May 06, 2024  
2022-2023 Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

DENT 115 - Preclinical Practice I and II


PREREQUISITES: Admission to the Dental Assisting program
PROGRAM: Dental Assisting
CREDIT HOURS MIN: 4
LECTURE HOURS MIN: 2
LAB HOURS MIN: 4
DATE OF LAST REVISION: Fall, 2018

This is the first in a series of two courses that introduce in-depth qualification and legal/ethical requirements of the dental assistant. Emphasis is placed on the clinical environment and responsibilities, chairside assisting, equipment, and instruction identification, tray set-ups, characteristics of microorganisms and disease control.

MAJOR COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Upon successful completion of this course the student will be expected to:

  1. Explain and relate the role of a modern dental assistant within the profession of dentistry.
  2. Summarize major historical events and changes within the profession of dentistry.
  3. Maintain his or her personal conduct in accordance with the legal and ethical standards of the profession.
  4. Take/review and document medical and dental records.
  5. Discuss psychological aspects of patient care in a variety of dental situations.
  6. Identify instruments and equipment used in patient treatment.
  7. Perform general office maintenance and high-level sterilization and disinfection procedures.
  8. Identify microorganisms and describe disease transmission and infection control guidelines.
  9. Perform entry level clinical skills as follows:
    1. Four handed instrument transfer
    2. Operative dental procedure assistance
    3. Dental dam application
    4. Tofflemire retainer assembly and application
    5. Topical application of anesthetic
  10. Define relevant terminology and acronyms as related to subject areas stressed in this course.
  11. Recognize and apply the scope of the OSHA Bloodborne/Hazardous Materials Standard.
  12. Demonstrate the use of colors and numbers used for hazardous chemical identification.
  13. Demonstrate safe handling of sharps
  14. Utilize instrument transfer in the application of four-handed dentistry.
  15. Assist in direct restorative procedures.


COURSE CONTENT: Topical areas of study include -  

  • Dental charting
  • Introduction to chair side assisting
  • Dental dam
  • Introduction to the dental profession
  • Dental instruments
  • Management of hazardous materials
  • Direct restorative procedures
  • Matrix and wedge
  • Ethics and jurisprudence
  • Medical and dental records
  • Infection control
  • Microbiology
  • Instrument transfers
  • Safe management of sharps

 
Course Addendum - Syllabus (Click to expand)