DHYG 2010 Syllabus

Subject Code

DHYG

Course Number

2010

Course Title

Clinical Dental Hygiene II

Prerequisites

DHYG 1070 with a grade of C or higher, DHYG 1110 with a grade of C or higher

Corequisites

DHYG 2020

Terms Offered

Offered Summer

Credit Hours

(2-0-2)

Course Description

The course continues the development of student knowledge in treating patients and preventing oral disease. Topics include instrument sharpening; patient assessment; antimicrobial use; pulp vitality testing; treatment of hypersensitivity; whitening; implant care; tobacco cessation; pit and fissure sealants; scaling, debridement, and root planning; ultrasonics and air polishing; and dietary analysis.

Course Outcomes

  1. Course Introduction; Review emergency and infection control protocol; Clinical Responsibilities; Review rules and requirements

The students should be able to:

  • Discuss emergency care protocol.
  • Discuss infection control policy.
  • Analyze assessment findings and critically evaluate the significance of the conditions listed in previous clinical objectives.
  • Determine the appropriate goals, interventions, and expected outcomes associated with a dental hygiene diagnosis of the patient conditions as listed in previous clinical objectives.
  • Integrate policies and procedures into the clinical setting.
  • Review, discuss, and demonstrate successfully the responsibilities of the clinical/radiology assistant and the clinical receptionist.
  • Maintain documentation for aseptic protocol for dental unit and maintenance notebooks.
  • Discuss Dental Hygiene rules and regulations for academic and clinical performance.
  • Demonstrate professionalism in working with peers, patients, and faculty.
  • Review and discuss clinical procedures for clinician and patient.
  • Demonstrate increased clinical ability to accurately assess each patient’s medical history and record vital signs.
  • Demonstrate increased clinical competency to assess and record the status of hard and soft tissues in the oral cavity.
  • Demonstrate increased clinical ability to plan and provide the rationale for a comprehensive treatment plan for each patient seen in clinic.
  • Demonstrate clinical competency to effectively and safely remove all hard and soft deposits from the teeth of patients seen in clinic.
  • Demonstrate further refinement of root planning skills.
  • Demonstrate clinical competence (as established by the clinical competency criteria) to properly assess and educate the patient in the proper types of preventive measures to utilize at home to control dental disease.

  1. Dental Management Software Program

The students should be able to:

  • Enter and maintain patient records using Dentrix; increase proficiency in software utilization.
  • Locate continuing care set-up in family file for completed patient.
  • Enter the continuing care information, including type, description, and interval based on patient need.
  • Select specified provider.
  • Select appropriate appointment time pattern.
  • Explain the continuing care system to the patient.
  • Record motivational notes in Dentrix continuing care system.

 

  1. Sonic/Ultrasonics

The students should be able to:

  • Differentiate between sonic and ultrasonic (magnetostrictive and piezoelectric) instrumentation.
  • State the contraindications for ultrasonic and sonic instrumentation.
  • Compare and contrast the use of hand instruments with ultrasonic and sonic instruments for periodontal debridement.
  • Demonstrate the use of an ultrasonic and/or sonic instrument.
  • Adapt working end using light rapid, multi-directional strokes.
  • Demonstrates correct grasp and finger rests.
  • Demonstrates correct evacuation technique.
  • Demonstrates and follows proper infection control protocol.

 

  1. Pit and Fissure Sealants

The students should be able to:

  • Define pit and fissure sealants and explain how they work.
  • Explain indications and contraindications for sealant placement.
  • Assess clients to determine their need for pit and fissure sealants.
  • Differentiate between filled, unfilled, and fluoride-releasing filled sealants.
  • Explain the difference between autopolymerized  (self-cured) and photopolymerized (light-cured) sealants.
  • Describe the BIS-GMA sealant products.
  • Follow tooth selection criteria for sealant placement.
  • Practice the accepted sequence of steps for sealant placement.
  • Define polymer, monomer, polymerization, and autopolymerization.
  • Place self-cured and light-cured sealants.
  • Determine by using evaluative criteria the acceptability of a placed sealant.
  • Monitor the retention of pit and fissure sealants.
  • Demonstrates and follows proper infection control protocol.

 

  1. Amalgam Polishing

The students should be able to:

  • Discuss in writing the importance of polishing amalgam restorations.
  • Discuss and demonstrate clinically, finished polishing of amalgam restorations.
  • Use slow to moderate speed and intermittent brief strokes, under wet conditions with shofu cups and mini-points.
  • Use in correct order sofu cups and mini-points; final polish with tin oxide.
  • Discuss the importance of topical application of fluoride after polishing amalgam restorations.
  • Demonstrates and follows proper infection control protocol.

