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Program Proposal Dental Assisting Ashland Community & Technical College December 4, 2015
Program Proposal
Dental Assisting
Ashland Community &
Technical College
December 4, 2015
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Diploma in Dental Assisting
Ashland Community and Technical College
A Proposal for Initiation of a New Diploma Program
A. Centrality to the Institution’s Mission and Consistency with State’s Goals Ashland Community and Technical College (ACTC) is a public, comprehensive, postsecondary institution focused on student success. In support of this mission, the college provides affordable, quality education and training for a diverse community of students. Through student-focused programs and services, ACTC provides students with opportunities for lifelong learning and success through the achievement of certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees. As a member of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS), Ashland Community and Technical College has campuses located at College Drive in Ashland, the Roberts Drive Campus, and its newest campus on Technology Drive. The college provides high quality, affordable education and awards certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees in technical areas and the Associate in Arts and Associate in Science for those persons transferring to programs at four-year colleges and universities. A strong commitment to community economic development, customized workforce training and adult and continuing education makes the college a vital force in its service area. The proposed program addresses the components of the mission statement given above. This program conforms to the mission of ACTC by providing workers with technical skills needed to compete and succeed in today’s highly technical workforce.
B. Program Quality and Student Success The Dental Assisting program prepares the student to function as a dental assistant under the supervision of a dentist. As a member of the dental health team, the dental assistant is responsible for providing such services as assisting the dentist with operative and surgical procedures, manipulation of dental materials, taking radiographs, providing oral health instructions and performing office management tasks.
Dental Assisting students will be awarded a Diploma in Dental Assisting and will be eligible to take the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) exam. Graduates will also be certified in radiation health and safety, coronal polishing and expanded duties (lab competency). The dental assisting curriculum includes courses in general education as well as dental assisting as required by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. The program provides comprehensive educational experiences through lectures, clinical externship rotations, laboratory and related study.
Students must achieve a minimum grade of “C” in each Dental Assisting (DAS) course, Dental Assisting/Hygiene (DAH) course, and approved science courses. Approved 9-22-11
C. Program Demand/Unnecessary Duplication The proposed Diploma in Dental Assisting will provide an additional career pathway for students interested in health care. The Occupational Information Network (O’NET) projects employment of dental assistants is expected to grow 25 percent from 2012-22; Kentucky is expected to have a 31 percent growth in that same period. In addition, data provided by KCTCS shows ten annual job openings in the College planning areas. The Eastern Kentucky Dental Society in the service area of ACTC has expressed a need for highly trained dental assistants. By providing training at the diploma level, ACTC will be responding to stakeholder needs and addressing the strategic agenda, Stronger by Degrees, established by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE). The other KCTCS colleges offering the Dental Assisting program are more than 100 miles away. Also, since the dental assisting program is an integrated program, graduates of the ACTC program would have the potential of applying to the KCTCS Dental Hygiene programs in the state.
D. Cost and Funding of the Proposed Program Ashland Community and Technical College, if approved for the Dental Assisting program will apply for KY TRAINS funds for the start-up costs of the program, including the hiring of a full-time faculty member. Costs for the faculty member would be assumed by the college in year two, utilizing reallocated funds. The College plans to use the current approved KCTCS integrated curriculum for Dental Assisting. The general education courses needed for the program are currently offered at ACTC. Therefore, ACTC will have access to facilities, equipment, and faculty needed to support the program. No new KCTCS funding is required for implementation.
E. Program Review and Assessment All academic programs participate in the ACTC program review and evaluation process on an annual basis. The process evaluates program strengths, weaknesses, and needed improvements. Graduate performance on the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) exam will be a prominent component of the program evaluation process. The College plans to seek accreditation for the Dental Assisting program from the American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Dental Assisting program will also have an advisory board consisting of local dental health care providers who contribute to the evaluation and review of the program.
F. Conclusion The proposed diploma program is consistent with the missions of KCTCS and Ashland Community and Technical College and supports the statewide postsecondary education
strategic agenda and the statewide strategic implementation plan. There is an approved curriculum for the program. Local and state needs support the establishment of this program. A program evaluation plan is in place, and ACTC has a resource plan to implement the program.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. Mission and Goals............................................................................................................6
B. Program Quality & Student Success ...............................................................................8
C. Program Demand ...........................................................................................................20
D. Cost and Funding ...........................................................................................................27
E. Review and Assessment ..................................................................................................28 Appendix A – Faculty Roster Form................................................................................... A-1 Appendix B –Library Support………….…………………................................................B-1 Appendix C – Employer Survey Results.............................................................................C-1 Appendix D – New Program Budget Calculation Sheet.....................................................D-1 Appendix E –Industry Support…………………………....................................................E-1
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NEW PROGRAM REQUEST FORM
Ashland Community and Technical College Institution Submitting Proposal
Diploma in Dental Assisting Degree Designation as on Diploma
Dental Assisting Title of Proposed Degree Program
With tracks in: ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
Diplomas/Certificates
Dental Assisting- 5106024019__________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
Intended Date of Implementation Fall, 2016
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Evaluation Criteria A. Centrality to the Institution’s Mission and Consistency with State’s Goals
1. List the objectives of the proposed program. These objectives should deal with the specific institutional and societal needs that this program will address.
