ECPI University

Dental assistants must have a strong foundation in the fundamental areas of dental assisting including: radiographic, clinical and administrative procedures. Depending on the office, state regulations and preferences of the dentist, assistants play a larger clinical or administrative role.

On any given day, dental assistants can be found in the lab, office area, or treatment area. Assistants are trusted with patient information and medical records, taking and developing dental radiographs (x-rays), taking impressions of patients' teeth and teaching patients appropriate oral hygiene strategies to maintain oral health. In addition the dental assistant performs office management tasks that often require the use of a personal computer.

Strong communication skills and professionalism ensure the dental assistant with a rewarding job in a growing health care career.

Dental Assistant Outcomes:

• Acquire knowledge and skills necessary to provide a safe environment for patients and dental staff.
• Illustrate competency in the parts and sciences pertinent to dental assisting.
• Attain skills in chairside, clinical, practice management, radiographic and laboratory procedures.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the American Dental Assisting Association's Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional conduct and its importance to the profession of dental assisting.
• Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully complete the Dental Assisting National Examination.
• Participate in dental community events and learning opportunities.

This program offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Health Science-Medical Assisting. It prepares the student to perform clinical and administrative functions in a physician‘s office or other medical setting. The Program includes didactic classroom instruction, extensive hands-on laboratory experience, and externship in a local area medical facility. Medical Assisting graduates are CPR certified.

Students graduating from this program may be eligible to become Certified Medical Assistants, Registered Medical Assistants, Certified Phlebotomy Technicians, and EKG Technicians.

Medical Assisting Outcomes:

• Demonstrate characteristics of self-direction and accountability with strong educational foundations for lifelong personal and professional growth.
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills to effectively address patient care and to adapt to the rapidly changing challenges in healthcare and medical assisting.
• Provide clinically competent, contemporary care that recognizes individual differences and promotes caring behavior in the health care community.
• Function as competent, beginning practitioner in both clinical and administrative procedures for the medical office.
• Be eligible to sit for the Certified Medical Assistant Exam offered through AAMA and/or the RMA exam by AMT.
• Program provides comprehensive preparation of graduates for work in the career field.

Inside an operating room, there is little margin for error. Everything must be precise and well-planned. It’s the job of the Surgical Technologist to make sure all equipment and instruments are right where they should be and readily available.

Known as scrubs or surgical operating technicians, Surgical Technologists work under the direction of doctors and nurses in a team environment.

They’re responsibilities include:

• Setting up surgical instruments, sterile drapes, equipment and solutions
• Assembling and checking equipment
• Positioning and draping patients on the operating table
• Operating lights, suction machines, and diagnostic equipment used during procedures
• Holding and passing instruments and sterile supplies to surgeons
• Holding retractors, cutting sutures, counting sponges, needles and supplies

Students who graduate from the Surgical Technology program will be equipped with the knowledge and skill to assist with basic and advanced surgical procedures.

This knowledge will prepare students to perform in the major operating rooms, minor surgery, surgi-centers, and surgeon‘s offices. Specific program objectives are designed to enable graduates to:

• Possess entry level knowledge of surgical technology and its place in the modern healthcare delivery system
• Understand basic surgical anatomy and physiology in the operating room
• Know the names and uses of all basic and advanced surgical instrumentation.
• Understand and utilize aseptic technique and sterile barriers.
• Discuss and know the flow of a surgical procedure from start to finish.
• Assure that there are accurate counts of all materials and instruments used in any surgical procedure
• Demonstrate ―surgical consciousness.

The Medical Radiography Program offers potential candidates the opportunity to complete an Associate of Applied Science degree in Medical Radiography. This program serves as a means to address the need for Registered Technologists in Radiography, R.T. (R) in Virginia, nationally and internationally to meet society‘s need for highly skilled and knowledgeable Radiographer professionals.

Upon completion of the program:

• Students are expected to be clinically competent.
• Students are expected to demonstrate accurate positioning skills.
• Students are expected to provide proper radiation protection.
• Students are expected to demonstrate effective communication skills.
• Students are expected to provide effective oral communication skills.
• Students are expected to demonstrate effective written communication skills.
• Students are expected to demonstrate critical thinking.
• Students are expected to manipulate technical factors.
• Students are expected to modify procedures to meet patient needs.
• Students are expected to model professionalism.
• Students are expected to demonstrate ethical behavior.
• Students actively participate in learning experiences during clinical training.