The board helps the school obtain supplies and helps place students in jobs. Dental professionals on the board train instructors and students in modern techniques. To prepare for these presentations, students learn oral hygiene care for patients of all ages. Demonstration of mastery of 18 clinical proficiencies the same as those taught in dental health courses at the local university. The proficiencies include using infection control procedures, demonstrating ability with basic dental equipment and having basic dental knowledge.
Students can take a test to receive university credit.
Students are graded on the quality of their presentations and the level of mastery of each clinical proficiency. A student is considered proficient when he or she can perform a job completely either alone or with limited supervision. To fulfill the work requirements of the course, each student performs a variety of duties for five hours per week in a local dental office. Dental professionals evaluate the students on whether they exhibit professional behavior, a positive attitude, good speaking and listening skills, high-quality work and good judgement. The course concludes with a final examination to determine if students have gained a comprehensive understanding of materials and information.