DH 100 - Oral Health Services I

Credit Hours: 5

This course introduces the student to the theory and practice of clinical dental hygiene. It consists of four components and each component must be passed in order to pass DH 100. The clinical and clinic lecture components introduce dental hygiene assessment and instrumentation techniques, orientation to the dental operatory, health history interpretation, intra-oral and extra-oral patient examination, dental charting, and mandated infection control and confidentiality procedures. Dental models are used for practice and classmates serve as patients. Practical exercises in the management of medical emergencies will be conducted. A third component consists of lectures on professionalism which examine the characteristics that define a professional, the origin and development of dental hygiene as a profession, professional organizations with an overview of ADHA, ethics and ethical behaviors, cultural competence, and an introduction to evidence-based decision making, including the dental hygiene research agenda, and an introduction to self-assessment and critical thinking. A fourth component covers oral health education and introduces plaque-induced dental diseases such as dental caries, gingivitis, and periodontal disease and the methods used to prevent oral diseases. A minimum passing grade of a C- is required for each component. A physician-completed SUNY Allied Health form is also required. Students must be matriculated in the Dental Hygiene program to take this course or have permission from the Course Directors.

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

apply principles of professional, legal, and ethical conduct, along with effective and culturally competent professional communication skills in all interactions with patients, peers, and other healthcare professionals;
demonstrate the process of assessment and documentation at the novice/beginner level of competency in the clinical setting within a designated timeframe;
utilize safe practices during patient treatment and demonstrate OSHA standards for infection control in the dental setting;
self-assess clinical performance to develop critical thinking skills & demonstrate improvement;
identify the historical development and current issues as they impact the dental hygiene profession;
identify the components of evidenced-based decision-making;
describe, identify, and recognize the characteristics and progression of dental diseases; and
identify basic individualized oral hygiene needs for a patient as a standard element in patient care.

Corequisites: All required fall semester, first year courses in the Dental Hygiene curriculum and a physician completed SUNY Allied Health Report.
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.