DHG 113 : Orientation to Clinical Dental Hygiene
This course is an introduction to the theoretical and practical aspects of all major areas of clinical dental hygiene, including dental hygiene process of care, instrument design and use, primary preventive clinical techniques, medical and dental emergencies, and patient education. Prerequisite: Open to DHG students only. Three lecture hours and six laboratory hours per week. Instructional Support Fee applies.
Course Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate professional and ethical responsibility consistent with the role, history, and scope of practice of the dental hygienist, including effective communication, documentation, and collaboration within the healthcare team.
2. Operate and maintain dental equipment and the clinical operatory, utilizing proper patient and operator positioning, ergonomics, magnification, and lighting to ensure safe and effective delivery of care.
3. Apply principles of infection control and disease prevention, including asepsis, sterilization, disinfection, standard precautions, and management of cross-contamination in the clinical setting.
4. Collect and accurately document comprehensive patient data, including medical and dental histories, vital signs, extraoral and intraoral examinations, periodontal assessments, dental charting, and occlusal evaluation.
5. Demonstrate competency in the identification, selection, and clinical manipulation of dental instruments, including explorers, probes, scalers, curettes, ultrasonic scalers, and polishing handpieces, utilizing a modified pen grasp, stable fulcrum, and correct adaptation, angulation, and activation.
6. Provide preventive dental hygiene services, including biofilm and calculus assessment and removal, polishing, fluoride application, and individualized oral hygiene instruction.
7. Recognize, prevent, and manage medical and dental emergencies by assessing risk factors, identifying signs and symptoms, implementing appropriate emergency protocols, and fulfilling the dental hygienist’s role within the emergency response team.