Dental Hygiene (DHYG)

his preclinical dental hygiene course provides the student with the fundamental knowledge and skills to be used in the delivery of optimum patient care by the dental hygienist. Information learned in related courses such as Introduction to Patient Care and Dental Anatomy is reinforced and expanded upon to provide the student a basis for total patient care through clinical dental hygiene. Focus is directed toward the instrumentation techniques for the detection and removal of hard and soft deposits from tooth surfaces. Fee Required.

This course is the first in a series of courses designed to introduce the beginning dental hygiene student to the concepts, principles and assessment skills essential to rendering comprehensive oral hygiene care. Presentation of the professional and ethical responsibilities of the dental hygienist provides a foundation for the development of professional problem-solving skills.

This course is designed to help the dental hygiene student understand tooth morphology and related structures, and the relationship of the teeth to one another and to the b ones, muscles, nerves and vessels closely associated with the face. Orofacial and dental embryology is also addressed. A brief overview of head and neck anatomy, including bone structure, nerve distribution and vascular supply, is also included. A supervised lab will be used to develop student skills in identification of orofacial and dental anatomy structures.

This course is designed to help the dental hygiene student with the knowledge to recognize normal versus abnormal structures and lesions that are present in the oral cavity. Vocabulary and descriptive terminology relating to pathological processes is emphasized. Local and systemic conditions that affect the oral cavity are discussed.

This course provides an opportunity for the beginning dental hygiene student to gain knowledge and skills in the delivery of patient care for which the dental hygienist is responsible. Emphasis is placed on the development of cognitive and psychomotor skills in the areas of dental hygiene instrumentations, patient rapport/communication, oral disease control, treatment planning and patient management. Fee Required.

This course gives an in-depth review of the procedures and objectives for providing total patient care. Discussion centers on the problems presented by patients with special needs, and the treatment modifications and additional services needed to bring these patients to a state of optimum oral health. This course also discusses the possible medical emergencies and the proper procedures to prevent and/or manage these events.

This course provides an introduction to radiation physics and x-ray machine functions, radiographic imaging techniques and radiation safety. The accompanying lab will provide the dental hygiene student with the radiographic skills necessary to safely expose, develop, mount and interpret diagnostic intra-oral and extra-oral dental radiographs.

This course is a continuation of DHYG 1200. This course provides the dental hygiene student with opportunities to build clinical skills for patient care. Throughout the course, the idea of total patient care and prevention are emphasized as students continue to develop the skills necessary to implement all steps of the dental hygiene process of care. Fee Required

This is a companion course to the clinical practicum that expands the didactic knowledge of the dental hygiene student to include advanced dental hygiene services and treatment modalities taught in a laboratory format.

This course includes an introduction to periodontal anatomy and a thorough examination of the gingival and periodontal diseases. The knowledge necessary for the dental hygiene student to synthesize and apply treatment techniques based on accurate assessment of periodontal needs is emphasized throughout the course.

A brief overview of most of the significant pharmaceutical categories is presented with emphasis on those agents that impact dental treatment. Drug action and metabolism and dosage calculation are also covered.

This course builds on previous background knowledge provided by all first-year dental hygiene coursework, clinical experiences, dental sciences, and current clinical dental hygiene lecture courses. It is designed to provide second- year dental hygiene students with the clinical experiences and advanced skills necessary in the treatment and prevention of oral disease. Fee Required.

This course is a companion course to second-year clinical practicum. Instruction centers on patient management, treatment planning, and specialized techniques to provide optimum oral health outcomes within the dental hygiene process of care.

An overview of various dental materials: their structure, handling and clinical applications are discussed and demonstrated in a lab setting.

The history, philosophy and organization of public health are presented, and the relationship of public health to dentistry is explored. The body of knowledge required for the existence of the dental hygiene profession is explored through the critical evaluation and the practical application of dental literature. The student will be provided an opportunity to assess, plan, implement and evaluate preventive oral health programs designed for a target population in the community. Supervised practice in the lab will be used to assist the students in the development of skills necessary to assess, plan, implement and evaluate preventive oral health programs.

This course is designed to provide second year dental hygiene students with the clinical experiences and skills necessary in the treatment and prevention of oral disease in patients presenting all levels of treatment needs. Fee Required.

This course familiarizes the student with ethical and legal responsibilities, benefits of the professional organization, pursuits of employment, and practice management techniques. Role-playing and interaction through small task groups and discussions will be utilized to prepare students for decision-making and problem solving in dental hygiene practice. Lab activities will be used to assist the student in developing skills required for their professional role.

