Academic Catalog

D H 310: DENTAL MATERIALS

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2026
Units: 3
Hours: 2 lecture, 3 laboratory per week (60 total per quarter)
Advisory: Not open to students with credit in D H 72.
Degree & Credit Status: Degree-Applicable Credit Course
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: CSU
Grade Type: Letter Grade (Request for Pass/No Pass)
Repeatability: Not Repeatable

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Students will be able to assess and categorize a patient's caries risk and propose a plan to either arrest the patient's caries process or reduce further risk of decay.
  • Students will be able to evaluate a patient's dental and restorative conditions and chart significant findings.

Description

This course examines the properties, characteristics, and safe handling of dental materials, with an emphasis on their application in dental hygiene care. Students will learn techniques for manipulating dental materials and become familiar with related dental equipment. Essential topics include caries risk assessment, hazardous waste management, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and regulatory standards for dental materials. Students will also explore basic diagnostic procedures to support clinical decision-making involving dental materials. Intended for students in the Dental Hygiene Baccalaureate Degree Program; enrollment is limited to students accepted in the program.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Describe and differentiate the physical and mechanical properties of commonly used dental materials.
  2. Identify and explain the indications, composition, and procedures related to common restorative materials.
  3. Accurately evaluate and document existing restorations in patient records.
  4. Explain the principles and risk level classifications involved in caries risk assessment using CAMBRA (Caries Management by Risk Assessment).
  5. Describe the roles of federal and state regulatory bodies regarding the handling and disposal of dental materials and hazardous waste in the dental setting.
  6. Demonstrate dental prosthesis care and maintenance procedures, including personalized home care instructions.
  7. Perform tooth vitality testing, interpret findings, and accurately document results in patient records.
  8. Apply proper technique to place and evaluate pit and fissure sealants using proper technique to ensure retention, and provide appropriate pre- and post-operative instructions.
  9. Fabricate, pour, and trim diagnostic study models following proper laboratory procedures.
  10. Fabricate and deliver bleaching trays with appropriate patient instructions for safe and effective use.
  11. Demonstrate required infection control procedures, in accordance with Minimum Standards, in both the laboratory and clinical setting to prevent cross-contamination and ensure patient safety.
  12. Apply ethical principles when selecting and using dental materials during patient care.

