COURSE DESCRIPTION

Exposes the student to current advances in dentistry. Includes supervised clinical practice in the dental hygiene clinic and/or off-campus clinical rotations at various community facilities. Emphasis is placed on synthesis of knowledge from previous semesters, treatment of patients which moderate to advanced periodontal involvement, and improving clinical speed while maintaining quality in preparation for practice. Lecture 1 hour. Clinic 12 hours. Total 13 hours per week.

GENERAL COURSE PURPOSE

The purpose of the course is to broaden the student's knowledge about current concepts in dental hygiene. The seminars focus upon extending the role of the dental hygienist and preparing the dental hygienist to cope with special situations in the dental office.

ENTRY LEVEL COMPETENCIES

Satisfactory completion of DNH 244 - "Dental Hygiene IV" and four semesters of the dental hygiene program.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:

1. discuss myofunctional therapy and how it relates to overcoming special problems such as tongue thrust, thumb sucking and other oral habits, and speech problems
2. understand how the dental hygienist can cooperate with the therapist in correcting these problems
3. discuss ways of becoming involved in myofunctional therapy and the methods of training available for dental hygienists interested in pursuing this area of care
4. discuss current research being done at NIH, NIDR in Bethesda, Maryland as a result of attending an in-service provided by the dental staff including care of the oral cancer patient and other topics of current interest
5. listen to and discuss presentations on the following topics by experts in these areas:

1. Forensic dentistry
2. dental implants
3. prosthetic dentistry
4. Hepatitis B Vaccine
5. AIDS

1. discuss factors involved in case presentations of dental/dental hygiene patients; students will work in groups and present cases to the class