DEN 162 Intermediate Clinical Skills

Lecture Hours: 1
Lab Hours: 3
Credits: 2

Presents the theory and practice of intermediate clinical responsibilities delegated to dental auxiliary personnel. Includes discussion, demonstration and practical application of alginate impressions, bite registration, oral hygiene instruction, prevention products and their uses, nutritional influences, dietary analysis, patient motivation and dental dam placement and removal.

Prerequisite: Second-term standing in the Dental Assisting program.
Student Learning Outcomes:

Demonstrate various plaque-removal techniques using appropriate products and provide rationale for usage. (Psychomotor: Demonstrate.) (Cognitive: Knowledge).
Assess patient home care and give oral hygiene instruction (Affective: Valuing.)
Perform a patient dietary assessment and give nutritional counseling. (Affective: Valuing).
Examine the role of motivation in affecting behavior change. (Affective: Valuing).
Prepare and present a preventive program for clinical application, integrating information related to nutrition and plaque diseases. (Psychomotor: Application).
Demonstrate sensitivity to the needs and interests of the patient in providing oral care instruction. (Psychomotor: Demonstrate).
Demonstrate correct utilization of dental dams and provide rationale for usage. (Psychomotor: Demonstrate) (Cognitive: Knowledge)
Demonstrate proper alginate impression techniques and bite registration and provide rationale for usage. (Psychomotor: Demonstrate). (Cognitive: Knowledge).

Content Outline

Alginate Impression
- Review of material
  - Composition
  - Manipulation
  - Use
- Armamentarium
- Tray selection
- Patient positioning, comfort, and cooperation
- Tray loading and insertion
- Tray removal
- Criteria for diagnostic alginate impression
  - Maxillary
  - Mandibular
- Review of emergency protocol
- Post-operative instructions
Bite Registration
- Purpose
- Materials used
  - Putty
  - Wax
  - Paste
- Armamentarium
- Registration technique
- Criteria for registration
  - Adequate coverage
  - Posterior contact
  - Avoid warpage
Oral Hygiene Instruction/Dietary Analysis
- Introduction to preventive dentistry
- Oral hygiene
  - Review of oral disease
  - Armamentarium
  - Techniques
    - Brushing - methods, models, tools
    - Flossing - holder, threaded
    - Staining
    - Auxiliary aids and techniques
    - Dentifrices, rinses, oral irrigators
    - Special needs patients
  - Patient evaluation and assessment of safety
  - Patient motivation
    - Development of homecare programs
    - Role of health provider and consumer in behavioral change
- Dietary analysis
  - Nutrition review and plaque formation
  - Dietary journal
  - Patient assessment
  - Nutritional counseling
Dental Dam
- History
- Indications for use
  - Tooth isolation
  - Tissue retraction
  - Patient safety
- Armamentarium
- Application technique
  - Anterior
  - Posterior
- Removal of dam
- Post-operative instructions