Howard Healthcare Academy is proud to provide a range of standalone dental assistant training courses that enable students to renew or upgrade their certifications. These courses are designed to help students move closer than ever before to achieving their career goals. Plus, they are taught by expert instructors who use classroom and hands-on lessons to teach students the skills they need to succeed as dental assistants.

Let’s take a look at five of our top standalone certification courses:

Radiation Safety

X-rays allow a dentist to see inside a patient’s teeth and underneath the gums. Using X-rays, dentists can identify cavities, periodontal disease, and other oral health problems — enabling them to successfully treat a dental issue before it becomes a huge pain in the neck (or mouth). X-rays are both diagnostic and preventative and can be taken inside or outside the mouth.

Although X-rays deliver many benefits for both dentists and patients, there are risks associated with these images. An X-ray machine emits radiation. Even though the radiation amount is minimal, X-rays that are not administered properly could put a patient in danger.

At Howard Healthcare Academy, our radiation safety course is essential for students who want to perform patient X-rays at dental practices in California. This 32-hour standalone course teaches students how to safely set up, take, process, and mount patient X-rays. It also emphasizes the proper techniques for handling traditional and digital X-rays, various dental terms and definitions, and X-ray safety guidelines.

In addition to attending a lecture, students practice X-ray techniques on a mannequin head and are tested on their X-ray skills. Next, students take X-rays on live patients.

Upon successful completion of our radiation safety course, each student receives an X-ray certification that enables him or her to take patient X-rays at any California dental practice. This radiation safety certification will last a lifetime and does not need to be renewed.

Coronal Polish

Coronal polishing is a common procedure performed at dental offices. It involves the removal of stains and plaque from teeth enamel. The procedure also helps enhance fluoride absorption of the teeth and reduce the risk of future plaque build-up.

For dental assistants who want to perform coronal polishing, certification may be required, depending on the state. Furthermore, students must complete a coronal polish class before taking a state-board exam to become a registered dental assistant (RDA). Thankfully, Howard Healthcare Academy offers a coronal polish course that teaches students about tooth anatomy, infection control, coronal polish lab procedures, and much more.

Our course takes 12 hours to complete. Day one begins with a lecture and lab practice on artificial teeth. On day two, students practice coronal polish techniques on live patients. After a student finishes our coronal polish course, he or she receives certification.

CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training can make a world of difference inside or outside of a dental office, as it empowers individuals with the ability to administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, chest compressions, and other life-saving techniques during a cardiac emergency.

Roughly 475,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest annually, according to the American Heart Association. Comparatively, recent research indicates that fewer than one in five American adults is currently trained in CPR. These statistics show there is a shortage of CPR-certified individuals in the United States, even though cardiac arrest is a prevalent issue nationwide.

There is no telling when a cardiac emergency might occur. Fortunately, the Howard Healthcare Academy CPR course ensures students know how to manage any dangerous situation that requires CPR or basic first aid.

Our course teaches students how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) to restore a heartbeat, administer chest compressions and rescue breaths, and other life-saving techniques. It also enables students to fulfill the CPR training requirement to work in a California dental office.

Dental assistants must be re-certified in CPR every two years, and our CPR course makes it easy for individuals to become CPR-certified or re-certified at their convenience. All students receive a certification card and four hours of continuing education credits upon successful completion of our CPR course.

Dental Impressions

A dental impression is an imprint of a patient’s teeth and mouth. It may be used for retainers, whitening trays, and study models, all of which can help a patient improve his or her smile.

Of course, getting an accurate dental impression is crucial for both a dentist and his or her patient. Without an accurate dental impression, a dentist may struggle to help a patient improve his or her teeth.

The Howard Healthcare Academy dental impressions course teaches students how to make a good impression – literally. During the course, students take practice dental impressions on typodonts, or models of the human mouth. The course also provides insights into dental impression procedures, how they work, and their benefits. And once students are ready, they take dental impressions on their classmates as well.

Our dental impressions course requires four hours to complete. Perhaps best of all, our course empowers students with dental impressions skills that are applicable at any California dental practice.

Dental Front Office

Dental assistants may be required to schedule appointments, help patients fill out insurance and privacy paperwork, and handle other front office tasks. Yet some dental assistant training programs fail to provide students with these essential dental front office lessons.

For those who are worried about front office work, there is no need to stress. By enrolling in the Howard Healthcare Academy dental front office course, students can learn what it takes to manage front office operations with ease.

Our course helps students build the administrative and office management skills they need to maintain a productive, efficient front office in a dental practice. It teaches students how to use Dentrix dental practice management software, answer phone calls, and perform other day-to-day dental front office tasks.

The course requires eight hours to finish. After completing the course, a student will understand exactly what it takes to maximize his or her dental front office productivity and efficiency.

To find out more about Howard Healthcare Academy’s standalone certification courses, please contact us today at (619) ACADEMY.