511-209 Clinical Dental Hygiene

Credit Points

Coordinator

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

This subject covers: educational programs; gerodontology; orthodontics; general practice skills; and applied dental hygiene.

On completion of this subject, the student should:

Comprehend: the techniques associated with the prevention and conservative management of periodontal diseases; the relationship between oral and general health in elderly persons; and the management of psychological and psychosocial features encountered in dental practice and dental health education.

Demonstrate: an ability to: apply the knowledge relevant to the prevention and conservative management of periodontal diseases in the clinical situation, examine, record and diagnose, general abnormalities of the oral cavity and provide treatment as specified by the Dentists Acts to patients, select and administer suitable preventive modalities to individual patients, evaluate critically the response of treatment they have provided to their patients, describe referral pathways for patients who require treatment beyond the scope of the dental hygienist; skills in dietary record taking and counselling; an understanding of issues related to practice management; and a professional approach to dental hygiene.

Develop: the ability to communicate with the patient (the parent), dentist and other health providers about the patient's oral health status, treatment options and potential outcomes.

Assessment

(A) One 2-hour written examination at the end of Semester 1 on the theoretical aspects of applied dental hygiene (20%); (B) One 2-hour written examination at the end of Semester 2 on the theoretical aspects of applied dental hygiene, orthodontics and gerodontology (20%); (C) Continuing assessment of preclinical and clinical procedures performed during the year (20%); (D) Clinical examination over a full day in the clinic and a 15 minute oral examination at the completion of the subject (20%); (E) Assignments and written reports throughout the year on educational programs and general practice skills (20%).

A pass is required in Sections A, B, C, D and E for an overall pass in the subject.

Prescribed Texts

• Darby M L and Walsh M M 1994, Dental Hygiene Theory and Practice. Saunders.
• Glanz K, Lewis F M and Rimer B K (eds) 1990, Health Behaviour and Health Education: Theory, Research and Practice. Jossey-Bass.
• Pattison A M and Pattison G L 1992, Periodontal Instrumentation. 2nd ed. Appleton and Lange.
• Perry D A, Beemsterboer P L and Taggart E J 1996, Periodontology for the Dental Hygienist. Saunders.