Academic Catalog

D A 58: SPECIALTY PRACTICE PROCEDURES

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2026
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

  • List and describe common procedures performed in each of the nine recognized dental specialties.

Description

This course introduces dental assisting students to their roles and responsibilities in general, as well as in specialty practice settings. Students will learn the scope of practice for unlicensed dental assistants, Registered Dental Assistants, and Registered Dental Assistants in extended functions with a focus on delivering ethical, patient-centered care. 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:

Dental Assisting Theory and Practice

  1. Identify the allowable dental assisting procedures in the recognized dental specialties.
  2. Describe the required education and licensure requirements for dental assistants in the recognized dental specialties.
  3. Describe the role of the dental assistant in using effective communication strategies for diverse patient populations receiving care in the recognized dental specialties.

Infection Control and Hazardous Waste Management

  1. Describe the requirements for surgical operatories and surgical asepsis.
  2. Describe the hazardous waste management requirements for dental specialties.

Ethical and Legal Principles

  1. Describe the supervision requirements and allowable duties for unlicensed and licensed dental assistants in the recognized dental specialties.
  2. Demonstrate compliance with confidentiality requirements for all aspects of patient care in the recognized dental specialties.

Course Content

Dental Assisting Theory and Practice

  1. Dental specialty practices and role of dental assistant
    1. Prosthodontics
      1. Procedures
      2. Duties
        1. DA
        2. RDA
        3. RDAEF
    2. Endodontics
      1. Procedures
      2. Duties
        1. DA
        2. RDA
        3. RDAEF
    3. Dental public health settings
      1. Procedures
      2. Duties
        1. DA
        2. RDA
        3. RDAEF
    4. Oral and maxillofacial radiology
      1. Procedures
      2. Duties
        1. DA
        2. RDA
        3. RDAEF
    5. Oral and maxillofacial surgery
      1. Procedures
      2. Duties
        1. DA
        2. RDA
        3. RDAEF
    6. Oral pathology
      1. Procedures
      2. Duties
        1. DA
        2. RDA
        3. RDAEF
    7. Orthodontics
      1. Procedures
      2. Duties
        1. DA
        2. RDA
        3. RDAEF
    8. Pediatric dentistry
      1. Procedures
      2. Duties
        1. DA
        2. RDA
        3. RDAEF
    9. Periodontics
      1. Procedures
      2. Duties
        1. DA
        2. RDA
        3. RDAEF
  2. Education and training requirements
    1. Prosthodontics
      1. Education and training
        1. Length of training
        2. Graduate degree requirements
        3. Required experience
      2. Licensing requirements
    2. Endodontics
      1. Education and training
        1. Length of training
        2. Graduate degree requirements
        3. Required experience
      2. Licensing requirements
    3. Dental public health
      1. Education and training
        1. Length of training
        2. Graduate degree requirements
        3. Required experience
      2. Licensing requirements
    4. Oral and maxillofacial radiology
      1. Education and training
        1. Length of training
        2. Graduate degree requirements
        3. Required experience
      2. Licensing requirements
    5. Oral and maxillofacial surgery
      1. Education and training
        1. Length of training
        2. Graduate degree requirements
        3. Required experience
      2. Licensing requirements
    6. Oral pathology
      1. Education and training
        1. Length of training
        2. Graduate degree requirements
        3. Required experience
      2. Licensing requirements
    7. Orthodontics
      1. Education and training
        1. Length of training
        2. Graduate degree requirements
        3. Required experience
      2. Licensing requirements
    8. Pediatric dentistry
      1. Education and training
        1. Length of training
        2. Graduate degree requirements
        3. Required experience
      2. Licensing requirements
    9. Periodontics
      1. Education and training
        1. Length of training
        2. Graduate degree requirements
        3. Required experience
    10. Licensing requirements
  3. Patient education and the role of the dental assistant in specialty practices
    1. Importance of pre-operative and post-operative instructions
    2. Communication techniques
    3. Oral health literacy

Infection and Hazardous Waste Management

  1. Surgical operatories and asepsis
    1. Overview of surgical asepsis
    2. Sterile field
    3. Sterile instrument set up
    4. Surgical drape
    5. Surgical scrub procedure
    6. Donning and doffing sterile gloves
  2. Hazardous waste management for specialty procedures
    1. Local and federal guidelines

Ethical and Legal Principles

  1. California Dental Practice Act
    1. Regulations
    2. Duties
  2. Certifications
    1. Required documentation
  3. Medical history review
    1. Conditions requiring special precautions
  4. Informed consent
    1. Components of informed consent
  5. Patient confidentiality
    1. HIPAA compliance
    2. HIPAA form

Lab Content

Not applicable.

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

1. Computer with internet access.
2. Classroom with multi-media equipment.
3. When taught as an online section, on-going access to computer with email software and hardware; email address.

Method(s) of Evaluation

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

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

All required reading/reference material is available in the modules, including definitions of terms, explanation of procedures, and images to supplement the reading.

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

  1. Weekly reading assignments of the online content.
  2. Weekly self-reflection of each module.
  3. Online written assignment submissions.

Discipline(s)

Dental Technology