The Dental Assisting program at Ashland Community and Technical College would seek to: A. Provide a rigorous, high quality curriculum that produces graduates with the skills,
knowledge, and abilities required for the practice of dental assisting. B. Provide program graduates that meet the needs and expectations of the dental health care
community or transfer to a two or four-year college or university for further study. C. Conduct a systemic continuous program evaluation process reflecting use of assessment
data.
2. Explain how the proposed program relates to the institutional mission and strategic plan. The proposed Dental Assisting Technology program is fully consistent with the missions of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System and Ashland Community and Technical College. ACTC’s mission ―
Ashland Communi ty and Technical Col lege, a member of the Kentucky Communi ty and Technical Col lege System, is a publ ic, two-year degree granting insti tution serving Nor theast Kentucky wi th a tradi tion of accessible, affordable, and qual i ty education including general education that suppor ts a var iety of excel lent associate degree, diploma, and cer ti ficate programs and prepares students for transfer to baccalaureate programs. The Col lege has a strong commi tment to meet the academic, workforce training, and l i felong learning needs of i ts communi ty. Teach wi th excel lence. Serve wi th passion. Learn for l i fe.
The proposed dental assisting program addresses both of the above components of the mission statement. This program conforms to the mission and strategic plan of ACTC by providing workers with technical skills needed to compete and succeed in today’s industrial workforce.
3. Explain how the proposed program addresses the state’s postsecondary education strategic
agenda. (Address all that apply.)
The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education’s Strategic Agenda for 2011-2016 Stronger by Degrees seeks to strengthen the Commonwealth. Two of the four statewide policy objectives – college readiness; student success; research, economic, and community development; and, efficiency and innovation – two apply directly to the Dental Assisting Technology program proposal.
The diploma dental assisting program will address Policy Objective 4 in that ACTC will
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increase high quality credential production and close achievement gaps in our region.
Currently, the college attracts many adult learners who are seeking training that will provide
living wage employment. The diploma dental assisting technology program credential adds
to the number of options these students have at ACTC.
Policy Objective 4: Increase high-quality degree production and completion rates at all levels and close achievement gaps, particularly for lower-income, underprepared, and underrepresented minority students. Strategy 4.4: Support new pathways for adult learners to enroll and complete postsecondary degrees and credentials. Dental Health Care providers in the service area of ACTC have expressed a need for highly
trained dental assisting personnel. By providing training at the diploma level, ACTC will be
responding to industry needs and address the strategic agenda set in place by the Kentucky
CPE. Offering the diploma will allow ACTC to address the strategic agenda item 7.1 listed
below and help to strengthen the Commonwealth.
Policy Objective 7: Increase educational attainment and quality of life in Kentucky communities through regional stewardship, public service, and community outreach. Strategy 7.1: Strengthen and expand partnerships with business, industry, government, non-profit, and other educational entities to meet Kentucky’s workforce and community needs. 4. Explain how the proposed program furthers the statewide implementation plan.
a. http://www.cpe.ky.gov/planning/strongerbydegrees/implementation.htm
The Dental Assisting program will provide highly skilled persons to meet the demonstrated need by dental professionals in the local area. By doing so, the college is supporting the statewide implementation plan goal of “balancing quality and quantity.” Balancing Quality and Quantity. One of the key challenges is balancing the need for high-quality credentials that allow individuals to be successful in their work, life, and communities with the demand to increase degree production and educational attainment. Strengthening current programs and expanding new ones will help the system control costs, both for students and the state.
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B. Program Quality and Student Success
The curriculum should be structured to meet the stated objectives and student learning outcomes of the program.
1. List all student learning outcomes. General Education Competencies: Students should prepare for twenty-first century challenges by gaining: A. Knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural worlds through study in the sciences and mathematics, social sciences, humanities, histories, languages, and the arts. B. Intellectual and practical skills, including -inquiry and analysis -critical and creative thinking -written and oral communication -quantitative literacy -information literacy -teamwork and problem solving C. Personal and social responsibility, including -civic knowledge and engagement (local and global) -intercultural knowledge and competence -ethical reasoning and action -foundations and skills for lifelong learning D. Integrative and applied learning, including synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized skills. Competencies shared by Dental Assistants and Dental Hygienists 1. Identify the professional role of members of the dental health team in terms of
responsibilities and functions. 2. Demonstrate dental auxiliary and patient positioning. 3. Demonstrate plaque control using appropriate oral physiotherapy methods and materials. 4. Follow the current OSHA/CDC recommendations for control of blood borne
pathogens and hazardous materials. 5. Explain the purposes of the complete dental and medical record and its component
parts. 6. Obtain, interpret and evaluate personal, medical and dental histories and apply
precautionary measures as needed. 7. Demonstrate the process for performing extraoral/ intraoral examinations and risk
assessments and record the findings. 8. Describe the ways in which diet and nutrition can affect the overall health of the body
and specifically of the oral cavity. 9. Explain properties and benefits of stannous, sodium and acidulated phosphate
fluorides and demonstrate techniques for their application. 10. Explain the role of dental sealants in the prevention of oral disease. 11. Correctly follow tooth selection criteria for sealant placement and demonstrate accepted sequence in sealant placement. 12. Differentiate between the normal and abnormal appearance of tooth structure, supporting structures and anatomic landmarks on patient/dental radiographs.
