In response to a recent change in state regulations, Monroe Community College (MCC) now offers a non-credit course to help dental hygienists earn a Restricted Certificate to Administer and Monitor Local Infiltration Anesthesia and Nitrous Oxide Analgesia from the New York State Department of Education.
MCC’s Health Professions Department, Krista Rodriguez and David Lawrence, worked together with the college’s Office of Workforce Development to gain approval from the State Department of Education and successfully launch the course in September. The course enables a licensed dental hygienist to satisfy the state’s educational requirements and successfully apply for a certificate. There are 51 dental hygienists enrolled in course sessions during the Fall 2003 semester.
The 45-hour course is based directly on amendments to state regulations and comprises 30 hours of classroom instruction and 15 hours of clinical and laboratory instruction. Participants receive an educational certificate upon completion of the course, which they may use to complement their application for a state certificate. Once a dental hygienist receives the state certificate, he or she must work under the personal supervision of a licensed dentist to administer and monitor anesthesia and nitrous oxide analgesia.
In order to increase accessibility of the course for licensed dental hygienists, MCC is also developing the classroom (didactic) component for on-line delivery. The clinical component will be offered at MCC and at regional sites to be determined.
Rosanna Condello
College and Community Relations
11/17/2003 |