Common Course Outline

Catalog Description

Course Description

Chairside Assisting I covers the following fundamental areas of four-handed dentistry: dental office layout and design, dental equipment, operatory preparation, patient and team positioning; maintenance of the operating field; dental instruments and supplies, instrument transfer; patient management; taking patient health histories and vital signs, the principles of operative dentistry; assisting for oral diagnosis, oral prophylaxis, amalgams and composites; and recognition and treatment of medical/dental emergencies. This course should be taken concurrently with Dental Infection Control and is a prerequisite to Chairside Assisting II. (DA Program Admission is required.)

Date Last Revised (Month, year)

September, 2021

Outline of Major Content Areas

1. Dental Office Design & Environment
2. Dental Operatory Equipment and Preparation
3. Positioning to Perform at Chairside
4. Maintaining a Clear Field of Vision for Dental Treatment
5. Dental Hand Instruments and transfer technique
6. Dental Handpieces and Rotary Instruments
7. Miscellaneous Armamentarium
8. Assisting with Local Anesthesia
9. Assisting with Dental Matrices
10. Patient Management for a Dental Procedure.
11. Patient Health Histories
12. Assisting for Oral Diagnosis
13. Assisting for Oral Prophylaxis
14. Operative Dentistry
15. Assisting for an Amalgam and Composite Restoration
16. Obtaining Vital Signs
17. Prevention, Recognition & Treatment of Medical & Dental Emergencies

Learning Outcomes (General)

The student will be able to:

1. Communicate effectively.
2. Establish good working relationships and professional behavior
3. Employ ethical decision making.
4. Describe the functional design of a dental office, and operatory equipment.
5. Operate and maintain operatory equipment.
6. Prepare the dental operatory for patient treatment.
7. Correctly prepare instrument tray set-ups.
8. Describe correct chairside team/patient/light positioning and operating zones.
9. Demonstrate correct tissue retraction and treatment isolation techniques.
10. Assist for the placement and removal of dental dam isolation.
11. Demonstrate correct use of the air/water syringe and oral evacuation techniques.
12. Identify cavity preparation, restorative, prophylactic and miscellaneous hand instruments.
13. Demonstrate effective operator grasps, rests and guards.
14. Demonstrate efficient instrument transfer techniques.
15. Demonstrate correct dental handpiece/rotary assembly and maintenance.
16. Describe local anesthesia techniques and armamentarium.
17. Demonstrate assemble and disassemble local anesthetic syringes.
18. Continued…
19. Correctly assemble matrix retainers and understand utilization.
20. Demonstrate effective patient management.
21. Describe dental treatment planning considerations for patients with special needs and medical disorders.
22. Identify medical conditions requiring pre-operative consideration, describe their characteristics, potential treatment modification/precautions and the required chart notation.
23. Accurately collect and review patient case histories.
24. Complete a soft tissue exam and note findings.
25. Assist for an oral prophylaxis procedures.
26. Define operative dentistry and restorative terms.
27. Assist for an amalgam and composite procedures.
28. Give pre-operative and postoperative patient instructions.
29. Manage medical emergencies.
30. Obtain and accurately record patient vital signs.
31. Recognize signs and symptoms of medical emergencies and correct protocols to manage.

Learning Outcomes (MnTC)

NA

Methods for Evaluation of Student Learning

Methods may include but are not limited to:

• Weekly written quizzes
• Instrument dentification quizzes
• Skill Evaluations
• Service Learning Opportunities
• Comprehensive Final Examination

RCTC Core Outcome(s)

This course contributes to meeting the following RCTC Core Outcome(s):

Communication

Students will communicate appropriately for their respective audiences.

Special Information (if any)

None