Coordinating Board rates Dental Assisting and Medical Assisting Programs at San Antonio College as "Exemplary"

Extracted from the August, 2008 San Antonio College Update.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) ranked as "exemplary" the Associate in Applied Science degree programs in Dental Assisting and Medical Assisting at San Antonio College, one of the Alamo Community Colleges.

"The programs met or exceeded all standards for exemplary status," Assistant Commissioner of the THECB, regarding the results of the "desk review" of those programs in "the institutional effectiveness evaluation process."

"We are very pleased with the exemplary status designation," Dean of the Professional-Technical Division at San Antonio College. "The rating is an indication that the Dental Assisting and Medical Assisting programs have gone above and beyond the expected standards."

The THECB considers many factors in determining a programs exemplary status rating, such as the rate of employment, the number of students who complete the programs, and the curriculum.

San Antonio College was the first in Texas to offer an associate degree in Dental Assisting. Both the Dental Assisting and Medical Assisting programs are accredited, and their graduates are in high demand. For example, the American Association of Medical Assistants state on their web site, "Through at least the year 2010 employment of medical assistants will far exceed the average growth for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics."

For more information, call Stella Lovato, Dental Assisting Program Coordinator, @ (210)486-1531.

Some of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Institution Effectiveness measures and standards for evaluation of exemplary status included:

• Placement of program graduates/completers
  


• License/credentialing examination pass rate
  


• External linkages and agreements
  


• Business and industry partnerships
  


• Integrating academic and technical education
  


• Employer and student satisfaction with the program
  


• Determination of on-going need for the program