511-107 Oral Health Practice 1

This subject is comprised of 4 modules.

Dental Materials: Classification of dental materials; polymers, amalgams; resin composites and adhesive materials; gypsum and agar products; glass ionomeer and other dental cements; and abrasives.

Preclinical Procedures: Maintenance of dental equipment; safe work practices; operator positions; principles of hand instrumentation; rubber dam principles and application; scaling and root planing; minimal intervention approaches to the management of dental caries; polishing teeth and restorations; removal of overhangs; impressions and study models; and the clinical application of dental materials.

Clinical procedures: Infection control in dental practice in accordance with the current NH&MRC guidelines; team dentistry; patient history taking and examination; and the provision of preventive dental services.

Oral Radiology: Forms of radiation; biological effects of radiation; radiation safety and proection measures; the dental X-ray machine; X-ray beam and image formation; techniques for producing radiographic images; intra and extra oral radiographs; radiographic film; film handling, processing and storage; digitial radiography; indications for dental radiographs; radiographic interpretation; and common errors in radiographic techniques.

(1) One 3-hour written examination at the end of first semester, (2) One 3-hour written examination at the end of second semester, (3) Continuing assessment of preclinical procedures performed throughout the year, one practical test at the end of first semester and one practical test at the end of second semester, (4) A practical test and practical folio to be submitted at the end of second semester and (5) Continuing assessment of clinical procedures performed throughout the year, practical assessment of Infection Control at the end of first semester and a clinical exam at the end of second semester. Satisfactory performance in the Infection Control assessment is required to proceed to clinical practice. A pass in each of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 is required for an overall pass in this subject.

• A Cameron and R Widmer (eds), A Handbook of Paediatric Dentistry. 2nd edn, Mosby, 2003.
• WJN Collins and TF Walsh, A Handbook for Dental Hygienists. 4th edn, Oxford University Press, 1999.
• ML Darby and MM Walsh, Dental Hygiene Theory and Practice. 2nd ed, Saunders, 2003.
• JI Haring and L Jansen, Dental Radiography: Principles and Techniques. 2nd edn, Saunders, 2000.
• EAM Kidd and S Joyston-Bechal, Essentials of Dental Caries. 2nd edn, Oxford 1997.
• EAM Kidd, BGN Smith and HM Pickard, Pickard's Manual of Operative Dentistry. 6th edn, Oxford University Press, 1990.
• GJ Mount and WR Hume, Preservation and Restoration of Tooth Structure. Mosby, 1998.
• National Health and Medical Research Council, Infection Control in the Health Care Setting. NH&MRC, 1996.
• AM Pattison and GL Pattison, Periodontal Instrumentation. 2nd edn, Appleton and Lange, 1992.
• DA Perry, PL Beemsterboer and EJ Taggart, Periodontology for the Dental Hygienist. Saunders, 1996.
• RW Phillips and BK Moore, Elements of Dental Materials for Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistants. Saunders, 1994.
• JB Summit, JW Robbins and RS Schwartz, Fundamentals of Operative Dentistry: A Contemporary Approach. Quintessence Publishing, 2000.
• EM Wilkins, Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist. 8th edn, Williams & Wilkins, 2000.