Clinical Rotations HST II Dentistry
Dentistry One of the oldest surgical professions Original surgeons were historically dentists and barbers before that
Dentists invented anesthesia like ether, chloroform and laughing gas (nitrous oxide) as well as surgical instruments and techniques borrowed by general medicine
Dentists have special skills different from medical doctors: Manual dexterity Good engineering skills Patience with detailed work Good patient relations should pt. be awake and in pain Extreme sterility techniques High patient satisfaction when they relieve pain Just as many specialties as general medicine
Pedodontics Prosthodontics Maxillofacial surgery Endodontics Orthodontics Periodontics Oral surgery All require advanced residency training
DDS or DMD degrees Four years of pre-dental (same as pre-medical undergraduate coures) Four yrs. Dental school No internship or residency REQUIRED;practice day you graduate
Dental Hygienist Undergraduate profession Similar to nurse in training but dental oriented Many larger colleges offer D.H. as a major like two years of nursing school in college You can graduate college with a B.S. majoring in dental hygiene science
Dental Lab Technician Works with DDS to make tooth impressions (trays). Negative impression to make positive copy in the lab Can own their own labs Two years of college/technical training High demand for good, artistic talents in the field
Dental Assistants Assist DDS’s in office Can sit for certification exam Good part or full time work, especially through college Exam tests knowledge of radiology, sterility and medical/dental terminology Dentists usually pay for exam and coursework
Autoclave (sterilizer) Only one way to prepare dental instruments for re-use: autoclave after soaking in detergent/brushing debris/ ultrasound for micro- debris loosening, then wrapping/ steaming under pressure All contact surfaces in DDS offices must use disposable contact films (protective barriers) Fomite surfaces must be disinfected Wash hands between patients
Facemasks at all times to prevent spread of disease by droplet from DDS/hygienist/asst. to pt. and vice versa if they cough, vomit or sneeze Wear Dosimeter at all times for radiation exposure monthly reporting. Radiation measured in Rads or Roentgens
Dental anatomy
Tooth Surfaces Anterior Posterior Distal Mesial Labial Lingual Buccal Occlusal
Charting Teeth
Deciduous Teeth (10)
Radiolucent vs. Radiopaque
Instruments:
Explorer
Ready to Autoclave
Tooth impressions using alginate or epoxy for the negative tray Plaster used for the positive working model
Alginate Negative
Dental pts. examined in supine position
Gingivitis
Root Canal
Implants
Crowns
Filling Caries (cavities)
Only four years of professional school!