DHYG 1111 Syllabus

I.               Scalers, Planning for Dental Hygiene Care, Principles of Instrumentation

The student will be able to:

• Interpret assessment findings for a patient including the chief complaint, risk factors, patient’s overall health status, oral healthcare knowledge of the patient, the patient’s ability to perform oral care and document these findings.
• Discuss a patient’s periodontal diagnosis including current periodontal status, case type, and classification of periodontal disease.
• Make a dental hygiene diagnosis and write a diagnostic statement.
• Make a dental hygiene prognosis discussing factors that determine outcome and expected outcomes.
• Discuss the considerations for providing care including the role of the patient, tissue conditioning, Preprocedural antimicrobial mouthrinsing, pain and anxiety control and maintenance.
• Identify the design characteristics of sickle scalers.
• List the uses for sickle scalers
• Explain why the lower shank of a sickle should be tilted slightly toward the tooth surface being instrumented to obtain correct angulations.
• Demonstrate correct adaptation and use of calculus removal strokes on the anterior teeth using a sickle scaler.
• Describe how the clinician can use visual clues to select the correct working end of a posterior sickle scaler.
• Demonstrate correct adaptation and use of calculus removal strokes on the posterior teeth.
• Describe the correct instrument adaptation, insertion, angulation, and activation techniques.
• List and discuss the factors influencing the selection of instruments including the nature, location and extent of deposit to be removed, the accessibility of the deposit or stain, the topography of the tooth surface, the size, contour, consistency and position of the free gingiva, and the design, size and function of the instrument.

II.:          The dental hygiene care plan

The student will be able to:

• Describe a dental hygiene care plan, including the description, rationale and objectives.
• Describe the components of a written care plan including demographic data, assessment findings and risk factors, periodontal diagnosis/case type and status, diagnostic statements, planned interventions, expected outcomes, appointment plan and reevaluation.
• Describe the objectives and factors that would affect sequencing and prioritizing patient care.
• Develop a care plan derived from a dental hygiene diagnosis.
• Integrate the dental hygiene care plan with the appointment plan
• Define evaluation according to its purpose, relationship to other steps in the dental hygiene process, and legal rationale.
• Evaluate achievement of client goals as established in the plan of care.
• Discuss the dental hygiene prognosis and its impact on continued dental hygiene care.
• Write client centered goals that contain a subject, verb, criterion for measurement, and a time dimension.
• Discuss informed consent and informed refusal and apply these concepts to care planning
• Discuss patient treatment priorities
• Discuss the rationale for designing an individual treatment plan for the patient.
• Interpret assessment findings for a patient including the chief complaint, risk factors, patient’s overall health status, oral healthcare knowledge of the patient, the patient’s ability to perform oral care and document these findings.
• Discuss a patient’s periodontal diagnosis including current periodontal status, case type, and classification of periodontal disease.
• Make a dental hygiene diagnosis and write a diagnostic statement.
• Make a dental hygiene prognosis discussing factors that determine outcome and expected outcomes.
• Discuss the considerations for providing care including the role of the patient, tissue conditioning, preprocedural antimicrobial rinsing, pain and anxiety control and maintenance.
• List and discuss the factors influencing the selection of instruments including the nature, location and extent of deposit to be removed, the accessibility of the deposit or stain, the topography of the tooth surface, the size, contour, consistency and position of the free gingiva, and the design, size and function of the instrument.

III.          Stains and stain removal, Selective polishing, Rubber cup polishing

The student will be able to:

• Identify types and characteristics of tooth stains
• Explain the philosophy of selective polishing
• Define the term therapeutic procedure, and explain why stain removal is a cosmetic rather than a therapeutic procedure.
• List three adverse effects of coronal polishing
• Define the terms extrinsic and intrinsic stains, and give examples of each.
• List and describe five factors that can be controlled to minimize loss of tooth structure during coronal polishing.
• Explain the rationale for not routinely polishing the teeth as part of an oral prophylaxis.
• Describe indications, contraindications and techniques for rubber cup polishing.
• Describe precautions and preventive measures for clients and clinicians prior to, during, and following rubber cup polishing
• Describe the effects of rubber cup polishing on teeth, gingiva, restorations, and treatment area environment
• Describe maintenance and sterilization procedures for instruments and materials used in rubber cup polishing
• Demonstrate the proper procedures for selective rubber cup polishing.
• Describe the armamentarium for rubber cup polishing including abrasive selection specific to patient need.
• Discuss the abrasive components present in polishing agents.

