signs; Disorders of the Circulatory
• Strengthening and exercise
• Types of physical therapy modalities
• Stretching and direction of movement
• Common anatomical injuries and the associated modalities
• Students will also perform and be evaluated on common clinical skills necessary to function as a physical therapy aide including patient positioning, and transfer, use of transfer belt, ambulation using crutches/ walker and cane, range of motion exercises and obtaining accurate vital signs

rogram Note: This program is intended to train students for entry level Physical Therapy Aide positions or to prepare students for more formal longer term program

Pharmacy Technician Career Track Program

This comprehensive program will prepare students to enter the pharmacy field and to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s PTCB exam. Course content includes medical terminology specific to pharmacy, reading and interpreting prescriptions and defining drugs by generic and brand names. Students will learn dosage calculations, I.V. flow rates, drug compounding, dose conversions, dispensing of prescriptions, inventory control and online billing and reimbursement.

EKG Technician

This comprehensive 50 hour EKG Technician Certification Program prepares students to function as EKG Technicians and to take the American Society of Phlebotomy Technician (ASPT) – Electrocardiograph (EKG) Technician exam and other National Certification Exams. This course will include important practice and background information on anatomy of the heart and physiology, medical disease processes, medical terminology, medical ethics, legal aspects of patient contact, laboratory assisting, electrocardiography and echocardiography.  Additionally, students will practice with equipment and perform hands on labs including introduction to the function and proper use of the EKG machine, the normal anatomy of the chest wall for proper lead placement, 12-lead placement and other clinical practices.