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13. Describe healthy periodontium related to clinical signs and histological characteristics. 14. Describe the nature and formation of dental plaque and its importance in the etiology of periodontal disease. 15. Identify categories of periodontitis as defined by the American Academy of Periodontology. 16. Describe the current treatment modalities of periodontitis. 17. Identify relationships among the various local, state, federal and international community dental health programs, and discuss the role of the dental auxiliary. 18. Describe maintenance and care of oral appliances and demonstrate the removal of soft deposits. 19. Identify and explain the components of a drug prescription. 20. Describe the fetal development of gross anatomical structures of the face, oral and nasal cavities. 21. Identify all teeth and describe the functional anatomy of each. 22. Identify the relationships of teeth to one another and to the bones, muscles and nerves closely associated with the dentition. 23. Locate, classify and discuss the function of the salivary glands. 24. Relate the spread of infection to knowledge of oral tissue spaces. 25. Describe how x-rays are produced and their effect on radiographic film. 26. Describe biological effects of radiation including principles of radiation hygiene and protection. 27. Outline the geometric factors which affect the radiographic image. 28. Demonstrate the ability to expose, process and mount acceptable intraoral and extraoral radiographs. 29. Identify and discuss processing errors. 30. Outline the properties, indications and limitations of selected dental materials. 31. Assess patient’s needs and select appropriate dental materials. 32. Manipulate common dental materials in both laboratory and clinical situations. 33. Interpret the rules and regulations of Kentucky State Dental Practice Act. 34. Describe the legal and ethical considerations of dental health practice. 35. Demonstrate the interviewing process in preparing for dental auxiliary employment. 36. Demonstrate basic management skills utilized in dental auxiliary employment. 37. State the reasons for continued professional development. 38. Discuss appropriate polishing agents and demonstrate the proper procedures for their use.
Competencies unique to Dental Assistants 1. Identify and describe concepts of four handed operative dentistry. 2. Identify and transfer examination, restorative, and specialty instruments and identify
function. 3. Demonstrate utilization of moisture control techniques. 4. Demonstrate preparation and placement of matrix systems utilized in operative dentistry. 5. Define and discuss the scope of specialties recognized by the American Dental Association including procedures and assistant’s role in each.
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6. Perform/assist with operative/specialty procedures. 7. Demonstrate clinical proficiency in the preparation, manipulation and application of various dental materials as applicable to dental assisting. 8. Prepare and place amalgam and composite restorations on typodont teeth. 9. Integrate dental assisting skills and transfer them effectively and efficiently to public and/or private dental settings. 10. Prepare tray setups for operative/specialty dental procedures. 11. Complete a professional self-assessment and growth plan. 12. Demonstrate critical thinking skills related to the care of a diverse patient population. 13. Participate in community service learning projects.
2. Explain how the curriculum achieves the program-level student learning outcomes by describing the relationship between the overall curriculum or the major curricular components and the program objectives.
The Dental Assisting curriculum is progressive in that students must meet a certain skill and knowledge level in a course or courses before moving forward in their progress. This enables the instructor and/or program coordinator to assess the overall skill levels of the students. Competencies of individual courses align with the program outcomes, therefore students completing the program will have knowledge pertaining to the overall program outcomes. Additionally, the general education requirements for courses in the Dental Assisting curriculum include the same outcomes for all other programs using those general education courses. At the completion of the program, the graduates will have been instructed in both the general education outcomes for their particular courses and outcomes specific to the program.
3. Highlight any distinctive qualities of this proposed program.
The integrated nature of the Dental Assisting program provides a ready platform for those persons wishing to go further with their education and pursue the Dental Hygiene credential with other KCTCS and non-KCTCS colleges.
4. Will this program replace any existing program(s) or tracks within an existing program?
No.
5. Include the projected faculty/student in major ratio. 1 faculty to 15 students 6. Is there a specialized accrediting agency related to this program? If yes, identify the agency.
Do you plan to seek accreditation? If yes, explain your plans for accreditation. If no, explain your rationale for not seeking accreditation.
Yes, there is specialized accreditation through the American Dental Association, Commission on Accreditation. If the program is approved, ACTC plans to seek accreditation by this agency in accordance with their prescribed timeline.
7. Attach SACS Faculty Roster Form. A SACS Roster form is provided in Appendix A showing the credentials the college would
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seek in a qualified dental faculty member if the program is approved. 8. Describe the library resources available to support this program.
ACTC has excellent Library resources and can provide the resources specific to the Dental Assisting program. A letter to this effect is provided in Appendix B.
10. Describe the physical facilities and instructional equipment available to support this program. Adequate classrooms are available for this program. An existing laboratory space will be renovated to accommodate the laboratory needs of Dental Assisting. Required equipment will be purchased with the start-up monies that will be requested from KY TRAINS.
10. Clearly state the admission and retention, and completion standards designed to encourage
high quality. ACTC will follow the admission guidelines published in the KCTCS Senate Rules for Dental Assisting:
Applicants must submit the following to the Admissions Office by March 1. A college may extend this date due to extenuating circumstances.
1. ACT or COMPASS scores as required by the sponsoring institution 2. KCTCS application for admission to the college 3. Dental Assisting program application 4. Official transcripts of all postsecondary education other than KCTCS
institutions 5. Dental office experience form verifying a minimum of 4 hours observation in a
dental office.
