Chattanooga State Community College is proud to announce that 2020 graduates from Dental Hygiene, Physical Therapist Assistant, and Advanced Pharmacy Technology programs have attained a 100% pass rate on their national exams.

“I cannot express how proud I am of the Dental Hygiene, Physical Therapist Assistant, and Advanced Pharmacy Technology graduates for their 100% licensure pass rate. This is a huge accomplishment in any academic year, and that it happened during COVID-19 and the transition to online learning speaks to the exceptional quality of these programs and the faculty who dedicate their lives to preparing the next generation of health care professionals.”

Chattanooga State’s outstanding Nursing and Allied Health programs demand excellence to produce outstanding graduates. Program selection is a competitive process based on an objective points system awarded for completion of curriculum courses, grades in those courses, and the results of tests or other materials required for a specific program.

According to Angie Maida, Dental Hygiene program director, all students in the 2020 dental hygiene class have passed both the computerized National board and Clinical board exams. “They are now applying for licensure in a field that is in desperate need of dental hygienists,” states Ms. Maida. The Dental Hygiene program has enjoyed a strong job placement for years but COVID pushed the demand even higher leaving many dental offices with unfilled positions. “Students really pushed through and finished strong, knowing that a great job was waiting for them once they passed their boards and received their license,” noted Maida.

Rising to the challenge presented by moving to virtual learning this spring, 2020 Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) graduates embraced the challenges as an opportunity for growth and improvement. “They did some heavy lifting in order to complete the classroom and clinical requirements for graduation,” shares Caroline Rogers, PTA program director. Rogers also had high praise for the staff of dedicated clinicians in hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing facilities and rehab hospitals in Chattanooga, North Georgia and surrounding areas that were instrumental in helping students graduate on time and at a 100% rate. “It took dedicated faculty, students, administrators and clinicians to achieve this level of success during COVID-19,” she added.

2020 graduates of Chattanooga State’s Advanced-Level Pharmacy Technician (ALPT) program not only boasted a 100% pass rate on their national certification exam (the national rate is 58%), but a 100% graduation, completion, and job placement rate as well. Dr. Nancy Watts, founding program director, had fully expected a 100% job placement rate due to the critical demand for certified pharmacy technicians. “Most community and hospital pharmacies require certification for employment,” states Dr. Watts. Chattanooga State’s ALPT program is this area’s only Pharmacy Technician Certification Board approved and ASHP (American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists) accredited program. “Incoming students seeking a career as an ALPT should know we are still accepting applications for fall 2020 through August 28,” adds Dr. Watts. See chattanoogastate.edu/pharmacy-technician-certificate.