Dental Hygiene (DEH)

This course is a study of embryonic development of the face and oral cavity, the process of tooth development, and microscopic anatomy of the teeth and supporting structures.

This course provides the student theoretical knowledge behind the process of oral risk assessment, dental hygiene diagnosis, and treatment planning for individualized patient care. The student is introduced to advanced periodontal assessment and charting, root detoxification, care of implants, and interpretation of radiographic findings. Identification and special management techniques for a variety of patients to include the anxious, child, preadolescent, mentally challenged, culturally diverse, pregnant and victims of domestic violence or chemical abuse are introduced.

The course introduces the dental management and therapeutic needs of gerodontic, sensory impaired, homebound and disabled patients. Dietary assessment is conducted on a clinical patient. Knowledge and indications regarding powered debridement instrumentation and air-powder polishing are introduced.

This course is a study of the administration, indications, contraindications, adverse reactions, and precautions of pharmaceutical preparations. Emphasis is on relationship to the dental clinical context. Students attain basic understanding of pharmacological principles and can apply this to dental clinical context. The student is introduced to various agents used in dentistry for local anesthesia and pain control and will be able to identify the properties, uses, and adverse reactions to topical and local anesthetics.

Study of general pathology and human physiological response to disease and injury. Emphasis is given to the study and recognition of pathological conditions of the structures of oral cavity.

This course is first in a 2-part series. Students are introduced to dental public health and the role of dental professionals. Topics covered include dental public health delivery in the United States and abroad, governmental structures, workforce issues, and financing of dental care. Oral epidemiology, dental hygiene research methods, biostatical concepts and evaluation of scientific literature are taught with application exercises. Dental public health program planning and evaluation are presented in preparation for student field experience as program developers and researchers in the subsequent Community Dental Health 2 course.

This course prepares student for the treatment of those patients whose medical, physical, psychological, cognitive or social conditions make it necessary to consider a wide range of assessment and care options in order to provide dental treatment for that individual. These individuals include, but are not limited to, people with cognitive and/or developmental disabilities, complex medical conditions, significant physical limitations, and vulnerable older adults. The student researches and analyzes a variety of complex medical conditions and their relationship to dental hygiene therapeutic care. The process of treatment planning and implementation of care on clinical patients is reinforced with emphasis on medically and periodontally involved patients.

This last clinical lecture course focuses on the understanding of ethics, professional codes, the law and risk management as applied to the dental hygiene practice setting. Students prepare to seek employment as dental hygienists. Other topics include current and future directions of the career field. The last course in the clinical lecture course series includes the introduction of advanced techniques and new technologies in patient care; the study of ethics and jurisprudence; and review of national and state board examination requirements to aid in student employment preparation.