This course is designed for the licensed dental hygienist who seeks to maintain an awareness of changing trends, perspectives, evidence-based interventions and technologies in dental hygiene, health, and society that influence the dental hygiene process of care.

This course provides students the opportunity to pursue in-depth patient populations of special interest. Topics may include ethics and professional responsibility, inequities in health care delivery, and health care legislation.

This course provides an in-depth study of periodontal disease etiology, recognition, prevention, surgical and non-surgical therapies, adjunctive modalities, re-evaluation, maintenance, and referral.

DHYG 4030-Foundations of Research (3-0-3) Students learn to be consumers of research through reviewing the literature, critiquing research, and identifying methods appropriate to study specific practice–related problems. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, evidence-based practice, and quality improvement.

This course provides an overview of concepts of professional leadership and management and their use in the practice setting. Emphasis is placed on organizational structure; management; and roles of healthcare providers and coordinators. Students are introduced to skills essential for effective management in their personal and professional roles. Areas of emphasis may include the dental team environment, managerial planning and decision- making, fiscal issues, career planning.

This course provides a study of the principles of teaching as they apply to health care settings. Emphasis will be placed on the fundamentals of teaching including the development and presentation of health information. Students will explore various ways in which effective instructional skills may contribute to a career in dental hygiene. Learning experiences are designed to enable the student to develop these skills and to project their application to such areas as public-school systems, community health programs, higher education, continuing education, and consumer education.

This internship experience provides students the opportunity to engage in fieldwork utilizing one or more of the roles of the dental hygienist. Fieldwork may include: management, marketing, education and/or leadership in associations, government, public health, and/or clinical practice. Fee Required.

This course explores the roles of the dental hygienist related to alternative practice settings and opportunities. Content will focus on setting short-term and long-term professional goals and creating a final project aligned with these goals.

This course provides opportunities to explore diverse roles of dental hygienists in the health care system, seek advanced knowledge and skills necessary to participate in these roles, and focus their interest in their chosen professional role through teaching, service-learning, observation, hands-on experience, and most critically, self-directed learning. Students will analyze, synthesize, and develop solutions to an approved healthcare issue. Students will integrate several main areas of study in the BSDH program and create a paper or project that reflects comprehensive knowledge and ability to reflect, connect, and produce a work based on learning experiences throughout out the BSDH program. Students will choose a relevant topic and use an interdisciplinary approach to seek solutions. This course is to be taken during the last semester of the program. The capstone is a student-focused course with mentorship provided by the course instructors.

This course explores beliefs, practices, and traditions pertaining to cultural diversity, healing traditions, and effects on the health care of individuals with different ethnic backgrounds. The course presents content that promotes increased awareness of the dimensions and complexities involved in caring for people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Students will be given the opportunity to observe, study, and participate in healthcare and other cultural/social experiences with a selected population at a local, state or international site during the course.

This course explores the field of informatics and technology in healthcare. Students will have an enhanced understanding of how information systems and technology influence healthcare. Health information regulations, standards and ethical considerations will be emphasized. The course also examines the current and emerging use of technologies such as telemedicine/dentistry, the electronic medical record, computer physician/prescriber order entry systems, and simulation.

This course provides students the basic tools and skills that are necessary for clinical teaching instruction. Emphasis is placed on cognitive and psychomotor skill development and analysis; assessment, evaluation, and feedback techniques; and remediation of performance concerns. Teaching skills, accreditation standards, effective communication, and faculty calibration are stressed

DHYG 4094 - Ethics in Healthcare (3-0-3) Perequisite: BS Dental Hygiene Student This course will focus on the ethical principles of autonomy, confidentiality, societal trust, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, veracity, fidelity, paternalism and utility. The study will examine ethical issues as they pertain to healthcare providers and their patients. The ethical decision making model / 4 topic method will be applied to various case studies. The Code of Ethics of the American Dental Hygienists' Association will be explored. Students receive credit towards graduation for only one of the following courses: HSCI 3501

Variable Credit (1-6 semester hours credit) This course provides opportunities for an independent study on a topic selected by the student under the direction of a faculty member. The area of study may be related to the student’s long-term interest, future research interests, or professional goals. The student and faculty will determine the focus and course objectives at the beginning of the course. Note: Permission from Atrium Health Program Director

Variable Credit (1-5 semester hours credit) This course provides opportunities for an independent study on a topic selected by the student under the direction of a faculty member. The area of study may be related to the student’s long-term interest, future research interests, or professional goals. The student and faculty will determine the focus and course objectives at the beginning of the course.