Dental Hygiene Course Descriptions and Clock hours per Week of Study:
*Note: For each three hour clinic session, an additional one hour is required for treatment area preparation and record-keeping functions. (Example: in DHY134, you will spend three hours with patients and one hour with supportive functions.)
 

• DHY121 (Lec 1, Lab 2, Clinic 0) Gross anatomy of the head and neck, tooth morphology and physiology of occlusion.
   
• DHY122 (Lec 1, Lab 0, Clinic 0) Embryological development and histologic characteristics of the orofacial organs and structures.
   
• DHY123 (Lec 2, Lab 3, Clinic 0) Fundamental knowledge of radiographic principles and safety considerations. Skill development in image production, processing mounting techniques, and radiographic interpretation.
   
• DHY124 (Lec 1, Lab 0, Clinic 0) Explores etiology, diagnosis and prevention of diseases affecting tissues that support, attach, and surround the teeth. Observation Field Experience is required.
   
• DHY125 (Lec 2, Lab 3, Clinic 0) Fundamental knowledge of the dental materials commonly used in contemporary dental practice including their physical, chemical and manipulative characteristics and skill development in correctly using these materials.
   
• DHY126 (Lec 1, Lab 2, Clinic 0) Concepts of developmental/growth disturbances; diseases of microbiological origin; injury and repair; metabolic and disease disturbances; and oral manifestations of diseases and conditions.
   
• DHY127 (Lec 1, Lab 0, Clinic 0) Concepts of research design, methods and evaluation as it related to community health program planning. Emphasis on reading and reviewing scientific literature, understanding assessment processes and statistical reporting and the levels of public health prevention and administration.
   
• DHY131 (Lec 2, Lab 6, Clinic 0) Introduction to dentistry, the dental hygiene profession, and ethical and professional patient care. Terminology and basic skills utilized in the contemporary practice of dental hygiene, including infection control procedures and patient assessment and treatment. Concepts are applied in a preclinical setting with manikins and student partners.
   
• DHY132 (Lec 2, Lab 0, Clinic 0) Build upon fundamentals to provide further study of dental hygiene practices including, but not limited to, dental specialties, treatment planning and management of medical/dental emergencies.
   
• DHY133 (Lec 0, Lab 0, Clinic 6*) Patient care experiences which reinforce fundamentals and which correlate with, and allow the application of, dental hygiene procedures and concepts presented in Dental Hygiene Theory I. Emphasis on application of basic skills and professionalism.
   
• DHY134 (Lec 0, Lab 0, Clinic 3*) Patient care experiences which allow further development of clinical skills and application of concepts. Emphasis on patient management and effective communications.
   
• DHY221 (Lec 1, Lab 0, Clinic 0) Basic concepts of nutrition and the effects on general and oral health. Emphasis on the role of nutrition in dentistry for disease prevention and health promotion.
   
• DHY222 (Lec 2, Lab 0, Clinic 0) Principles of drug regulation and prescribing, action and handling and adverse reactions. Emphasis on body systems, medical histones and their impact on drugs used in dentistry and their potential to alter dental treatment. Drugs used to manage medical emergencies and control pain and anxiety.
   
• DHY223 (Lec 0, Lab 2, Clinic 0) Concepts of assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating oral health programs for community groups. Focus on program planning models, incorporation of research methods into program development and evaluation and offers practical application of community health concepts. Field experiences are required.
   
• DHY224 (Lec 1, Lab 0, Clinic 0) Builds on and reinforces fundamentals of Periodontics with clinical case applications. Periodontal evaluation end surgical and chemotherapeutic treatment modalities. Current advances in periodontic research and therapy. Field observation required.
   
• DHY231 (Lec 2, Lab 0, Clinic 0) Further exploration of treatment modalities and dental hygiene services such as dietary analysis and counseling, and oral hygiene indices tobacco use and cessation education. Focus on the development of more complex dental hygiene treatment plans and working with patients with special needs.
   
• DHY232 (Lec 0, Lab 0, Clinic 12*) Patient care experiences which refine fundamentals and correlate with, and allow application of, dental hygiene procedures and lecture concepts presented in Dental Hygiene Theory II. Emphasis on total patient care and treatment planning, including judgment and decision making.
   
• DHY233 (Lec 2, Lab 0, Clinic 0) Further exploration of treatment modalities and adjunct procedures. Focus on transitions to practice, including principles of office management, jurisprudence, and current issues in dental hygiene.
   
• DHY234 (Lec 0, Lab 0, Clinic 15*) Patient care experiences that correlate with, and allow application of, dental hygiene procedures and lecture concepts presented in Dental Hygiene Theory III. Development of proficiency in implementing treatment plans to meet individual patient's oral health needs. Emphasis on self-evaluation and quality assurance.

*Note: For each three hour clinic session, an additional one hour is required for treatment area preparation and record-keeping functions. (Example: in DHY134, you will spend three hours with patients and one hour with supportive functions.)

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