DT 101 - Fundamentals of Dental Therapy I

Credits: 4
Variable Credit Course: No

Lecture Hours: 22
Lab Hours: 55
Worksite/Clinical Hours: 0
Other Hours (LIA/Internships): 0

Course Description: Acceptance into the Dental Therapy program required. Introduction to the dental team and the role of dental therapy in public health settings. Topics include OSHA training, maintenance of equipment, identification of instruments and their uses, anatomical landmarks of the head and neck, overview of dental anatomy, taking and recording vital signs, taking and recording health and dental history, and the impact of medical conditions on dental treatment.

Prerequisite: Admission to Dental Therapy (DT) program and Dept. Chair permission.
Meets FQE Requirement: No
Integrative Experience Requirement: No

Student Learning Outcomes

Operate dental equipment in the simulation lab and Swinomish Dental Clinic.
Sustain safe dental environment by applying OSHA and Haz/Mat knowledge and skills.
Locate intra-oral and extra-oral anatomical features of the head and neck, and oral cavity.
Assess a patient’s vital signs.
Obtain a complete and accurate medical history from a patient or patient’s parent or guardian.
Mix dental materials in preventive and operative dental procedures.
Perform comprehensive charting of the oral cavity.
Describe dental morphology of permanent teeth.

Course Contents

Unit A: Dental Healthcare Team Unit B: Dental Ethics and Law
Unit C: OSHA/HazMat Unit D: Get to Know Sim Lab
Unit E: Equipment, Instruments & Supplies Unit F: Intraoral and Extra-oral Landmarks
Unit G: Tooth Morphology Unit H: Nutrition
Unit I: Periodontal Disease Unit J: Infection Prevention in Dentistry
Unit K: The Dental Record

Instructional Units: 5.75