A pre-admission conference and/or meeting with the coordinator or the coordinator’s designee is required prior to an applicant’s consideration by the Dental Assisting/Dental Hygiene Admissions Committee.
Students admitted into the Dental Assisting career track must have completed BIO 135 (Basic Anatomy and Physiology with Laboratory) or BIO 137 (Human Anatomy & Physiology I), with a grade of “C” or better prior to entering the program.
Documentation of computer literacy as defined by KCTCS is required prior to admission into the Dental Assisting Program. CPR (BLS for Healthcare providers) requirements must be successfully completed prior to enrolling in the first semester dental assisting courses and must be kept current throughout the program.
Preference may be given to
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1. applicants with an ACT composite score of 19 or above or the equivalent on the
COMPASS exam, 2. applicants who have completed 10 or more credit hours with a cumulative GPA
of 3.0 or better in an accredited postsecondary educational institution 3. applicants who have completed BIO 135 (Basic Anatomy and Physiology with
Lab) or (BIO 137 (Human Anatomy and Physiology I) and BIO 139 (Human Anatomy and Physiology II)) with a grade of “C” or better, and/or
4. Kentucky residents and applicants within the college service area.
11. Clearly state the degree completion requirements for the program. Completion requirements include successful completion of the required 38-45 credits, including general education; completion of the digital literacy requirement; and minimum GPA of 2.0.
12. Provide the following information for the program and for each track (some categories may not apply to all programs):
Total number of hours required for degree: __38-45______________ Number of hours in general education: __7-14_______________ Number of hours in degree program core: _____________________ Number of hours in track: ___0_________________ Number of hours in guided electives: ___0_________________ Number of hours in free electives: ___0_________________
13. Describe how the proposed program will articulate with related programs in the state. It
should describe the extent to which student transfer has been explored and coordinated with other institutions.
ACTC plans to use the current KCTCS integrated curriculum for Dental Assisting. This approach will make the graduates of the program eligible for application to the KCTCS Dental Hygiene programs, should they desire to pursue additional credentials.
14. List courses under the appropriate curricular headings.
General Education Courses
Course Title Course Description
Credit Hours New to your college?
BIO 135 Basic Anatomy and Physiology with Lab OR
4 N
BIO 137 Human Anatomy and Physiology I AND
4 N
BIO 139 Human Anatomy and Physiology II
4 N
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Written/Oral Communication, Humanities, or Heritage
Varies with student choice
3 N
PY 110 (recommended, not required)
General Psychology
Introduces the history, methods and content of modern psychology. Covers the history and systems of psychology, psychological research, physiological psychology, psychological processes, developmental psychology, personality, abnormal behavior and social psychology.
3 N
Core Courses Prefix & Number Course Title Course
Description Credit Hours New
DAH 101 Infection Control and Medical Emergencies
Examines current regulatory mandates, specific step-by-step procedures related to infection control, management of hazardous materials in the dental office, management of emergency situations and basic concepts of pharmacology. Pre-requisite: Admission into the Integrated Dental Assisting or
2 N
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Dental Hygiene Program. Lecture: 1.5 credits (22.5 contact hours). Lab: 0.5 credit (30 contact hours).
DAH 121 Dental Sciences
Examines oral histology and embryology, head and neck anatomy, and tooth morphology as applicable to the practice of dental assisting and dental hygiene. Pre-requisite: Admission into the Integrated Dental Assisting or Dental Hygiene Program. Lecture: 3.0 credits (45 contact hours).
3 N
DAH 124 Materials in Dentistry
Examines the physical and chemical properties of dental materials with an emphasis on composition and application. Pre-requisite: Admission into the Integrated Dental Assisting or Dental Hygiene Program. Lecture: 1.5 credits (22.5 contact hours). Lab: 0.5 credit (30 contact hours).
2 N
DAH 131 Oral Pathology
Introduces the disciplines of general pathology and oral pathology as related to dental
3 N
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auxiliary function. Pre-requisite: Dental Assisting: Minimum grade of “C” in DAH 101, DAH 121, DAH 124, DAH 135, DAS 125, and DAS 130; Dental Hygiene: Minimum grade of “C” in DAH 101, DAH 121, DAH 124, DAH 135, and DHG 120. Lecture: 3.0 credits (45 contact hours).
DAH 135 Oral Radiology
Examines theory and clinical practice of oral radiographic methods. Presents history and development of x- radiation; properties and uses of x-radiation; radiation hygiene; exposing, processing and mounting of intraoral and extraoral films; and identification of radiographic anatomic landmarks. Pre-requisite: Admission into the Integrated Dental Assisting or Dental Hygiene Program. Lecture: 1.5 credits (22.5 contact hours). Lab: 0.5 credits
2 N
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(30 contact hours). DAH 235 Practice
Management Examines legal, ethical, and managerial aspects of the dental practice. Pre-requisite: Dental Assisting: Minimum grade of “C” in DAH 101, DAH 121, DAH 135, DAH 124, DAS 125 and DAS 130; Dental Hygiene: Minimum grade of “C” in DHG 220 and DHG 226. Lecture: 1.0 credit (15 contact hours).
1 N
DAS 125 Dental Assisting I
Introduces the profession of dental assisting, history of dentistry, chairside dental assisting, dental equipment, operative dentistry and dental specialties. Emphasizes essential dental assisting skills to prepare the student for clinical setting. Pre-requisite: Admission into the Dental Assisting Integrated program. Lecture: 2.0 (30 contact hours). Lab: 4.0 credits (120 contact hours).
6 N
DAS 130 Seminar I Emphasizes leadership, management,
2 N
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clinical decision-making, judgment skills and professional values to facilitate the transition of the student to a professional dental assistant. Provides the opportunity for the application of critical thinking skills in the care of a diverse patient population in the dental setting. Pre-requisite: Admission into the Dental Assisting Integrated program. Lecture: 1.0 credit (15 contact hours). Lab: 1.0 credit (30 contact hours).
DAS 225 Dental Assisting II
Continues DAS 120 concepts. Introduces student to remaining dental specialties and expanded dental assisting functions. Pre-requisite: Dental Assisting: Minimum grade of C in DAH 101, DAH 121, DAH 124, DAH 135, DAS 125, and DAS 130. Lecture: 1.0 credit (15 contact hours). Lab: 1.0 credit (30 contact hours).
2 N
DAS 230 Seminar II Provides the opportunity to
1 N
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discuss clinical experiences and prepare to sit for the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). Provides students the opportunity to further develop professional growth plan. Pre-requisite: Minimum grade of “C” in DAH 101, DAH 121, DAH 124, DAH 135, DAS 125, and DAS 130. Lecture: 1.0 credit hour (15 contact hours).
DAS 245 Preventive Dentistry
Introduces dental biofilm and its role in dental disease. Emphasizes the role nutrition plays regarding disease initiation and progression and the methods and preventive agents utilized by the auxiliary to prevent oral disease. Pre-requisite: Dental Assisting: Minimum grade of C in DAH 101, DAH 121, DAH 124, DAH 135, DAS 125, and DAS 130. Lecture: 1.0 credit (15 contact hours). Lab: 1.0 credit (30 contact hours).
2 N
DAS 250 Clinical Apply and practice 5 N
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Externship principles and skills acquired in the areas of chairside assisting, operative procedures, specialty procedures, laboratory procedures, business office procedures and dental radiology. Consists of observation and practice in a dental office setting with emphasis on chairside activities. Pre-requisite: Dental Assisting: Minimum grade of C in DAH 101, DAH 121, DAH 124, DAH 135, DAS 125, and DAS 130. Practicum: 5.0 credits (320 contact hours).
Elective Courses Prefix & Number Course Title Course
Description Credit Hours New
0 Y/N Courses in Track Prefix & Number Course Title Course
Description Credit Hours New
NA Y/N
15. Describe planned alternative methods of program delivery involving greater use of technology, distance education, and/or accelerated degree designs, to increase efficiency, better address student educational and workforce needs, and maximize student success, for both traditional and non-traditional students.
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All courses at ACTC are supported with a Blackboard shell, but instruction for the program will be primarily face-to-face or in hybrid format.
C. Program Demand/Unnecessary Duplication
Proposed programs must respond to the needs of the academy and to larger economic and social environments. Thus, the institution must demonstrate demand for the proposed program. All proposed programs must address student demand. Programs must also address either employer demand or academic disciplinary needs.
1. Student Demand: Clearly describe all evidence of student demand, typically in the form of surveys of potential students and/or enrollments in related programs at the institution. a. Provide evidence of student demand within your area of geographic responsibility as
well as the state and national levels. Ashland Community and Technical College has a strong history of quality Allied Health programs. The enrollment in the allied health and nursing programs is the largest area of interest of incoming students identifying a specific study area. Preadmission conferences for the allied health and nursing programs draw large groups of potential students. Having Dental Assisting in addition to Surgical Technology, Respiratory Technology, Health Science Technology, Pharmacy Technology, Practical Nursing, and Associate Degree Nursing, will provide students with a wide array of possibility career choices.
b. Identify the applicant pool and how they will be reached.
Prospective students will be reached through both traditional internal and external media, and via social media such as Facebook. Additionally, the regular high school career visits and community career fairs will give opportunities to reach both traditional and adult prospective students.
c. Describe the student recruitment and selection process. High school career visits and community career fairs will give opportunities to reach both traditional and adult prospective students. ACTC will utilize the selective admissions process for Dental Assisting currently provided in the KCTCS Senate Rules, pp. 33-34:
Selection of Students to the Dental Assisting The president of the college or the president’s designee will make selection of students for the program after considering the recommendation of the Dental Assisting/Dental Hygiene Admissions Committee. Suggested membership for this committee should include the following:
Program Coordinator Admission Officer and/or Counselor Dental Assisting/Dental Hygiene Faculty Member
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Faculty Member At-Large
Applicants must submit the following to the Admissions Office by March 1. A college may extend this date due to extenuating circumstances.
1. ACT or COMPASS scores as required by the sponsoring institution 2. KCTCS application for admission to the college 3. Dental Assisting program application 4. Official transcripts of all postsecondary education other than KCTCS
institutions 5. Dental office experience form verifying a minimum of 4 hours observation in a
dental office.
A pre-admission conference and/or meeting with the coordinator or the coordinator’s designee is required prior to an applicant’s consideration by the Dental Assisting/Dental Hygiene Admissions Committee.
