Dental Assistant - Diploma

The demand for quality dental care is high and will continue to increase for many years. As a result, dentists are in need of dental assistants more than ever before. In fact, dental assisting is projected to be one of the fastest-growing occupations through 2014.

Professional Duties

A dental assistant provides essential services for the dentist at the chair side, in the business office, and in the office laboratory. Since the duties of a dental assistant are so diverse, Kaplan Career Institute provides an opportunity to learn a broad range of skills, including:

• Caring for patients in the treatment room
• Taking dental X-rays
• Taking impressions of patients' teeth
• Teaching preventive dentistry to patients
• Assisting with oral surgery
• Performing oral evacuation

Innovative Learning

Kaplan Career Institute's dental assistant courses are designed to give you real-world knowledge in a hands-on learning environment. Our goal is to prepare you with the necessary technical skills needed for an entry-level position as a dental assistant.

Professional Paths

As a dental assistant, you will enjoy career opportunities in places such as private dental practices, dental laboratories, community dental health clinics, public schools, and state and federal health facilities.

Medical Assistant - Diploma

The objective of the medical assistant program is to prepare students for entry-level positions in the field of medical assisting. The program is designed to teach students all the essential skills to establish a successful career in the medical assistant field.

This program will prepare students to take the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) examination. This program will also prepare students to take the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) examination. While students are not required to take either of these certification examinations, to qualify for graduation from the program, it is strongly recommended that they take one of these examinations, as many employers require one of the certifications for employment. This program is authorized by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

Students who successfully complete the medical assisting program should have the necessary knowledge and skills to work in a variety of medical settings, such as the following:

• private physicians' offices
• pediatricians' offices
• emergency care clinics
• medical clinics
• medical laboratories
• aesthetic plastic surgery centers
• chiropractic clinics
• optometrists' offices
• podiatrists' offices
• hospitals
• nursing home facilities
• retirement homes
• rehabilitation clinics

Medical Billing and Coding Specialist - Diploma

Changing government regulations and the growth of managed care have increased the amount of paperwork involved in processing medical tests, treating patients and filing claims with insurance companies. As a result, medical billing and coding specialists are in high demand in all types of health care facilities. If you pay close attention to details, work well under pressure, and would like to pursue a career in health care, earning a diploma in medical billing and coding from Kaplan Career Institute can get you started in one of today's fastest-growing career fields.

What Is Medical Billing?

Medical billing is vital to the smooth functioning of the medical office. Medical billers calculate the total amount due from a patient, prepare invoices to be sent out and follow up to ensure that payment has been received. One of the most important responsibilities of medical billers is contacting insurance companies to negotiate payment or reimbursement on behalf of patients and doctors. Medical billers may have some interaction with patients to answer questions about health care finances.

What Is Medical Coding?

Medical Coding involves recording designated codes in patients' medical records. Each type of procedure or treatment has its own designated code that health insurance companies use to determine the reasons the patient was seen and what procedures and treatments were performed. The role of the medical coder is to ensure that each procedure is properly coded in accordance with industry standards.

What Will You Study?

The curriculum includes classroom lectures and lab training in:

• Health insurance, including paperwork, legal issues, and insurance fraud and abuse
• Dental claims and the anatomy and physiology of the tooth and oral cavity
• General office procedures, including use of office machines, keyboarding and computer applications, and introduction to the World Wide Web
• Medical coding and terminology

You will be required to complete an externship at an approved facility in the Harrisburg community. The externship gives you an opportunity to gain medical billing and coding experience to help prepare you for immediate entry-level employment in doctors' offices, clinics, hospitals, home health care services, nursing and residential care facilities and insurance companies.

Certification Exams

This program prepares you for the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) examination sponsored by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).† The CPC certification signifies to employers that you have achieved a level of knowledge and expertise in coding of services, procedures and diagnoses for physician practices.

^{† However, the Institute cannot guarantee your eligibility either to take this exam or become certified. Your eligibility may depend on your work experience, completion of high school (or its equivalent), not having a criminal record, meeting other licensure or certification requirements, or the program or Institute itself having appropriate accreditation or licensure. Externship sites may themselves require a criminal background check or medical examination.}

Medical Office Specialist - Diploma

The objective of the medical office specialist program is to provide the knowledge, technical skills and work habits required for entry-level positions in the medical field. You will receive a solid and basic foundation of information and skills in medical-dental front office operations with emphasis in the following areas:

• billing
• coding
• insurance
• transcription
• office management

Prior to graduation, you are required to complete an externship that will give you an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in applying administrative and clinical procedures learned in the classroom.

Health care is the largest industry in the United States and its future remains bright. According to the Department of Labor, 8 out of 20 occupations projected to grow the fastest are in health care. A large share of those jobs, 18 percent, is in office and administrative support. Numerous workers in management and administrative support jobs keep organizations running smoothly. If you have a desire to work in a medical office, Kaplan Career Institute - Nashville can provide the education and training you need to enter this field.

Accreditation

• Council on Occupational Education (CCOE)