2026 Catalog: Assistant Courses

Concepts I of Management for Dental Assistant Supervisors is a robust 4 day course that cover in-depth managerial discussions, such as Defining an IHS Dental Assistant Supervisor's Job, Accreditation Readiness Plan, Standards and Expectations: Conduct vs. Performance Issues, Strengthening Clinical Decision-Making Process, Appropriate Leave Use, Maximizing Dental Staff and Schedule, Strengthening Feedback Communication and Transparency, and Engaging IHS Dental Directors for Support and Guidance.

Draft Agenda:

Concepts I of Management for Dental Assistant Supervisors
2026 Tentative Agenda

Monday
Theme of the Day: Defining an IHS Dental Assistant Supervisor’s Job
Facilitator: ________________and ______________
8am-11:30am
•   Welcome Introductions, Logistics, Expectations, Course Overview
•   Defining an IHS Dental Assistant Supervisor’s Job
o   All DA Competencies [X-ray, Infection control, EFDAs]
o   Dental Survey Prep; Accreditation Readiness
Lunch [11:30-1pm]
1pm-4pm
•   Professional development in-house
•   “Don’t be an Over doer, be an Overseer”

Tuesday
Theme of the Day: Standards and Expectations: Conduct vs. Performance issues
Facilitator: Marylu Williams and _______________; also request HR ER/LR
8am-11:30am
•   Conduct
o   Personnel Issues
o   Conducting an Investigation
o   Progressive Discipline
Lunch [11:30-1pm]
Tuesday 1pm-4pm
•   Performance
o   Managing Employee Performance
o   Performance Improvement Plan
o   Individual Development Plan

Wednesday
Theme of the Day: Clinical Decision-Making Process
Facilitator: _______________ and ________________; also request OCA Finance
8am-11:30am
•   Monitoring your Budget
o   Budget Planning
o   Reading Cost Center Report
•   Employee Leave [Types of Leave, Granting Leave, Restricting Leave, Use/Lose]
Lunch [11:30am-1pm]
1pm-4pm
•   Clinical Efficiency Scheduling
o   Maximizing Dental Staff
o   EDR Schedule Management and Reports for DAs


Thursday
Theme of the Day: Communication is Key to Success
Facilitator: _________________ and _____________________
8am-11:30pm
•   Feedback Communication/Improved communication transparency
•   Engaging Your Supervisor [Support and Guidance]
Lunch [11:30-1pm]
1pm-4pm
•   Interpersonal Support for Dental Assistant Supervisors
•   Q & A Professional Development

1. Define the role of a Dental Assistant Supervisor.
2. Describe the appropriate way to conduct an investigation for dental team members
3. What role Dental Assistant Supervisors play in managing the budget.

Damon Pope — Deputy Project Manager for the IHS Electronic Dental Record IHS DOH National Infection Control Consultant For follow-up questions, please contact the speaker at damon.pope@ihs.gov.

Candace Williams — For follow-up questions, please contact the speaker at Candace.Williams@ihs.gov.

Marylu Williams — Personal Description / Biography not available. For follow-up questions, please contact the speaker at Marylu.williams@ihs.gov.

The speaker has no conflicts of interest to report.

It is the policy of the Indian Health Service, Division of Oral Health, that faculty/planners disclose any financial or other relationships with commercial companies whose products may be discussed in the educational activity. The Indian Health Service, Division of Oral Health, also requires that faculty disclose any unlabeled or investigative use of pharmaceutical products and medical devices. Images that have been falsified or manipulated to misrepresent treatment outcomes are prohibited.

None of the faculty/planners for this activity has a conflict of interest, and there is no use of unlabeled or investigative pharmaceutical products or medical devices. No images have been falsified or manipulated to misrepresent treatment outcomes.The educational objectives, content, and selection of educational methods and instructors are conducted independent of any commercial entity.

The IHS Division of Oral Health is an accredited sponsor of continuing education under the American Dental Association Continuing Education Recognition Program (CERP). ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry. Concerns or complaints about a CE provider may be directed to the IHS at IHS CDE Coordinator or to the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition at CCEPR.ada.org

Tuition is due only from staff from tribal programs that have taken their HQ dental shares. Tuition Payment is due at least 30 days prior to the start of the course. Please submit tuition payment to the address on the Tuition Payment Form [obtain the form by contacting IHSCDECoordinator@ihs.gov] or downloading from this site.

pay.gov

Tuition must be paid in full 8 weeks prior to the start date of any course. Request for refunds must be received in writing at least two weeks before the course begins. For each refund request, there will be an administrative charge of $100. No refunds will be made to registrants who fail to attend a course. If IHS CDE program cancels a course, then 100% of the tuition will be refunded.