Students admitted into the Dental Assisting career track must have completed BIO 135 (Basic Anatomy and Physiology with Laboratory) or BIO 137 (Human Anatomy & Physiology I), with a grade of “C” or better prior to entering the program.
Documentation of computer literacy as defined by KCTCS is required prior to admission into the Dental Assisting Program. CPR (BLS for Healthcare providers) requirements must be successfully completed prior to enrolling in the first semester dental assisting courses and must be kept current throughout the program.
Preference may be given to
1. applicants with an ACT composite score of 19 or above or the equivalent on the COMPASS exam,
2. applicants who have completed 10 or more credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in an accredited postsecondary educational institution
3. applicants who have completed BIO 135 (Basic Anatomy and Physiology with Lab) or (BIO 137 (Human Anatomy and Physiology I) and BIO 139 (Human Anatomy and Physiology II)) with a grade of “C” or better, and/or
4. Kentucky residents and applicants within the college service area.
d. Identify the primary feeders for the program. We anticipate students coming from high school via the Health Careers curriculum, as well as persons interested in health care but not sure at entry of a specific area will be prime candidates for this program.
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e. Provide any evidence of a projected net increase in total student enrollments to the campus as a result of the proposed program. We project additional students will be brought to the college in addition to those enrolled in the program, as some adult students due to other role responsibilities will choose to enroll in their general education courses prior to applying for the dental assisting program. Also, since the program is selective admissions, unlikely all interested students will be accommodated each cycle. We have no evidence for this, other than anecdotal.
f. Project estimated student demand for the first five years of the program.
2. Employer Demand: Clearly describe evidence of employer demand. Such evidence may
include employer surveys, current labor market analyses, and future human resources projections. Where appropriate, evidence should demonstrate employers’ preferences for
graduates of the proposed program over persons having alternative existing credentials and employers’ willingness to pay higher salaries to graduates of the proposed program. a. Describe the types of jobs available for graduates, average wages for these jobs, and the
number of anticipated openings for each type of jobs in the institution’s area of geographic responsibility.
Ashland Community and Technical College (ACTC) is located in Northeastern Kentucky and has three campus locations. The College Drive campus is located within the city of Ashland, KY, the Roberts Drive campus is located just outside the city limits of Ashland in Boyd County and the Technology Drive campus is located in the EastPark development area, a local industrial park, approximately 16 miles from the College Drive campus. The assigned service area for ACTC includes the counties of Boyd, Lawrence, Greenup, Carter and Elliott in Kentucky, as well as bordering counties in Ohio and West Virginia. According to Kentucky Labor Market Information, the population served in the FIVCO area (Kentucky counties) is approximately 136,000, with an additional 100,000 in the metro area of Ashland, KY-Huntington, WV, and Ironton, OH. ACTC also serves Cabell, Wayne and Mingo counties in West Virginia and five counties in Ohio, as residents of those
Academic Year
Student Enrollment Projected Degrees Conferred
2016 15 0 2017 15 10 Diplomas 2018 15 10 Diplomas 2019 15 10 Diplomas 2020 15 10 Diplomas
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counties are able to take advantage of tuition reciprocity agreements and attend ACTC at in- state tuition rates. With the closing of the Dental Assisting program at Bluegrass Community and Technical College, if approved Ashland would become the closest KCTCS Dental Assisting program for persons in the Buffalo Trace, Bluegrass and Gateway area development districts, as well. Data provided by KCTCS (Appendix E) indicates 8 annual job openings for dental assistants in the FIVCO/Gateway/Buffalo Trace Kentucky area discussed above and an additional two (2) annual openings in the three West Virginia counties served by the college, for a total of 10 annual openings for program graduates. An additional 49 annual openings in the Bluegrass Area Development District would also be possibilities for persons wanting to relocate. ACTC is committed to delivering quality education and training for the population in our service area. Part of that commitment is to research, develop and implement new educational programs that can be of service to the citizens of our service area. Along those lines, several members of the East Kentucky Dental Society approached our college about starting a dental assisting program. Administrative leaders from the college and officers of the East Kentucky Dental Society met to discuss their perceived need for a dental assisting program. After discussions as to the Society’s expectations in a dental assisting program, and with input as to what the college could provide, it was determined that a need analysis was warranted. This analysis would assist the college in determining the viability of such an educational program and will provide all interested parties with a baseline of data in which to further build a plan for program development and implementation, dependent upon results of the needs analysis and research into the employment outlook on a national, state-wide and FIVCO area-wide basis. During meetings with the interested parties for this program and a visit to one of the Society’s meetings, a general set of questions to be asked in the needs analysis was agreed upon. This survey was sent to all licensed dentists in the FIVCO area. The needs analysis focused on the number of full and part-time dental assistants that dentists in the area now employ, the average entry-level wage for new dental assistant employees and the area dentist’s input into whether or not they felt a program such as this was needed and/or warranted at our college. The survey, actual number of responses and averages of those responses is detailed in Appendix C of this report. While all of the surveyed dentists/dental offices were in Kentucky, ACTC does draw a significant number of students from Ohio and West Virginia because of its location and the existence of reciprocal tuition agreements with areas adjacent to the Ohio River. Due to that fact, the employment outlook for both Ohio and West Virginia will be included in this report. The Bureau of Labor reported in 2014 that the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Metropolitan Service Area had 150 persons employed as Dental Assistants. Seventy-nine (79) surveys were sent to FIVCO area dentists/dental offices, with 26 completed surveys being returned to us (33% response rate). In summarizing the results of these surveys, the following data was obtained:
