Mission

To train Oral Health Assistants committed to oral health and Colombians’ quality life, based on a comprehensive academic preparation that addresses needs and social reality of the country, with leadership attitude for the profession and the community.

Vision

To be the reference center in Assistant staff training in Oral Health in Colombia. To generate in its graduates strengths in prevention and competencies to support administrative and clinical management, and be a comprehensive part of the oral health team.

General Objective

To train Oral Health Assistants with competencies to be a comprehensive part of an oral health team, with knowledge of the Colombian Social Security System. Assistants in Oral Health must be capable of managing both public and private institutions, do community work in prevention and promotion, and support the dentist management process.

Specific Objectives

• To carry out Promotion, Prevention and Self-care actions aimed at the community and individual care, as the main strategy to reduce the incidence of periodontal disease and dental caries in the general population.

• Execute actions of Oral Hygiene in the clinic, on patients with clear concepts and based on the diagnosis according to the individual needs in Promotion and Prevention.

• Assist the dentist and specialist by collaborating closely in patient care; preparing equipment, instruments and materials, making use of biosafety standards, sterilization controls and equipment maintenance.

• Perform medical records, diary management, basic administrative management, inventory control of materials and diagnostic aids.

• Promote safe and healthy practices in work environments, management of medical emergencies in the dental office and provide initial assistance.

• Participate in improvement plans aimed at modernizing their work area; such as the use of TICs and management support through constant updating and learning in order to keep abreast of the latest techniques, advances in dental technology and changes in oral health regulations.

• To have passed secondary basic education in its entirety.
• Be at least 16 years old.
• To have taken the High School State Examination for admission to higher education (from 1990 onwards).

For information on admissions dates and requirements, please visit the following link:https://admisiones.univalle.edu.co/

Occupational Profile

The field of action of the Oral Health Assistant of the Universidad del Valle is wide given the needs and demands of the current labor market, fulfilling the competencies for:

• Participate in Promotion, Prevention and Self-Care programs.
• Execute Oral Hygiene actions in the clinic, such as supragingival scaling, prophylaxis, sealants, fluoride placement and oral health education in a patient according to their individual needs.
• Assist the dentist and specialist by preparing the dental office environment according to the type of care or specialty.
• Collaborate closely in patient care, making use of biosafety standards, sterilization controls and equipment maintenance, applying biosafety, asepsis and disinfection standards in dental practice to prevent infections in people and their environment in accordance with established protocols and current legal regulations.
• Perform medical records management, patient scheduling control, basic administrative management, inventory control of materials and diagnostic aids.
• Recognize the patient as vulnerable to the development of a disease, if self-care for the maintenance of health is not effectively promoted; recognizing, in turn, the association between oral and systemic diseases.
• Actively support the work team in safe and healthy practices, management of medical emergencies in the dental office and be able to provide initial assistance.
• Apply TICs and management support resources through constant updating and learning to keep abreast of the latest techniques, advances in dental technology and changes in oral health regulations.
• To recognize the importance of internationalization and investigation, within a permanent process of formation as a current phenomenon within the globalization and rapprochement of modern society.

Graduate Profile

• Active member of a care team in promotion, prevention and self-care programs.
• Planning of promotion, prevention and self-care programs with knowledge of institutional policies and health standards.
• Attention to patients in clinical preventive and educational oral health activities.
• Administrative and archival support with the use of TICs in public or private oral health institutions.
• Admission of the user and customer service according to levels of attention and current regulations.
• Monitor and support infection control in users and their environment, in accordance with good aseptic and healthy practices in the workplace.
• Support the diagnosis and dental treatment of users in accordance with the requirements of individuals and the SGSSS.
• Ability to support research and update their own knowledge.

As a requirement for the labor practice, the graduate must register his/her diploma before the Municipal Health Secretariat of Santiago de Cali and/or obtain its registration in any part of the national territory where he/she expects to advance his/her labor practice.

The study plan is completed in two (2) academic semesters, which is the time the training process lasts for students who have academic regularity and in which the generation of competencies established in Decree 4904 must be guaranteed.

Two semesters, daytime, Monday through Friday, from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturday from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm.