Externship—DA 209

300 HOURS /
SYLLABUS
/
CREDIT/CLOCK HOURS: 300 CLOCK HOURS
10 QUARTER CREDIT HOURS
Externship Coordinator: Leiah Galownia – 502-245-6177

The externship is the final course of the Comprehensive Dental Assisting Program at MedQuest College and it is mandatory for successful completion of the program. In externship, students receive hands-on training that includes experiences students are not exposed to on campus due to lack of access to patients. Training received in a live dental office will vary day-to-day according to patient needs and needs of the doctor(s)/staffs and student exposure to specific skill sets are mandatory. The externship will provide students with the real-life experience and knowledge of what it takes to be a part of a successful dental team.
PREREQUISITES: ALL COURSES MUST BE COMPLETED WITH A PASSING GRADE
Dental Clinical Procedures Dental Basic Sciences
Dental Radiography and Lab Dental Insurance Billing and Coding
Dental Specialties Dental Communication and Scheduling
EDDA Dental Recall and Treatment Planning
TEXTBOOKS AND MATERIALS
INTERNET ACCESS
E-MAIL
RESOURCES AND SUPPLIES
MEDQUEST SCRUBS, LAB COAT, SAFETY GLASSES, CLOSED TOE SHOES

Course Description

Externships take place at an operating dental office. Students are encouraged to find their own externship site. Help finding a site is provided through the Externship Coordinator who is able to offer leads, make contact with and provide information to dental offices as needed, and provide support and encouragement to students throughout the search. If a student is unable to secure an externship site before on-campus course work is completed, the student will be placed in an office by the Externship Coordinator and attendance at that location will be non-negotiable. It is mandatory that 60% (180 hours) of externship be completed in a general practice. Pediatrics is an exception meaning that all 300 hours may be completed in a pediatric office. The remaining 40% (120 hours) may be completed in a specialty office after general hours are earned. If the student chooses to utilize this opportunity, the student is responsible for securing their own specialty office. The Externship Coordinator may be able to provide leads and support throughout the relocation process but, placement in a specialty office is not guaranteed. Students must continue earning hours in general dentistry until a specialty office is secured. Any changes that take place in externship must be approved by the Externship Coordinator before being implemented. In externship, students are to demonstrate thorough understanding of the dental assisting skills acquired during the on-campus portion of the program. Externship requires that students practice skills in both business and clinical sides of an office. Specific duties will be based on patient/practice needs. These duties include anything an employed dental assistant would be responsible for (e.g. patient care, maintaining a sanitary work environment, taking out the garbage, etc.) and what is outlined in the Skill Sets document on Core E.L.M.S (rxpreceptor.com).Externships are to be completed in twenty (20) weeks. Attendance is mandatory and tracked by daily submission of hours earned. Failure to comply with attendance policy can have severe consequences. All externship information is tracked by MedQuest College, Students, and Affiliates via an Experiential Learning Management Software, Core E.L.M.S. (rxpreceptor.com). Hours are submitted and absences and incidents (both positive and negative) are tracked through this software. The goal of the software is to allow for streamlined communication between all participants. The time log on Core E.L.M.S. (rxpreceptor.com) is considered unofficial due to potential or human error. The externship experience should be beneficial to all parties involved and executed with mutual respect. Support is offered by the Externship Coordinator to all participants throughout the externship process. Students and their host offices are advised to communicate any questions or concerns to the Externship Coordinator at any time. The Externship Coordinator has supplied all available forms of communication to ensure ability to communicate effectively. This is an incredible learning experience that helps promote students’ success in the dental field and should be treated as such.

Course Objectives

·  To gain experience with patients in a practicing dental office.

·  To increase knowledge of dental procedures.

·  To increase clinical skills.

·  To increase business office skills.

·  To increase patient communication skills.

·  To interact other dental personnel.

·  To grow both personally and professionally.

General Guidelines

·  Externship hours should start immediately after completing all prerequisites to ensure that adequate training has been provided to students before they begin working with patients and that information is fresh and easy to recall.

·  Attendance is mandatory and students must have a set schedule.

·  It is mandatory that students participate in externship for a minimum of 20 hours/week. Falling below 20 hours/week counts as an absence.

·  Externships must be completed in a maximum twenty (20) weeks. Failure to complete 300 externship hours within that time frame could result in automatic failure of the course and potential dismissal from the program.

·  Hours earned are to be submitted daily via the Core E.L.M.S. Web App (rxpreceptor.com). Hours submissions are used to track attendance. Failure to submit hours daily and as instructed can result in serious consequences including and up to dismissal from the program. Time log on Core E.L.M.S. (rxpreceptor.com) is considered unofficial.

·  Professional behavior is mandatory—arrive on time & leave on time (including lunches), speak to supervisor as soon as possible if any complications arise with set schedule (e.g. tardiness, illness, etc.). Failure to do so can result in dismissal from the hosting site.

