DH 200 - Oral Health Services IV

Credit Hours: 6

Students will receive continued clinical experiences utilizing the dental hygiene process of care during patient management. The course consists of four modules and each module must be passed in order to pass DH200. The clinic module includes practice in patient assessment, dental radiography, recording of vital signs, patient education and motivation, application of sealants, treatment planning, management of the child patient, developing a dental hygiene diagnosis, intraoral imaging, ultrasonic instrumentation, risk assessment, implementation and evaluation of treatment. Students must recruit patients for treatment and recall maintenance patients to evaluate treatment outcomes. A second module will include clinically related topics such as management and prevention of dental caries, nutritional counseling, tooth whitening agents, smoking cessation, recognition and management of patients with HIV infection, recognition and reporting of child abuse and neglect and dental emergencies. A third module covers advanced topics in periodontology including assessment and management of periodontal disease through instrumentation techniques, ultrasonics, soft tissue management protocols, care and maintenance of dental implants, systemic and locally applied chemotherapeutic agents and dentinal hypersensitivity. A fourth module will provide a comprehensive overview of patients with special needs and the factors which may complicate the management and delivery of dental hygiene services. A service learning experience will give students an opportunity to interact, self-reflect and critically think about providing dental hygiene services for a person with special needs. Minimum passing grade for the clinic module is “C-” for competency assessments plus completion of specific clinical requirements. Minimum passing grade for each lecture module is “C-.”

Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

independently practice and follow accepted infection control policies in accordance with the New York State Syllabus on Infection Control and procedures as stated in the Senior Competency Skills Packet;
collect assessment data based on patient’s health history, comprehensive periodontal examination, vital signs and record patient data for advanced dental charting on the computer using critical thinking to determine best treatment for the patient;
differentiate between variances of normal and abnormal to include oral manifestations of chronic smoking and HIV infection;
classify a high risk caries patient, perform a dietary analysis and analyze all risk factors. Evaluate the risk factors and synthesize all data collected. Present research results when formulating patient education and treatment based on the results;
evaluate the need for radiographs (using the Guidelines for Prescribing Dental Radiographs). Expose, process and evaluate diagnostically acceptable radiographs utilizing the Radiation Safety Protocol to identify existing oral conditions;
develop a dental hygiene diagnosis and communicate plan for dental hygiene services to the patient and dentist, treatment plan and present case presentation, encourage smoking cessation for all applicable patients, recognize physical and emotional signs of child abuse and the method for reporting suspected child abuse, determine treatment modifications/homecare adaptations for the special needs patients and patients presenting with dental emergencies;
identify the high risk periodontal patient. Assess and manage periodontal disease through instrumentation techniques, ultrasonics, soft tissue management protocols, systemic antibiotics and locally applied chemotherapeutic agents, care and maintenance of dental implants, and dental hypersensitivity;
choose appropriate skills for comprehensive patient care to include proper use of the clinical software, imaging, ultrasonic tips for advanced periodontal therapy, placement of sealants and application of adjunctive therapies for dentinal hypersensitivity, and control pain and anxiety during treatment;
provide treatment in a timely and efficient manner, evaluate clinical outcomes of dental hygiene interventions, refer patients as needed for consultation or care, as well as demonstrate organizational and problem solving skills;
evaluate the re-care patient and the effectiveness of treatment and homecare instruction;
evaluate one’s own clinical performance mid-semester and at the end of the semester to identify strengths and weaknesses;
accept professional responsibility for behaviors consistent with medicolegal requirements, ethical expectations, and demeanor as defined in the Code of Ethics and the Senior Competency Skills Packet and Day Sheet;
research, design and present an in-class oral presentation defining the patient’s disability, office treatment modifications, cultural differences among disabilities and homecare adaptations for the special needs patient;
identify the communication techniques taking into consideration the cognitive and communicative ability of the special needs patient; and
provide students with a service-learning opportunity to observe, participate, assess, educate, provide treatment and document services for individuals with developmental disabilities and physical impairments while under the supervision of faculty and SUNY Erie staff dentists

Prerequisites: All required first year courses in the Dental Hygiene curriculum and DH 175 must be passed.
Corequisites: All required fall semester, second year courses in the Dental Hygiene curriculum and current BLS certification.
F (N)

Withdrawal from or failure of a required course prevents further progression in the curriculum. General education courses may be taken earlier than indicated but may not be taken later than the prescribed schedule.