Dental Hygiene

DH 105 Introduction to Dental Hygiene I (back to previous page)
This course provides entry-level students with an introduction to allied health education and the profession of dental hygiene. Topics include: the role of the dental hygienist in the health care delivery system, the history of dental hygiene, the role of professional associations, basic scientific terminology of the head, neck, and oral cavity, introduction to the caries process and gingival disease process, and oral hygiene protocols. 1 credit hour.

DH 110 Introduction to Dental Hygiene II (back to previous page)
Prerequisite: DH 105. This course is a continuation of DH 105 and provides students with a survey of contemporary issues encountered by dental health care professionals. Emphasis is placed on professional standards, health promotion, disease prevention, review of dental specialties, and ethical issues that are encountered by dental hygienists. 1 credit hour.

DH 214 Oral Facial Structures (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: DH 105, DH 110, BI 121. This course examines the head and neck region, emphasizing the anatomy of oral facial structures, including the teeth. This course also addresses oral histology and embryology. 4 credit hours.

DH 215 Radiology (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: DH 105, DH 110, DH 214, DH 220, BI 121. This course is an extension of the clinical course sequence and concentrates on the role of radiographs in the diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases. The course emphasizes radiographic characteristics and production, equipment, safety, processing, and interpretation. 3 credit hours.

DH 220 Dental Hygiene Concepts I (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: Sophomore status and DH 105, DH 110. DH 220 is the first in a series of clinical courses; it provides the foundations of clinical dental hygiene practice. The course focuses on professionalism, ethical decision-making principles, infection control, the impact of tooth accumulated deposits, and the development of the knowledge and skills necessary for the delivery of dental hygiene services. Clinical laboratory fee; 3 credit hours.

DH 240 Dental Hygiene Concepts II (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: Sophomore status and DH 105, DH 110, DH 214, DH 220. This course is an extension of DH 220 and focuses on the continuing development of the didactic, affective, and psychomotor skills necessary for comprehensive dental hygiene treatment. Lecture topics include medical history, oral inspection, data collection procedures, caries process, fluoride, oral physiotherapy and chemotherapeutics for the management of caries and periodontal disease, and treatment planning. Classroom presentations concentrate on the dental hygiene process of care. Clinical laboratory fee; 4 credit hours.

DH 320 Pharmacology and Pain Management (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: Junior status and required first- and second-year dental hygiene courses. This course provides an overview of medications encountered by health care workers. Particular attention is paid to the impact various medications have on dental and dental hygiene treatment. Medications, local anesthetics, and other chemotherapeutic agents utilized in the dental treatment setting will be emphasized. 3 credit hours.

DH 325 General and Oral Pathology (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: Junior status and required first-and second-year dental hygiene courses. A survey of general pathology with emphasis on the impact of pathologic conditions on the oral cavity. Diseases of the gingiva and periodontium and the role of the dental hygienist in recognition and referral will be emphasized. 3 credit hours.

DH 327 Periodontology (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: Sophomore status and DH105, DH110, DH214, DH220. This course provides an in-depth examination of periodontal diseases, the immune response, and both surgical and nonsurgical interventions. The role of the dental hygienist as a periodontal co-therapist is emphasized. 3 credit hours.

DH 330 Dental Hygiene Concepts III (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: Junior status and required first-and second-year dental hygiene courses. Dental Hygiene 330 is a continuation of the clinicalcourse sequence. Content emphasis is placed on instrument alternatives, professional mechanical oral hygiene care, instrumentation theory for prevention and control of periodontal diseases, and the utilization of patient cases to assess periodontal status. Clinically, students will be treating patients with a broader scope of oral/physical conditions while incorporating patient radiographs into the dental hygiene treatment plan. Clinical laboratory fee; 3 or 5 credit hours.

DH 342 Dental Materials (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: DH 330, junior status, and required first- and second-year dental hygiene courses. This lecture/laboratory course provides students with an understanding of the biomaterials and techniques utilized in preventive, restorative, and surgical dental procedures. Emphasis is placed on the role of the dental hygienist in maintaining and evaluating preventive and restorative materials. 3 credit hours.

