Is the course approved?
Yes, the course is approved by the Tennessee
Board of Dentistry. It is considered an education course.
Therefore you do not receive continuing education credit.
What
is the difference between a basic education course and continuing
education? A basic education course
certifies you to perform duties delegated to you by the practice
act. Continuing education enhances the performance of what you
are already allowed to do.
Who is eligible? Applicants must be currently licensed dental hygienists in
the State of Tennessee.
How is the course organized? The
course has a didactic portion and a clinical portion. Much of
the
didactic material will be provided online. The
clinical portion will be held at Chattanooga State Technical Community College in Chattanooga, TN. Will I need a
textbook for the course? Yes,
you will need to purchase the Handbook of Local Anesthesia, fifth
edition, by Stanley Malamed. (ISBN: 978-0-323-03353-4) It can be
purchased online. If you buy a used text, be sure the enclosed
DVD comes with it.
Is there anything else I
will need? A high speed Internet
connection for your computer is highly desirable. In addition you
will need to have the computer program Adobe Acrobat installed if
you don't have it already. It is free. See
"Adobe" at the
top of this page.
Will I be giving and
receiving local anesthesia during the clinical portion? Yes,
after sufficient practice, you will administer local anesthesia on a
student partner.
After taking the course,
am I certified to give local anesthesia? No,
you must administer local anesthesia several times in your practice
and be certified by your employer dentist as being competent before
becoming certified by the State of Tennessee.
I have not taken a test
in years. How can I pass the test? The
online portion of the course offers numerous practice tests.
Those tests are not only excellent learning tools, they also help
you prepare for the certification examination.
When is the course offered?
You can sign up for the course at any time and begin taking the online
portion. See the
Clinical schedule
at the top of the page for the dates and locations of the "clinical"
training.
Who are the
instructors? The principle clinical
instructor is Dr. William Johnson, Director of the Dental Hygiene
Program at Chattanooga State Technical Community College in
Chattanooga, TN. Dr. Johnson will be assisted by dental hygienists
certified to administer local anesthesia.
How
much does it cost? $900
Can I try the online portion to see if I
like it before I pay? Yes.
You can begin the online portion immediately after
registering. If
payment is not received in 10 days, we will assume you do not
wish to continue, and we will cancel your online access.
What is your refund policy?
You will receive a full refund (minus a $100
processing fee) if you cancel at least 14 days before taking the
clinical portion of the course.
If you cancel less than 14 days before the course, you will receive a
50% refund.
How
do I register for the course? Simply go to the
Register
at the top of this page.
Do I have to contact the Board of
Dentistry afterwards? No, we
will take care of that.
What will I learn?
After completing this course, you
will be competent at the following as they relate to the administration of
local anesthesia;
 | Instruction in the philosophy and
psychology of local anesthesia, |
| Evaluation of a patient's medical
history and physical status including measurement of vital
signs, |
| Recognition of indications and
contraindications for use, |
| Identification of anatomical landmarks
that pertain to administration, |
| Understanding of the physiology of nerve
conduction, |
| Understanding of the pharmacology of
local anesthetics and vasoconstrictors,
|
| Selection and preparation of proper
armamentaria, |
| Recording of local anesthetic procedures
and complications, |
| Management of medical and legal
complications, |
| Recognition and management of
post-injection complications and management of reactions of
injections, |
| Employment of infection control
techniques including disposal of sharp's, |
| Methods of administering local
anesthetic agents with emphasis on:
| Technique, |
| aspiration, |
| slow injection, |
| minimum effective dosage, |
|
| Prevention, diagnosis and
management of medical emergencies, |
| Recognition, management and treatment of
toxic reactions to local anesthetics and vasoconstrictors, |
| Recognition, management and treatment of
allergic reactions to local anesthetics and vasoconstrictors, |
| Recognition, management and treatment of
drug interactions with local anesthetics and vasoconstrictors, |
| Ability to calculate highest safe dose
based on patient's weight and/or age, |
| Recognition for the need of reinjection, |
| Administration of local anesthesia
infiltration, |
| Administration of local anesthesia for
nerve blockage, |
| Monitoring of the patient's physical
status while under the effects of local anesthetics. |