1. Oral infection control; tooth brushing; toothbrushes; dentifrices; Interdental care

The student will be able to:

• Discuss the history of toothbrushes, describe the parts of an effective toothbrush in detail and explain why there is no “ideal” toothbrush for all situations.
• Compare natural and nylon bristles for their uniformity of length, diameter and durability.
• Discuss individualized toothbrush selection for each patient.
• Demonstrate the purpose and use of the plaque free score and the plaque control record indices in a clinical setting and be able to interpret the results.
• Describe and be able to demonstrate the purpose and use of the Periodontal Screening and Recording (PSR)
• Discuss and demonstrate how oral hygiene assessment is used for client education and motivation.
• Describe the rationale for applying disclosing solutions.
• Describe the effect of diet on biofilm accumulation
• Discuss the bacteria of healthy gingiva verses periodontal biofilm pathogens
• Discuss guidelines for manual toothbrushing
• Discuss each method of toothbrushing including the Bass, Roll, Stillman, Modified Stillman, Charters, and other methods including their purposes and indications, procedures and problems.
• Discuss the purpose and indications for power toothbrushes and methods for use.
• Discuss supplemental brushing including tongue brushing.
• Discuss toothbrushing for special conditions.
• Recognize and discuss the conditions of natural and restored dentition that influence the selection of supplemental oral hygiene aids and techniques.
• Explain the contributing factors and the trauma that can occur to the teeth and the gingiva with improper brushing techniques.
• Explain how to care for toothbrushes, replacement, cleaning and storage.
• Define a dentifrice and what to consider in choosing the best one to recommend for a patient.
• Know all the components of commercially available dentifrices and what the purpose, characteristics and types of each component contribute to the product.
• Describe the therapeutic and cosmetic benefits of dentifrices.
• Discuss the abrasivity of dentifrices
• Describe the anatomy of the interdental area
• Plan the best interdental care for a patient based on their assessment and include in the dental hygiene care plan for that patient.
• Discuss the various products that are available for interproximal biofilm removal including their purpose, indications, contraindications, techniques, advantages and limitations.
• Demonstrate and be able to instruct a patient in the correct techniques of floss and other interdental products.
• Identify factors that influence selection of supplemental oral hygiene aids and techniques.

1.  Chemotherapeutics and topical delivery systems

The student will be able to:

• Name the components of a mouthrinse and explain the purpose of each type of agent
• Discuss the contraindications and effects of an alcohol containing mouthrinse.
• Discuss the pharmacologic properties of chlorhexidine
• Name one prescription mouthrinse and one non-prescription
• Discuss factors that would influence your choice of an antimicrobial mouthrinse for your patient.
• Define subgingival irrigation and discuss indications and contraindications for patients.
• Discuss the rationale for using antimicrobial oral irrigation.
• Define substantivity as it relates to oral irrigation/mouthrinse products.
• Discuss the various products that can be used for antimicrobial oral irrigation.
• Demonstrate the use of the oral irrigation system in the clinic on student partners.
• List the armamentarium needed and follow the procedures outlined in the oral irrigation competency.

VI.       Clinical Procedures/ Documentation

Student should be able to:

Discuss, demonstrate, and perform the responsibilities of the clinical/radiology assistant and the clinical receptionist.

                    Clinical/Radiology Assistant

Ø Assist students preparing for patient seating

Ø Monitor clinic to determine need for various patient-care delivery items

Ø Monitor and perform scheduled CA/RA duties

Ø Sterilize and disinfect clinical items

Ø Inventory clinical items and restock as needed

Ø Launder lab coats at the end of each clinical session

Ø Complete quality control procedures in the dark room

Ø Process and mount exposed radiographs

                    Clinical Receptionist

Ø Prepare reception area for patient arrival

                    Ø Greet and document patient arrival

                    Ø Assist receptionist with patient scheduling

   Ø Assist receptionist with collection of fees, preparation of receipts, and tallying of

                        daily clinical production

                    Ø Assist in preparing patient records and filing

                    Ø Use computer software program for patient management

• Maintain asepsis for dental operatory
• Demonstrate professionalism in working with peers, staff, faculty, and patients
• Discuss and demonstrate proper clinical procedures for clinician and patient.
• describe rationale for effective communication skills.
• Discuss child management techniques.
• Discuss rationale for stress and conflict management of patients.
• Maintain meticulous and detailed records of patients seen, and patient and auxiliary requirements. These records should include number of patient types, degrees of difficulty and medically compromised patient tallies.
• Review, discuss, and demonstrate emergency and infection control policy including sharps sticks and handling hazardous
• materials protocols as determined by the CDC and OSHA in the clinical setting.

