DAS-DENTAL ASSISTING (DAS)
DAS 125. Professional Concepts
2 Credits (2)
Emphasis on the development of professionalism for the dental office. Includes oral communication, psychology, patient relations, problem-solving skills, stress management, and employability in addition to dental jurisprudence and ethics. May be repeated up to 2 credits.
Learning Outcomes
- Recognize and discuss ethical and legal aspects of the delivery of dentistry as the relate to the practice of dentistry and to dental assisting.
- Differentiate between verbal and non-verbal communication and discuss the role of communication in dentistry.
- Utilize problem solving/critical thinking skill, psychology and stress management skills to improve patient and office relationships.
- Develop strategies to find and secure employment, gain job satisfaction, stay physically fit, and meet career as well as life goals.
- Identify the value and benefits of membership in professional associations as related to dentistry.
DAS 127. Dental Office Management
2 Credits (2)
This capstone course is an introduction to business office procedures, including telephone management, appointment control, accounts payable, completion of third party reimbursement forms, inventory control data entry for charges and payments, management recall, basic dental computer software and operating basic business equipment. May be repeated up to 2 credits.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify the duties of the dental office manager and management staff.
- Compare and contrast manual and computerized systems to process dental information, including billing, payment, appointments, cancellations and clinical notes dealing with written and oral communication.
- Discuss and practice learned dental office management and communication skills and maintenance and retention of business records.
- Explain fundamental principles of financial management.
- Operate basic office equipment.
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of hospitable customer service management of patient information
- Business ethics and jurisprudence
- Identify inventory systems and supply ordering
- To enable the student to possess skills and knowledge in order to secure employment as a dental office manager. 1
- Utilize computer and dental software.
DAS 130. Dental Assisting II
4 Credits (2+2P)
Continuation of chair side assisting skills and techniques with a major emphasis on four-handed dentistry. This capstone course includes specialties within dentistry and expanded chair side functions. May be repeated up to 4 credits.
Learning Outcomes
- Recognize and discuss ethical and legal aspects of the delivery of dentistry as they relate to the practice of dentistry and to dental assisting in New Mexico.
- Differentiate between verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Perform the duties of the dental auxiliary in patient education/relations.
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills in relation to patient treatment.
- Demonstrate through self and clinical site evaluations progression in chair side assisting skills along with the ability to perform these skills with minimal supervision.
- Identify and pronounce head and neck anatomy terminology correctly during clinical procedures.
- Set up the correct armamentarium (including materials) for various dental procedures without assistance (clinical practicum).