Dental Hygiene (DENT)
DENT-100 Dental Hygiene Pre-Clinic
3 Credits
Lecture: 1 hour per week, Lab: 6 hours per week
Offering: Spring Only, Odd Years
This course is an introduction to the dental hygiene process of care with emphasis on professionalism, basic instrumentation skills and patient assessment processes.
DENT-110 Head, Neck, Oral, and Dental Anatomy
4 Credits
Lecture: 3 hours per week, Lab: 3 hours per week
Offering: Spring Only, Odd Years
This course presents the anatomy of the human facial structures and comprehensive study of the anatomy of the head and neck as well as the surrounding hard and soft tissues. The dental hygiene student will develop a firm foundation in the anatomy of the head, neck, and oral structures. Topics presented include the formation of the face, development and growth of the jaws, and the origin and stages of tooth and root formation and development. This course presents an in-depth coverage of the anatomy of the teeth and surrounding soft tissues.
DENT-115 Oral Health Education
2 Credits
Lecture: 2 hours per week
Offering: Spring Only, Odd Years
This course instructs dental hygiene students in the methods used to prevent oral disease, modify behaviors, and educate patients. Students will apply preventative oral health concepts and develop individualized oral health care plans in clinical dental hygiene and community health environments.
DENT-120 Oral Radiography
3 Credits
Lecture: 2 hours per week, Lab: 3 hours per week
Offering: Spring Only, Odd Years
This course will cover historical background, terminology, concepts and principles of x-radiation, x-ray generation, radiologic health and safety measures, normal radiographic dental anatomy, and radiographic legalities. Film technique including critiquing, exposing, processing, and mounting will also be explored. Laboratory work provides skills in dental radiographic exposure on mannequins as well as processing techniques. Through combined lecture and laboratory sessions, students will gain experience in digital radiography, intraoral photography and extraoral radiography.
DENT-125 Embryology, Histology, and Morphology
2 Credits
Lecture: 2 hours per week
Offering: Fall Only, Odd Years
This course will enable the dental hygiene student to develop a basic understanding of the microscopic structure of the primary and dental tissue groups of the human body. Gained knowledge enables the student to relate embryonic development to the normal and abnormal structures of the head and oral cavity, preparing the student to differentiate between normal and abnormal clinical manifestations in subsequent courses.
Prerequisites: DENT-100, DENT-110, DENT-115, DENT-120
DENT-130 Periodontology I
2 Credits
Lecture: 2 hours per week
Offering: Fall Only, Odd Years
This course provides a detailed study of the various periodontal diseases, with emphasis on histological and clinical recognition as well as treatment of the diseases.
Prerequisites: DENT-100, DENT-110, DENT-115, DENT-120
DENT-150 Dental Hygiene Clinic I
3 Credits
Lab: 9 hours per week
Offering: Fall Only, Odd Years
In this course, the dental hygiene student acquires basic clinic competencies in patient assessments, radiographic techniques, patient education techniques, and delivery of preventative and therapeutic services. Additional topics include evaluation of the effectiveness of therapy and attainment of patients' goals.
Prerequisites: DENT-100, DENT-110, DENT-115, DENT-120
DENT-151 Dental Hygiene Theory I
3 Credits
Lecture: 3 hours per week
Offering: Fall Only, Odd Years
This course builds foundations for the dental hygiene pre-clinic/labs through focus on the elements of the complete process of care. Topics include risk assessments; patients with medical, physical and psychological conditions; and emphasizing treatment modifications for medically and physically compromised patients. A firm foundation in infection control procedures, client assessment, fluoride therapies, and disease prevention is highlighted. Students examine management of medical emergencies, OSHA regulations, the blood-born pathogen standard, the hazard communication standard, and CDC guidelines. Instrumentation principles, sharpening, ergonomic standards, the preparation for the delivery of educational and therapeutic patient services, preventive counseling, and ultrasonic instrumentation also are addressed.
Prerequisites: DENT-100, DENT-110, DENT-115, DENT-120
DENT-200 Dental Hygiene Clinic II
4 Credits
Lecture: 12 hours per week
Offering: Spring Only, Even Years
This course continues to provide an application of the dental hygiene process of care with emphasis on comprehensive care planning, case presentation, clinical decision making, advanced instrumentation, and improved time utilization.