 

  1. Hypersensitivity

The students should be able to:

  • Describe dentinal hypersensitivity, its prevalence, etiology, and treatment.
  • Describe the three general categories of stimuli that elicit pain response and give examples of each.
  • List teeth most likely to experience dentinal hypersensitivity.
  • Explain the hydrodynamic theory.
  • Identify risk factors contributing to dentinal hypersensitivity.
  • Explain factors that reduce dentinal hypersensitivity.
  • Distinguish between dentinal hypersensitivity and other sources of tooth pain.
  • Describe active ingredients available to treat hypersensitivity and mechanisms of action.
  • Identify self-applied and professional (in-office) interventions for dentinal hypersensitivity.

 

  1. Pain and Pain Control (Topicals, Local Anesthesia)

The students should be able to:

  • Define pain perception, pain reaction, and pain reaction threshold.
  • Tell how “what you know,” “how your feel,” and “what you see” may influence a patients reaction to pain.
  • Demonstrate proper use and knowledge of topical anesthetics in the clinical setting.
  • Prepare a tray set-up for the administration of a local anesthetic.
  • Prepare and transfer the anesthetic syringe.
  • Explain and display appropriate disposal techniques of needle, anesthetic cartridge and preparation of instruments for autoclaving.
  • Prepare for and assist during the anesthetization of clinical patients.
  • Complete treatment record documentation for anesthetic usage.
  • Demonstrates and follows proper infection control protocol.

 

 

 

 

  1. Nitrous Oxide Observation (Conscious Sedation)

The students should be able to:

  • Describe in detail the nitrous oxide equipment and delivery system.
  • Discuss the indications and contraindications for use of nitrous oxide-oxygen sedation.
  • Discuss the advantages, disadvantages, and complications with the use of nitrous.
  • Discuss the signs and symptoms of the baseline level of nitrous sedation.
  • List safety features associated with gas cylinders and the machine.
  • States hygienists responsibility regarding nitrous oxide administration.

 

 

  1. Pulp Vitality and Testing

The students should be able to:

  • Discuss the rationale for the testing of pulp vitality.
  • Define pulp testing.
  • List the causes of a tooth becoming non-vital.
  • Describe the observations of the non-vital tooth clinically and radiologically.
  • Name the methods of pulp testing.
  • State the principle operation of all electrical pulp testers.
  • Explain the implications of sensitivity to thermal testing which involves cold stimuli and hot stimuli.
  • Describe the application of the vitalometer to the tooth surface.
  • Demonstrate the proper technique of testing the vitality of a tooth.
  • State how sound production may be helpful in diagnosing pulp vitality.
  • Properly records procedure in treatment record.
  • Demonstrates and follows proper infection control protocol.

 

 

COMPETENCY AREAS:

 

√ Dental Management Software

√ Sonic/Ultrasonic Debridement

√ Pit and Fissure Sealants

√ Amalgam Polishing: Shofu System

√ Dental Hypersensitivity

√ Pain/Pain Control (Topicals; Local Anesthesia)

√ Pulp Vitality & Testing

√ Professional Demeanor

√ Applied Techniques

 

Core Competencies:

C.1  Apply a professional code of ethics in all endeavors.

C.3  Provide dental hygiene care to promote patient/client health and wellness using critical thinking and problem solving in the provision of evidence-based practice.

C.9  Provide accurate, consistent, and complete documentation for assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation of dental hygiene services.

C.10  Provide care to all clients using an individualized approach that is humane, empathetic, and caring.

HP.2  Respect the goals, values, beliefs, and preferences of the patient or client while promoting optimal oral and general health.

HP.5  Evaluate factors that can be used to promote patient or client adherence to disease prevention or health maintenance strategies.

PC.1  Systematically collect, analyze, and record data on the general, oral, and psychosocial health status of a variety of patients or clients using methods consistent with medicolegal principles.

PC.2  Use critical decision-making skills to reach conclusions about the patient’s or client’s dental hygiene needs based on all available assessment data.

PC.3  Collaborate with the patient or client or other health professionals to formulate a comprehensive dental hygiene care plan that is patient-centered or client-centered and based on current scientific evidence.

PC.4  Provide specialized treatment that includes preventive and therapeutic services designed to achieve and maintain oral health.  Assist in achieving oral health goals formulated in collaboration with the patient/client.

PC.5  Evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented clinical, preventive, and educational services, and modify as needed.