·  Follow proper safety procedures and privacy laws (e.g. PPE, HIPPA, OSHA)

·  Show initiative, ask questions, and be a team-player.

·  Use the time to make a great first impression in the dental field. Doctors and staff may write letters of recommendation for students based on performance.

Smoking Policy:

MedQuest is a non-smoking entity and the policy outlined in MedQuest College official catalog extends to all externship sites. Please take proper precautions to minimize lingering smoke odors when working in the dental field.

Uniform Policy:

Appropriate attire (school scrubs, lab coat, and tennis shoes) must be worn during all externship hours. Also, proper PPE (safety glasses, masks, lab coats and gloves) must be worn during any patient treatment including sterilization and lab work. If an office requires a student to wear scrubs that are different from those provided by MedQuest College, it is the responsibility of the student to obtain what is being requested by the office. Scrubs need to be clean and wrinkle free. Facial piercings, visible tattoos, and unnatural hair and nail color should be handled according to individual office policies.

Attendance:

Regular externship attendance is essential to student success. Failure to maintain regular attendance can lead to a variety of negative consequences up to, and including, termination from the school. Students are required to follow a set schedule as discussed with the hosting site and Externship Coordinator. Set schedule is to be noted under “incidents” tab on Core ELMS. Students are required to attend externship for a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week. An absence occurs when a student fails to reach the minimum twenty (20) hours/week requirement. Students must notify school and the externship site supervisor if, for any reason, the externship obligations require change or cannot be fulfilled. MedQuest College recognizes that unforeseen circumstances occasionally arise that result absence from class. The school strongly discourages any student absences in externship because student attendance in a dental office affects the whole dental team and their patients. A maximum of 2 EXCUSED absences are allowed during externship. Any unexcused absences or persistent tardiness could result in immediate dismissal from the hosting office and possibly from the MedQuest College Dental Assisting program. All absences must be accompanied with a valid note from an approved source to be considered excused. If a student must be absent or becomes ill at their office, the student must inform their hosting site supervisor, by speaking to them directly, as soon as possible. The student must also notify the Externship Coordinator via the Core E.L.M.S Web App (rxpreceptor.com). Hosting supervisors are able and encouraged to report student absences via the Core E.L.M.S Web App (rxpreceptor.com) to ensure everyone is on the same page. Students may adjust their set schedule to avoid falling below the mandatory 20 hour/ week requirement if granted approval from their office supervisor and the Externship Coordinator. Time earned is to be submitted daily and is monitored regularly. All hours earned the previous week must be submitted and confirmed no later than Monday at noon (12:00 P.M.) to appropriately track student attendance. Failure to submit hours on time could result in serious consequences including dismissal from the program. MedQuest College requires that all students take a mandatory 30-minute break for every five (5) hours spent at externship. MedQuest will deduct time for this break if student fails to do so in the submission of their hours. Detailed instructions on how to properly submit hours is provided under “Documents Library” of Core ELMS. Please note: Hours logged on Core ELMS are not official. If students enter hours incorrectly the time log on the Core ELMS will not reflect an accurate total of hours earned. Students may contact MedQuest College at any time to verify total hours logged on our official system (Diamond D).

Office Dismissals:

If a student is dismissed from an externship site the student is required to attend a mandatory advising meeting with Externship Coordinator and Program Director(s) within one week of the dismissal to complete a Plan of Action and determine a reasonable timeframe for the student to secure a new site and resume externship. New sites must be found by the student and approved by the externship coordinator. A maximum of three (3) offices are allowed in externship.

Injuries/Exposures: If a student is injured or experiences an exposure to blood borne pathogens the student must first report the incident to their office supervisor and follow office protocol. Next the student must proceed to the nearest urgent treatment facility or emergency room for proper care and/or blood work to be completed. If an exposure occurs and the patient can be identified then the patient should seek proper care and blood work as well. MedQuest College provides liability insurance on all of our students so no medical costs are incurred by the hosting site or the patients.

Grading:

·  All required activities are graded on a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the most proficient, by the hosting site.

·  It is important that students perform all skills listed on the Externship Mandatory Performance Review. If an office is hesitant to allow students to perform procedures on patients, students should ask, and be allowed, to practice on other assistants to ensure proper evaluation of skills.

·  Final evaluations are not expected until the end of the externship. This should allow time to practice and improve on all required skills.

·  Scores of 5’s and above are needed to pass the Mandatory Performance Review.

·  If a student fails any portion of the externship (4 or below), they must meet with the Externship Coordinator to discuss their options.

Successful Completion:

Completion of 300 hours externship (minimum 60% completion in a General Practice), scoring five (5) or above on all categories of Mandatory Performance Review, Submission of time logs, Mandatory Performance Review, Evaluation of Externship, and Graduate Survey, all completed entirely, is required for students receive of official documents.

Course Delivery Method: Residential

2 Revised April, 2016