Prerequisites: DENT-125, DENT-130, DENT-150, DENT-151
DENT-201 Dental Hygiene Theory II
1 Credit
Lecture: 1 hour per week
Offering: Spring Only, Even Years
This course builds foundations for the dental hygiene pre-clinic/labs through focus on the elements of the complete process of care. Topics include risk assessments; patients with medical, physical and psychological conditions; and emphasizing treatment modifications for medically and physically compromised patients. A firm foundation in infection control procedures, client assessment, fluoride therapies, and disease prevention is highlighted. Students examine management of medical emergencies, OHSA regulations, the blood-born pathogen standard, the hazard communication standard, and CDC guidelines. Instrumentation principles, sharpening, ergonomic standards, the preparation for the delivery of educational and therapeutic patient services, preventative counseling, and ultrasonic instrumentation are also addressed.
Prerequisites: DENT-125, DENT-130, DENT-150, DENT-151
DENT-215 Oral Pathology/Immunology
2 Credits
Lecture: 2 hours per week
Offering: Spring Only, Even Years
This course presents processes of inflammation, wound healing, repair, regeneration, and immunological responses. Topics include oral manifestations of systemic diseases and developmental anomalies of the oral cavity. In addition, commonly encountered diseases and disorders of the head and neck will be covered. Emphasis will be placed on recognizing the differences between pathological and normal tissues, and the study of all aspects of the immune system.
Prerequisites: DENT-125, DENT-130, DENT-150, DENT-151
DENT-230 Periodontology II
2 Credits
Lecture: 2 hours per week
Offering: Spring Only, Even Years
This course provides continued study of the recognition and treatment of periodontal diseases with an emphasis on surgical components and advanced periodontal treatments related to dental hygiene practice.
Prerequisites: DENT-125, DENT-130, DENT-150, DENT-151
DENT-235 Pain Management
3 Credits
Lecture: 2 hours per week, Lab: 3 hours per week
Offering: Spring Only, Even Years
This course covers current science, theories, and implementation of local anesthesia and nitrous oxide/oxygen conscious sedation. A review of anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and emergency procedures associated with local anesthesia and nitrous oxide conscious sedation will be addressed. Students will learn foundational skill development in the administration of infiltration and block anesthesia in dental hygiene procedures and will gain laboratory and clinical experience in administration of local anesthesia and nitrous oxide.
Prerequisites: DENT-125, DENT-130, DENT-150, DENT-151
DENT-240 Community Dental Health
3 Credits
Lecture: 3 hours per week
Offering: Fall Only, Even Years
This course introduces the history and principles of community dental health and healthcare delivery systems. Topics include the prevention of oral disease, development of public policy and implementation of community efforts to enlighten the public. Issues surrounding access to care, managed care, private practice, independent practice, as well as trends in dental insurance reimbursement are presented. In addition, students will gain insight into research design, statistical methods and evaluation by participating in a research project. Selected current topics in international healthcare are presented.
Prerequisites: DENT-200, DENT-201, DENT-215, DENT-230, DENT-235
DENT-245 Advanced Instrumentation
1 Credit
Lab: 3 hours per week
Offering: Fall Only, Even Years
This course is a continuation of learning experiences in advanced periodontal instrumentation and root instrumentation. The student will study the advanced techniques and technology used to treat moderate to advanced periodontal disease.
Prerequisites: DENT-200, DENT-201, DENT-215, DENT-230, DENT-235
DENT-250 Dental Hygiene Clinic III
4 Credits
Lab: 12 hours per week
Offering: Fall Only, Even Years
This course provides application of the dental hygiene process of care with emphasis on diverse populations. Students prepare for clinical practice using self-assessment, evaluation, time management awareness, and critical thinking skills.
Prerequisites: DENT-200, DENT-201, DENT-215, DENT-230, DENT-235
DENT-260 Dental Materials
3 Credits
Lecture: 1 hour per week, Lab: 6 hours per week
Offering: Fall Only, Even Years
This is the integrated lecture/laboratory course that introduces students to the dental laboratory environment. Students will learn to assist the dentist in restorative, fixed and removable prostheses. Included will be an introduction to restorative techniques with emphasis on posterior tooth anatomy, placement of amalgam restorations, rubber dam isolation, and matrix and wedge placement. Also included will be the etiology of the decay process, cavity classification, cavity preparation, properties of amalgam, and maintenance of proper occlusal relationships with restorative treatment.
Prerequisites: DENT-200, DENT-201, DENT-215, DENT-230, DENT-235
DENT-270 Dental Hygiene Review/Ethics and Law
2 Credits
Lecture: 2 hours per week
Offering: Fall Only, Even Years
This course will begin with a review of healthcare principles used in dental hygiene to help identify, clarify, and support choices when faced with an ethical problem or dilemma. This course will also provide students with marketable job search techniques and skills. Students will review the dental hygiene content and take a simulation of the written Dental Hygiene National Board Examination.
Prerequisites: DENT-200, DENT-201, DENT-215, DENT-230, DENT-235