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Dentists/Dental Offices employed an average of 1.85 full-time chairside assistants and 0.5 part-time chairside assistants. Of those employed chairside assistants, less than half had formal educational training with an established dental assisting training program. The rest were either trained in the respondent’s office or had been trained at another dentist’s office before they were employed by the respondent dentist. The average entry-level wage was $11.58 per hour, with the possibility of an increase in hourly wage of $2.93 per hour after a time period of employment and evaluation of the employee’s performance. Eighty-five percent (85%) of the respondents felt that a dental assisting program was needed for our area, with only 12% saying they didn’t think there was a need. Sixty-two percent (62%) of the respondents indicated they would be willing to serve as a clinical site for dental assisting students in their offices. Comments given by the respondents included: “Need additional assistants but cannot find one qualified. The existing assisting programs are not adequately training their students.” “Glad this is coming to fruition.” “Would be great for our area! Very difficult to find expanded functions assistants. Have to hire hygienist instead many times just to do the job of an assistant. Need to drug test prior to admittance so you don’t end up educating unemployable people—other program in our must not and many unemployable applicants from there.” The full comments from all respondents who commented can be found in Appendix A of this report. Overall, the respondents seem to believe that a dental assisting program was needed in our area and that the majority of the respondents would be willing to serve as clinical sites for students in the dental assisting program. The comments also contained some information regarding their perception of other students and/or programs in our area. It is important that those comments be noted since the opinions and perceptions of the area dentist’s, i.e., eventual employers of students in the dental assisting program, is paramount to the long-term success of the program. Support letters from the Eastern KY Dental Society and individual employers is provided in Appendix E.
FIVCO AREA EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK The following information is from Kentucky Labor Market Information: Employment 2010 67 2020 91 Employment Change from 2012-2022
Numbers +24 Percentages +35.8% Entry Level Mean Experienced
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Annual Wage/Salary (2013) $27,795 $30,817 $32,328 Hourly Wage (2013) $13.36 $14.82 $15.55
b. Describe the types of jobs available for graduates, average wages for these jobs, and the
number of anticipated openings for each type of jobs in Kentucky. STATE EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
The following information is from Kentucky Labor Market Information: Employment 2012 4,127 2022 5,402
Employment Change from 2012-2022 Numbers +1,275 Percentages +30.89% Entry Level Mean Experienced Annual Wage/Salary (2013) $22,914 $31, 689 $42,852 Hourly Wage (2013) $11.01 $15.24 $20.60
c. Describe the types of jobs available for graduates, average wages for these jobs, and the number of anticipated openings for each type of jobs at the national level.
NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK The following information is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program:
Employment of dental assistants is projected to grow 25 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations (all occupations projection is 11% growth). On-going research linking oral health and general health will likely continue to increase the demand for preventive dental services. Dentists will continue to hire more dental assistants to complete routine tasks, allowing the dentist to see more patients in their practice and to spend their time on more complex procedures. As dental practices grow, more dental assistants will be needed.
As the large baby-boom population ages, and as people keep more of their original teeth than did previous generations, the need to maintain and treat teeth will continue to increase the need for dental care.
Federal health legislation is expected to expand the number of patients who have access to health insurance. People with new or expanded dental insurance coverage will be more likely to visit a dentist than in the past. This will increase the demand for all dental services, including those performed by dental assistants.
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The actual numbers projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for dental assisting is as follows:
Employment 2012 303,200 2022 377,600 Employment Change from 2012-2022 Numbers +74,400 Percentages +24.5% Job Openings Due to Growth and Replacement Needs, 2012-2022 137, 200 2012 Median Annual Wage $34, 500
3. Academic Disciplinary Needs: Clearly describe all evidence justifying a new program based on changes in the academic discipline or other academic reasons. a. If the proposed program is an advanced credential (diploma to AAS), explain the new
practice or licensure requirements in the profession and/or requirements by specialized accrediting agencies that necessitate a new program. NA
4. Similar programs: A similar program is defined as a program with the same or closely
related CIP code at the same degree level. A proposed program will not be considered unnecessarily duplicative if it serves a different student population than existing programs and/or if its curriculum is distinctive from that of existing programs at other public institutions in Kentucky. a. Identify similar programs in other SREB states and in the nation. b. IF CPE records indicate similar programs exist in Kentucky, does the proposed program
differ from existing programs in the state? If yes, please explain. No. It is the approved KCTCS Dental Assisting curriculum.
c. Does the proposed program serve a different student population (i.e., students in a different geographic area) from existing programs? If yes, please explain. Yes. The KCTCS program closest to Ashland was located approximately 120 miles from the Ashland area at Bluegrass Community and Technical College and would have been prohibitive to students due to distance, but that program has now closed.
d. Is access to existing programs limited? If yes, please explain. Yes. With the closing of the Bluegrass program, access is further limited to students interested in Dental Assisting. A program exists at West Kentucky Community and Technical College and ACTC has been in communication with program Coordinator for
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that program. Geographic location of current KCTCS programs makes access travel prohibitive. Access is further limited by a selective admissions process.
e. Is there excess demand for existing similar programs? If yes, please explain. Coordinators of existing programs report they have more applicants than they can serve.
f. Is there collaboration between the proposed program and existing programs? Yes. KCTCS has developed policies for cooperative efforts between KCTCS colleges, such as the Policy on Collaboration Program Development (9/16/98, revised 12/5/03, 6/12/09, 6/15/12), which ensures that collaborative program development processes shall meet criteria specified by the accrediting bodies of the respective community and technical colleges and any required programmatic standards, and the Policy for Consortial Relationships and Contractual Agreements (Credit Courses or Programs) (5/27/99, revised 1/4/07, 11/20/09), which ensures that agreements meet the accreditations requirements of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC).
