Academic Catalog

D A 58: SPECIALTY PRACTICE PROCEDURES

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Summer 2024
Units: 1
Hours: 1 lecture per week (12 total per quarter)
Degree & Credit Status: Degree-Applicable Credit Course
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: CSU
Grade Type: Letter Grade Only
Repeatability: Not Repeatable

Student Learning Outcomes

  • The student will differentiate the level of independence when working as a dental assistant in the nine recognized dental specialties.
  • The student will be able to differentiate between the different members of the dental healthcare team.

Description

Familiarization with the scope of practice in both general and specialty dental office settings. The emphasis of this survey class will be on the role of the auxiliary personnel in each of the different types of dental practices. Intended for students in the Dental Assisting Program; enrollment is limited to students accepted in the program.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:
A. Dental Assisting Theory and Practice
1. List and describe the procedures in the nine recognized dental specialties and state role the dental assistant participates in these specialties.
2. Explain the required education, training, experience and licensing required for the nine recognized dental specialties.
3. Identify the role of the dental assistant in patient education and communication in the nine specialties.
B. Infection Control and Hazardous Waste Management
1. List special requirements for surgical instrument processing.
2. List special requirements for hazardous waste management for specialty procedures.
C. Ethical and Legal Principles
1. List and describe the level of supervision of the dental assistant by the dentist for allowable duties in each specialty practice, according to the California Dental Practice Act.
2. Identify the procedures used in specialty practices for compliance with legal and ethical patient/client care, including HIPAA compliance, informed consent procedures, medical history review, patient confidentiality, and patient education.

Course Content

Dental Assisting Theory and Practice
A. Dental specialty procedures and role of dental assistant
1. Prosthodontics
a. Procedures
b. DA/RDA/RDAEF duties
2. Endodontics
a. Procedures
b. DA/RDA/RDAEF duties
3. Dental public health
a. Procedures
b. DA/RDA/RDAEF duties
4. Oral and maxillofacial radiology
a. Procedures
b. DA/RDA/RDAEF duties
5. Oral and maxillofacial surgery
a. Procedures
b. DA/RDA/RDAEF duties
6. Oral pathology
a. Procedures
b. DA/RDA/RDAEF duties
7. Orthodontics
a. Procedures
b. DA/RDA/RDAEF duties
8. Pediatric dentistry
a. Procedures
b. DA/RDA/RDAEF duties
9. Periodontics
a. Procedures
b. DA/RDA/RDAEF duties
B. Required education, training, experience and licensing for dental specialties
1. Specialty education and training
2. Length of training
3. Graduate degree requirements
4. Required experience
5. Time commitment
a. Hospital based training
6. Licensing
7. State dental board requirements
a. Maintenance of licensure
C. Identify the role of the dental assistant in patient education and communication in the nine specialties
1. Importance of pre-operative and post-operative instructions
Infection and Hazardous Waste Management
A. Surgical instrument processing
1. Overview of instrument processing for surgical procedures
B. Hazardous waste management for specialty procedures
1. Bodily tissues and fluids
2. Waste management overview
Ethical and Legal Principles
A. California Dental Practice Act
1. Regulations
2. Duties
3. Certifications
B. HIPAA compliance
1. Introduction to HIPAA
2. Informed consent procedures
a. Components of informed consent
3. Patient confidentiality
4. Medical history review
a. Conditions requiring surgical precautions

Lab Content

Not applicable.

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

A. Computer with internet access
B. Classroom with multi-media equipment

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

Weekly online assignments
Weekly quizzes
Internet assignments
Final exam

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lecture
Independent study
Online modules

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

Bird, DL, and DS Robinson. Modern Dental Assisting, 12th ed.. 2018.

Bird, DL, and DS Robinson. Student Workbook to Accompany Modern Dental Assisting, 12th ed.. 2018.

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

A. Weekly reading assignments of the online content
B. Reading assignments in textbook
C. Workbook assignments
D. Weekly written assignments

Discipline(s)

Dental Technology