DH 350 Dental Hygiene Concepts IV (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: Required first-and second-year dental hygiene courses and DH 320, DH 325, DH 327, DH 330, BI 115. DH 350 is the fourth course in the clinical course sequence. The didactic portion of the course concentrates on ethical decision-making skills, problem- solving abilities, treating the medically compromised patient, and practice management principles. Clinically, students will have an opportunity to treat more challenging cases. Clinical laboratory fee; 5 credit hours.

DH 360 Local Anesthesia (back to previous page)
Prerequisite: Junior status and required first- and second-year dental hygiene courses. This course is designed to prepare student dental hygienists for the safe, effective administration of local anesthesia as current Connecticut legislation permits. The course will include the psychology of pain management, pharmacology of anesthetic agents, emergency precautions and management, and a review of anatomy and physiology as they relate to the administration of anesthetic agents. This course will include classroom, laboratory, and clinical instruction. Laboratory fee; 2 credit hours.

DH 423 Instructional Planning and Media (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: Junior status and required first- and second-year dental hygiene courses. This course provides dental hygiene students and practitioners with an overview of the instructional planning process. Emphasis will be placed on the steps in the process, the development and utilization of media, and oral presentation skills. 3 credit hours.

DH 438 Dental Hygiene Research (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: Senior status and required first-, second-, and third-year dental hygiene courses. This course provides dental hygiene students with the skills needed to understand, interpret, and critique professional literature. Emphasis is placed on the design of a sound research protocol. 3 credit hours.

DH 455 Dental Hygiene Public Health (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: Required first- and second-year dental hygiene courses and DH 320, DH 325, DH 327, DH 330, BI 115. This course emphasizes the role of dental and dental hygiene public health programs in the health care delivery system. The role of the dental hygienist in community disease prevention and health promotion activities will be stressed. Students will have the opportunity to interact with a broad spectrum of community groups during the field experience aspect of the course. 4 credit hours.

DH 460 Advanced Dental Hygiene Concepts (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: Required first-and second-year dental hygiene courses and DH 320, DH 325, DH 327, DH 330, DH 342, DH 350, BI 115. The clinical course sequence culminates in DH 460; this course provides the opportunity for students to integrate skills and didactic knowledge previously gained. Clinical time will focus on increasing time efficiency while maintaining recognized standards of care. Didactic content will focus on professional credentials, state licensing agencies, continuing education, the role of professional organizations, employment goals, and resume preparation. Clinical laboratory fee; 5 credit hours.

DH 461 Oral Medicine (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: Required first -and second-year dental hygiene courses and DH 320, DH 325, DH 327, DH 330, BI 115. Oral Medicine utilizes the content from Anatomy and Physiology, Pharmacology, Oral Pathology, Dental Hygiene Concepts, and other courses as the basis for discussing the impact of systemic conditions on the oral cavity. The medical history will be utilized in a case-study approach to address the role of the dental hygienist in medical risk assessment and management. 3 credit hours.

DH 462 Dental Hygiene Internship (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: Junior status and required first- and second-year dental hygiene courses. This course provides senior-level dental hygiene students with the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills gained throughout the dental hygiene curriculum in an internship experience compatible with future career goals. 3 credit hours.

DH 468 Dental Hygiene Senior Project (back to previous page)
Prerequisites: Junior status and DH 423, DH 438. This course provides the student with the opportunity to design, implement and present a project that enriches their existing knowledge and contributes to the profession of dental hygiene. All previous and current coursework will assist the student in the effort. 3 credit hours.

DH 490-499 Special Topics (back to previous page)
Prerequisite: Dental hygiene major; specifics of course(s) to be determined in consultation with the program director. Oppor-tunity for the student, under the direction of the dental hygiene faculty, to explore an area of interest. 1-3 credit hours; maximum of 6 credits.