Dental Hygiene

This course is a basic orientation to the principles of nutrition. Topics include digestion, carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, the utilization of energy and metabolism. The role of vitamins, minerals and nutrients are emphasized and their role in maintaining healthy oral tissues. The role of the dental hygienist in nutritional assessment and counseling are highlighted.

This course presents the didactic and laboratory components of pre-clinical dental hygiene theory. A firm foundation in infection control procedures, dental hygiene process of care, client assessment, deposit and disease indices, oral infection control, and disease prevention is highlighted. In preparation for advancing to patient care, the following topics are presented: CPR and management of medical emergencies, OSHA regulations, Bloodborne Pathogens standard, Hazard Communication standard, and CDC guidelines. Students will gain clinical experiences through student partner clinical experiences.

This combination lecture-laboratory course is designed to introduce the student to the dental hygiene care environment and to present basic instrumentation skills and techniques. The principles of instrumentation, ergonomic standards, and preparation for the educational and therapeutic patient services are presented in detail. Students will practice on typodonts in the lab then progress to student-partner experiences in the clinic.

This course presents the anatomy, histology and embryology of the human facial structures and presents a comprehensive coverage of the anatomy of the head and neck and surrounding hard and soft tissues.

Information presented in this course is designed to develop a firm foundation for the dental hygiene student in morphology and function of the head, neck, and oral structures. Topics presented include the formation of the face (nervous system, muscles, etc.) development and growth of the jaws and the origin and stages of tooth and root formation and development.

This course builds on the foundations of DHG104 and DHG105. The focus is the elements of the Dental Hygiene Process of Care. As part of an introductory approach to implementing more advanced dental hygiene services, topics include risk assessments, patients with medical, physical, and psychological conditions as well as the dental hygiene treatment modifications for those patient communities. In addition, the theoretical foundation for preventive counseling, ultrasonic and sonic instrumentation, and instrument sharpening are presented.

This course provides lecture and laboratory-based instruction on the exposure and processing techniques of diagnostic dental films. Students will also learn the basic principles of radiation physics and the concepts of radiation safety in the dental office. Radiographic instruction includes intraoral x-ray, panoramic x-rays, and an overview of digital x- ray systems. Using a radiographic simulator, students will develop a portfolio of radiographs they have taken to demonstrate competence in exposing, processing and mounting intra and extra oral radiographs on a variety of patient types.

This course is designed to enable beginning dental hygiene students to assess the systemic and oral health of the client and allow for the delivery of clinical dental hygiene preventive and therapeutic care appropriate at the novice or DHG100 level.

This course is designed to enable beginning dental hygiene students to assess the systemic and oral health of the client and allow for the delivery of clinical dental hygiene preventive and therapeutic care appropriate at the novice or DHG100 level.

This course is designed to enable beginning dental hygiene students to assess the systemic and oral health of the client and allow for the delivery of clinical dental hygiene preventive and therapeutic care appropriate at the novice or DHG100 level.

This course is an integrated lecture laboratory course that introduces students to the dental laboratory environment. It focuses on the nature, qualities, composition, and manipulation of materials used in dentistry. The primary goal of this course is to enhance the student’s ability to make clinical judgments regarding the use and care of dental materials based on how these materials react in the oral environment. Lecture topics include dental material standards, dental material properties, and impression materials. Classifications for restorative dentistry, direct restorative materials, indirect restorative materials, removable dental prostheses, sealants, and implants are also covered in this course. Students will have hands-on laboratory experience in the proper manipulation of dental materials commonly employed in dentistry.

This course is designed to present to the dental hygiene student an overview of more advanced clinical competencies including debridement concepts, instrumentation strategies, and pain control strategies. The techniques of pain control include noninvasive and behavioral strategies, the principles of local anesthesia administration and nitrous oxide sedation as allowed by state law. Didactic and lab sessions are presented for the clinical skills associated with chemotherapeutics, dentinal hypersensitivity, and advanced instrumentation.

