NEMCC Continuing Education opens new courses to meet community demand

Northeast set to offer "Local Anesthesia for Dental Hygienist" certification course

by Michael H. Miller

BOONEVILLE, Miss. -- (11/02/2023) — Northeast Mississippi Community College's Office of Continuing Education is meeting the needs of local dental hygienists and helping local dentist offices in the process with its latest class offering.

Northeast is now offering a "Local Anesthesia for Dental Hygienist" certification through its Office of Continuing Education.

Not only is Northeast's latest offering helping local dentist offices by having more personnel certified to apply local anesthesia for dental procedures but it is helping local dental hygienists by allowing them to get certifications closer to home that will help them attain higher paying jobs.

Northeast's goal for the "Local Anesthesia for Dental Hygienist" certification course is to prepare the practicing dental hygienist to assist the dentist in alleviating and managing patient's dental pain. The dental hygienist will be provided background knowledge in how nerve impulses are propagated and blocked, and the mechanics of local anesthetic administration.

Cost for the course is $1,200 but dental hygienists will receive 36 hours of continuing education credits as well.

With demand high in northeast Mississippi, the initial class on January 3 has already closed so organizers have opened more class dates throughout the 2024 Spring and Summer semesters.

Next "Local Anesthesia for Dental Hygienist" course will now start on January 29 with other class openings on March 18, May 20 and July 29.

Dr. Nick Alexander, the Program Director, is the instructor for the course.

Classes are limited to just 20 participants each time so those interested need to get their information in as soon as possible.

Participants will also need to provide clinical supplies such as syringes, a box of gloves, closed-toe shoes, scrubs, a lab jacket and safety glasses. The required textbook for the course will be "Local Anesthesia for Dental Hygienist," 3rd ed. by Demetra Logothetis, RDH, MS.

All classes will be held on the Northeast Booneville campus on the fourth floor of Childers Hall.

For more information about Northeast's "Local Anesthesia for Dental Hygienist" certification course, contact the Northeast Office of Continuing Education at 662-720-7296 or email continuinged@nemcc.edu