From CPR, OSHA training, learning sterilization and disinfection techniques, chairside dental assisting skills and more; the Dental Science pathway has many things to offer students who may be interested in entering other fields of healthcare as well.  We will focus on  basic introductions to healthcare, employability and professionalism, the essentials of dental anatomy and bone structures and as we move into the final class of the pathway, we plan to provide some community internship opportunities.  

Even if you are not interested in a career in dentistry the Dental Science pathway can be a rewarding experience and give you extended opportunities to learn more about various areas of healthcare.  There will be useful anatomy and general healthcare knowledge that can be gained through this program.

Course #2

Essentials of Dental Science

Students will receive initial exposure to dental health science technical skills applicable to all dental health occupations. This course provides an overall framework of basic skills utilized in the dental field. Students are required to meet both national and intrastate professional guidelines as designated by applicable regulatory agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Georgia Board of Dentistry. Competencies for the co-curricular student organization SkillsUSA are integral components of both core employability standards and technical skills standards. SkillsUSA activities are incorporated throughout the instructional strategies developed for the course. The prerequisite for this course is Introduction to Healthcare Science.

Pre-requisite: Introduction to Healthcare Science

SkillsUSA is the Career, Technical, Student Organization associated with this pathway, as well as others!  SkillsUSA focuses on teaching workplace skills, technical skills grounded in academics and personal skills.  The mission of SkillsUSA is to empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens.  We believe that this mission works hand in hand with Walker County Schools desire to graduate all students “Ready for College, Ready for work and Ready for Life”.

This is a restructuring year for SkillsUSA and so far we are on a great path!  We are planning to attend the Fall Leadership Rally, which will take place on Nov. 13th and will be held virtually.  Our chapter has sold cotton candy at some of the football games as a fundraiser, we have installed new chapter officers and held a recruitment event during “Club Rush Week”.  We are looking forward to producing a cookbook next semester and assisting HOSA with the Miss LaFayette Pageant.  We are currently researching and planning to register for regional competitions.