The intent of this course is to acquaint the dental hygiene student with the fundamentals of periodontology. Topics include the basics of the epidemiology, anatomy, physiology, neurology, lymphatics, and hematology of the periodontium in health and disease. A detailed discussion of the classification and etiology of periodontal diseases (periodontitis and gingivitis) is presented as well as clinical and radiographic assessments and systemic conditions affecting pathology.

This course is designed to emphasize the role of the dental hygienist in health promotion, as educator and resource person. The knowledge and experiences will assist the dental hygiene student in developing and enhancing interpersonal communication skills necessary to interact effectively with patients from diverse populations and communities. An introduction to cultural diversity and competency as it relates to patient management is present. A participatory segment of this course explores the various methods used in health promotion and disease prevention programs (e.g., educational strategies, group and individual processes, community approaches). These education methods are tailored for diverse settings and populations. Topics include community efforts in tobacco cessation counseling programs and nutritional counseling.

This course presents processes of inflammation, wound healing, repair, regeneration, and immunological responses. Topics include oral manifestations of systemic diseases, genetics, and developmental anomalies of the oral cavity. In addition, commonly encountered diseases and disorders of the head and neck will be covered. Emphasis will be placed on recognizing the differences between the pathological and normal tissues.

This course is designed to provide the student with a knowledge and understanding of basic pharmacology specific to clinical situations and with emphasis on dental hygiene practice. The pharmacology of pain control is presented in detail.

This course is designed to refine the psychomotor instrumentation skills of dental hygiene students. Students are expected to complete oral assessment and delivery of dental hygiene services in an independent manner. The students will have experiences with special care patient populations, pediatric clients and radiologic interpretations. Treatment plans will be written with more comprehensive components. An emerging portfolio of foundational competencies is expected at the completion of this course.

This course is designed to refine the psychomotor instrumentation skills of dental hygiene students. Students are expected to complete oral assessment and delivery of dental hygiene services in an independent manner. The students will have experiences with special care patient populations, pediatric clients and radiologic interpretations. Treatment plans will be written with more comprehensive components. An emerging portfolio of foundational competencies is expected at the completion of this course.

This course is designed to refine the psychomotor instrumentation skills of dental hygiene students. Students are expected to complete oral assessment and delivery of dental hygiene services in an independent manner. The students will have experiences with special care patient populations, pediatric clients, and radiologic interpretations. Treatment plans will be written with more comprehensive components. Students will complete a periodontal case treatment plan and presentation of results. An emerging portfolio of foundational competencies is expected at the completion of this course.

This capstone course is intended to furnish the upper-level dental hygiene student with an opportunity to demonstrate competency in the process of care for diverse patient populations. Utilizing case studies, students assess findings, formulate a dental hygiene diagnosis, plan, implement and evaluate intervention strategies for a variety of diverse communities. Selected projects provide opportunities for proficiency in critical thinking skills and evidence- based decision making. Students will take a simulation of the written Dental Hygiene National Board Examination.

This course is a continuation of DAS114 and builds on the foundations of basic radiology. Topics include additional experiences in digital radiography, intraoral photography, and extra oral radiography. Advanced topics include: interpretation of films, complex exposure techniques and the clinical management of patients with clinical or systemic issues. During the clinical portion of this course, students are assigned to the radiology clinic/lab and provide selected imaging services.

The intent of this course is to present the field of periodontics to the dental hygiene student. Based on the foundation of the introductory course, the student will survey the diseases and disorders of the periodontium and the surgical and non-surgical therapies. Students will gain experience with autonomous decision making of evidence-based treatment planning and case management. Strong emphasis is placed on the role of the dental hygienist as a periodontal therapist in the recognition, treatment, and prevention of periodontal diseases.

This course introduces the history and principles of community dental health and health care delivery systems. Topics include the prevention of oral disease, development of public policy, and implementation of community efforts to enlighten the public. Issues surrounding access to care, managed care, private practice, independent practice, as well as trends in dental insurance reimbursement are presented. In addition, students will gain insight into research design and statistical methods and evaluation. Selected and current topics in international healthcare are presented. The student will participate in a community-based program from the planning stage through to evaluation to apply the ADPIE principles through individual experiences.