Course Content

  1. Properties of dental materials
    1. Physical properties
      1. Density
      2. Boiling and melting points
      3. Vapor pressure
      4. Thermal conductivity
      5. Coefficient of thermal expansion
      6. Electrical conductivity
        1. Metals versus polymers and ceramics
        2. Electrosurgery and electronic pulp testing
      7. Viscosity
      8. Wetting
      9. Hardness
        1. Hardness testing
          1. Brinell
          2. Rockwell
          3. Vickers
          4. Knoop
          5. Durometer testing for soft materials
      10. Abrasion resistance
      11. Solubility
      12. Water sorption
        1. Imbibition
        2. Syneresis
      13. Color
      14. Radiographic appearance
    2. Mechanical properties
      1. Load
      2. Stress
      3. Strain
      4. Elastic limit, proportional limit, yield point
      5. Ultimate strength
      6. Stress/strain curve
      7. Types of stress
        1. Compression
        2. Tension
        3. Torsion
        4. Shear
        5. Bending
      8. Resilience and toughness
      9. Fatigue
      10. Time-dependent properties
        1. Creep
        2. Stress relaxation
        3. Stress concentration
  2. Restorative materials and procedures
    1. Direct restorations
      1. Amalgam
      2. Composite
      3. Glass ionomer
      4. Advantages and disadvantages
      5. Limitations
      6. Cost and life expectancies
    2. Indirect restorations
      1. Procedure for appointment
      2. In-office fabrication
        1. CAD CAM technology
      3. Dental laboratory fabrication
        1. Porcelain
        2. Porcelain bonded to metal
        3. Full metal restorations
        4. Crowns
        5. Veneers
        6. Inlays
        7. Onlays
        8. Advantages and disadvantages
        9. Limitations
        10. Cost and life expectancies
    3. Bases, liners, and cements
      1. Purpose
      2. Armamentarium
      3. Methods for mixing
  3. Restorative charting
    1. Armamentarium
    2. Paper chart vs. electronic chart
    3. Assessment procedures
      1. Missing teeth
      2. Existing restorations
      3. Existing conditions
        1. Restorative classifications
    4. Caries detection
      1. Methods
        1. Visual
        2. Tactile
        3. Radiographic
        4. Caries indicator dye
        5. Electronic caries detection devices
      2. Cavity classifications
  4. Caries risk assessment
    1. Theory of caries risk
      1. Risk factors
      2. Protective factors
    2. Caries risk assessment tests
      1. Measure saliva flow
        1. Armamentarium
        2. Procedure
        3. Conclusion from results
      2. Bacterial testing
        1. Armamentarium
        2. Procedure
        3. Conclusion from results
    3. Completing caries risk assessment form
    4. Recommendations for prevention of caries based on caries risk assessment and saliva
      1. Low risk
      2. Moderate risk
      3. High risk
      4. Extreme risk
  5. Regulatory agencies
    1. Historical background
    2. Need for regulatory agencies
    3. Regulatory agencies
      1. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
        1. Mercury safety
        2. Harmful effects of mercury
        3. Appropriate disposal of mercury and mercury containing items
        4. Mercury spill kit
      2. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
      3. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
        1. Hazard Communication Standard
          1. Parts of the Hazard Communication Standard
            1. Written program
            2. Inventory of hazardous chemicals
            3. Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
            4. Labeling requirements
              1. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) system
              2. Pictograms
            5. Employee training
        2. Hazardous waste
          1. Non-regulated waste
          2. Regulated waste
            1. Recycled waste
            2. Red bag waste
          3. Documentation of hazardous waste disposal
            1. Manifest
    4. Agencies that make recommendations
      1. Association for Dental Safety (ADS)
      2. American Dental Association (ADA)
      3. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
      4. National Institute of Health (NIH)
  6. Removable prosthetic appliances
    1. Types
      1. Removable partial denture
      2. Full denture
      3. Stayplate (Flipper)
    2. Components
    3. Care and patient instructions
    4. Removal of deposits at recall appointments
      1. Ultrasonic cleaning
        1. Armamentarium
        2. Procedure
    5. Polishing agents and professional polishing
      1. Armamentarium
      2. Procedure
        1. Dental lathe
        2. Polishing agents
        3. Safety
  7. Tooth vitality
    1. Methods of tooth vitality testing
    2. Interpretation of tooth vitality testing result
    3. Chart documentation
  8. Pit and fissure sealants
    1. Legal requirements
      1. Dental Practice Act
        1. Supervision
    2. Purpose
    3. Indications and contraindications
    4. Types
      1. Resin-based sealants
      2. Glass ionomer sealants
    5. Selection of teeth
    6. Armamentarium
    7. Isolation techniques
    8. Placement of sealants
    9. Pre- and post-operative instructions
    10. Chart documentation
  9. Study models
    1. Alginate
      1. Composition
      2. Procedure for impression
    2. Bite registration
    3. Gypsum
      1. Composition
      2. Procedure for pouring study model
      3. Trimming study models
  10. Bleaching trays
    1. Bleaching methods
      1. Indications and contraindications for bleaching
      2. In-office bleaching
        1. Types of bleaching systems
        2. Types of bleaching solutions
          1. Carbamide peroxide
          2. Hydrogen peroxide
          3. Sodium perborate
      3. Home bleaching methods
        1. Over-the-counter products
        2. Dental office supervised home bleaching
    2. Bleaching tray fabrication
      1. Armamentarium
      2. Procedure
        1. Vacuformer
    3. Problem solving
      1. Sensitive teeth
      2. Teeth resistant to bleaching
      3. Tissue sensitivity
    4. Pre- and post-operative instructions
    5. Chart documentation
  11. Infection control
    1. Laboratory infection control procedures and personal protective equipment (PPE)
    2. Clinical infection control procedures
  12. Ethical principles and legal standards
    1. Basic ethical principles related to dental materials
    2. Legal issues related to dental materials
      1. Dental Practice Act of California
      2. Allowable duties
      3. Informed consent

Lab Content

  1. Clinical detection, evaluation, and charting of dental restorations on a student-partner
  2. Caries detection
    1. Tactile
    2. Visual
    3. Radiographic
    4. Electronic caries detection devices
  3. Caries risk assessment
  4. Tooth vitality testing
  5. Prosthesis care and maintenance procedures
  6. Impression taking for study models and bleaching trays
  7. Pouring and trimming study models
  8. Fabricating and delivering bleaching splints
  9. Practicing isolation techniques
  10. Placing pit and fissure sealants on typodont teeth
  11. Placing pit and fissure sealants on student-partners
  12. Reading and interpreting Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
  13. Documentation of clinical procedures in the electronic chart

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

1. Multimedia classroom/dental lab with individual work areas, dental lab equipment to allow for study model fabrication, plaster trimmers, denture care and maintenance, and other basic laboratory procedures.
2. Dental hygiene clinic, dental supplies and equipment, student instrument kit, typodont, personal protective barriers, expendable supplies kit, sterilization lab.
3. When taught as a hybrid course, access to computer with email software and hardware; email address. Students must participate in lab sessions located on Foothill campus.

Method(s) of Evaluation

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

Lectures exams
Laboratory evaluations
Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
Individual and group presentation

Method(s) of Instruction

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

Lecture
Cooperative learning exercises
Oral presentations
Laboratory demonstrations

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

Gladwin, MA, and MD Bagby. Clinical Aspects of Dental Materials, 5th ed.. 2018.

This textbook remains a relevant foundational resource, as the core concepts of dental materials science remain applicable. Supplemental readings, current research, and updated guidelines ensure students receive instruction aligned with current clinical standards.

Dental Practice Act of California.

Safety Data Sheets.

Journal articles on CAMBRA.

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

  1. Weekly reading assignments
  2. Chapter-specific assignments and review questions
  3. Student presentations - oral and written using evidence-based research
  4. Case studies
  5. Pre-lab readings and procedural quizzes

Discipline(s)

Dental Technology