VII.      Hoes, files, chisels, broken instrument tips

             Student should be able to:

• Identify the design characteristics of periodontal files
• Describe the uses and limitation of periodontal files
• Describe two-point contact with a periodontal file
• Demonstrate correct adaptation and use of calculus removal strokes on anterior and          
• posterior teeth.
• Identify the differences and indications for files, chisels and hoes
• Identify what puts a debridement instrument at risk for breakage
• Know what actions to take if an instrument tip breaks during patient care

VIII.    Instrument Sharpening

                Student should be able to:

• State the goal of instrument sharpening and the advantages of sharp instruments.
• Define sharp cutting edge and dull cutting edge
• Describe important design characteristics to be maintained when sickle scalers and      
• universal and area-specific curettes are sharpened.
• Describe common sharpening errors
• Demonstrate correct sharpening technique with sickle scalers, universal and area-specific 

           curettes to produce a sharp cutting edge by removing a minimum amount

of metal while maintaining the original design characteristics.

• Describe the types of sharpening stones and explain their care.
• Describe the advantages of sharp instruments and demonstrate the practice of sharpening     

at the first sign of dullness.

• Describe and/or demonstrate methods for testing instrument sharpness.
• List the equipment necessary for effective instrument sharpening.

IX.       Emergencies

            Student should be able to:

• Describe how to prevent emergencies in the clinical setting
• Assess patients to recognize potential risk for medical emergencies
• Demonstrate behaviors which help patients minimize stress
• Recognize the signs and symptoms of an emerging patient emergency situation
• Demonstrate specific actions to take/ whom to call in case of an emergency
• Provide basic life support if need arises
  • Administer oxygen if patient need arises
  • Compile an Emergency Reference Guide to be stored in their specific clinical area for use in an emergency situation.
  • Demonstrate emergency procedures when simulated in the clinical setting.
  • List basic equipment and drugs for managing medical emergencies in the oral care environment.

X.        Care of Dental Appliances; Implants and their care

            The student should be able to:

• Define: prosthesis, prosthodontics, dental appliance, Hawley appliances, and overlay                   dentures. 
• Identify the component parts of fixed partial dentures, removable partial dentures,

complete dentures, and complete overdentures. 

• Explain to patients why cleaning removable appliances is necessary
• Describe the commercial and non-commercial agents available for cleaning

dentures.

• Outline a homecare program that would be most beneficial for the patient with         each of the appliances listed above. 
• Instruct patients how to properly clean dental appliances.
• List and perform the clinical procedures for the care of dental appliances.
• Demonstrate procedures for cleaning various dental appliances.
• List risks and disadvantages of oral piercings.
• Demonstrate appropriate and recommended oral hygiene instructions and     education for the patient with oral piercings.
• Describe the different types of implants available and rationale for choosing considering each patient’s needs.
• Discuss the appropriate home care procedures for implants.
• Discuss the proper clinical care and maintenance of implants.
• Identify factors that can affect the success of all types of dental implant therapy.
• Discuss osseointegration and how it affects the success of a dental implant.
• Identify the composition and compare the properties of various types of metals used in dental implants.
• Discuss appropriate patient selection for dental implants.

VIII.     Tooth mobility, Fremitus, and Tooth Assessment

      Student will be able to:

• List and identify the causes of tooth mobility.
• Explain the rationale for using two blunt instruments when testing for tooth mobility
• Demonstrate the proper technique for tooth mobility testing.
• Record tooth mobility according to Miller’s Index of classification.

• Define and clinically detect Fremitus.
• Define Discuss the treatment for mobile teeth
• Cite reasons for replacing missing teeth.
• Name factors that may determine the method of choice for tooth replacement.

IX.       Fluoride

Student will be able to:

• Recall the historic discovery of naturally occurring fluoride and its dental effects.
• Describe the uses, actions, types and contraindication of fluorides.
• Describe causes and characteristics of dental fluorosis and its treatment.
• Describe the multifactorial, infectious nature of dental caries
• Explain the process of demineralization and remineralization
• Distinguish between systemic and topical fluorides in dental caries prevention and

management

• Evaluate patient risk for dental caries based on objective and subjective evidence

                    gathered.

• Design a caries management plan based on client needs and the fluoride products

                    available.

•      Identify the Probable Toxic Dose (PTD) for fluoride and discuss emergency       treatment for fluoride poisoning.
• Discuss various fluoride preparations available for clinical and home use, their

                    concentrations and effectiveness.

• Administer a professional fluoride treatment (foam or gel) utilizing the tray

                                technique.

• Administer a professional fluoride varnish treatment utilizing the paint-on

technique.

• Differentiate between acute and chronic fluoride toxicity based on causes and

                    management.

Discuss the chemical reactions associated with the topical application of various fluoride preparations.

X.        Care and Maintenance of Equipment

Student will be able to:

• Care for the equipment in their clinical operatory.
• Perform daily, routine, and quarterly maintenance on equipment in their clinical

operatory.

• Demonstrate proper care and use of the slow speed handpiece
• Perform daily and maintenance duties on the STATIM, Midmark, and Tuttnauer
• autoclave units.
• Perform daily and maintenance duties on the x-ray processor.
• Properly maintain and care for cavijets units in their operatory.

XI. Instrumentation strategies