D. Cost and Funding of the Proposed Program
The resource requirements and planned sources of funding of the proposed program must be detailed in order to assess the adequacy of the resources to support a quality program. This assessment is to ensure that the program will be efficient in its resource utilization and to assess the impact of this proposed program on the institution’s overall need for funds. 1. Will this program require additional resources? Y or N If yes, provide a brief summary of
additional resources that will be needed to implement this program over the next five years. Yes. Start-up costs for renovation of the laboratory, equipment, instructional supplies, and employment of one full-time faculty member will be needed the first year of the program.
2. Will this program impact existing programs and/or organizational units within your institution? If yes, please describe the impact. We do not foresee any negative impact on current programs or units at the college.
3. Provide adequate documentation to demonstrate sufficient return on investment to the state to
offset new costs and justify approval for the proposed program.
Cost/Funding Explanation
The funding sources and breakdown of budget expenses/requirements are located in Appendix D_ – New Program Budget Calculation Sheet.
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E. Program Review and Assessment Describe program evaluation procedures for the proposed program. These procedures may include evaluation of courses and faculty by students, administrators, and departmental personnel as appropriate. Program review procedures shall include standards and guidelines for the assessment of student outcomes implied by the program objectives and consistent with the institutional mission.
1. For each assessment method, please provide indicators of achievement and frequency of data collection:
a. Which components will be evaluated? b. When will the components be evaluated? c. When will the data be collected? d. How will the data be collected? e. What will be the benchmarks to be achieved? f. What individuals or groups will be responsible for data collection? g. How will the data and findings be shared with faculty? h. How will the data be used for making programmatic improvements? (a-h answered collectively) At Ashland Community and Technical College technical programs submit an annual program review. The programs use common program outcomes along with specific assessment measures. Three of the outcomes (1-3) have been in place previously; four varies with the program; and outcome number five although a requirement and completed by all of the programs, was not stated explicitly previously until the 2014-2015 evaluation process. These outcomes will be used for the foreseeable future; however, the types of measures may evolve to meet college and program needs as appropriate. Data are primarily collected by our Institutional Planning, Research and Evaluation office and the results provided to the program Coordinator/Instructor (the IMT Coordinator is also the faculty member) for use in the review. 1. Provide a rigorous, high quality curriculum that produces graduates with the skills,
knowledge, and abilities required for entry level as a worker in an associated business or industry. Graduate learner outcomes (GLO) assessments through the direct measures of
student performance on written and oral examinations, skill performance in the laboratory settings and on simulation vignettes for each course.
2. Provide program graduates that meet the needs and expectations of the associated business or industry. Employer survey results Student Placement (Perkins measure) Program Advisory Board Minutes
3. Provide graduates who meet or exceed pass rates on designated certificate and licensure examinations. End of program performance on the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB)
examination 4. Provide a program that meets or exceeds national and/or discipline specific
accreditation standards.
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Selected programs: Associate Degree Nursing, Automotive, Diesel, EMS – Paramedic, Surgical Technology. Dental Assisting would be part of this grouping.
5. Conduct a systemic continuous program evaluation process reflecting use of assessment data. Technical Skill Attainment (Perkins measure) Credential Certification (Perkins measure) Student Retention and Transfer (Perkins measure) Non-traditional Participation (Perkins measure) Non-traditional Completion (Perkins measure) Program enrollment Program completers Exiting Student Survey
Program coordinators may use other data as well for evidence of achievement.
Student learning outcomes will be assessed through the direct measures of student performance on written and oral examinations, skill performance in the laboratory settings and on simulation vignettes for each course. End of program performance on the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) examination will also directly assess the intended outcomes of this program. Indirect assessment will also include performance on the ETS exam at graduation.
2. What are the measures of teaching effectiveness? Faculty are evaluated annually through the KCTCS Planning, Performance, and Evaluation (PPE) process. The process involves initial agreement of the faculty member and supervisor, a mid-year review of progress, and a final performance review and assignment of a rating. Additionally, students are encouraged to complete an evaluation of instruction in every course each semester. Students access this survey online. 3. What efforts to improve effectiveness will be pursued based on these measures? The PPE process requires identification of areas of strength and areas needing improvement. This allows plans for improvement of needed areas to be carried forward within the plans for the next year. The data obtained by the measures of teaching effectiveness will be shared with the faculty member to help faculty to set goals for increasing their teaching effectiveness and improve in the next performance period. 4. What are the plans to evaluate students’ post-graduate success?
Graduate follow-up is required of all technical programs through IPEDS. Additionally, annual graduate follow-up is part of the program activities required by the accrediting body for Dental Assisting to meet established criteria.
