Course Content and Outcomes Guides (CCOG)

CCOG for DA 170 archive revision 202404

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Effective Term:
Fall 2024 through Winter 2025

Course Number:
DA 170
Course Title:
Dental Assisting Practicum I
Credit Hours:
2
Lecture Hours:
0
Lecture/Lab Hours:
0
Lab Hours:
60

Course Description

Provides an opportunity to gain chairside dental assisting experiences through clinical rotations at a dental practicum location; OHSU School of Dentistry and/or other participating offices.

Intended Outcomes for the course

Upon successful completion of the course students should be able to:

  1. Perform dental assisting chairside duties while demonstrating professionalism, safety, and the ability to anticipate the needs of the operator at an intermediate level.

  2. Demonstrate professionalism towards patients, students, dentists, and staff while participating in the practicum rotation. 

Outcome Assessment Strategies

  • Attendance

Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)

Themes:

  • Dental Assisting Clinical Duties

  • Professionalism

  • Communication

  • Teamwork

Concepts:

  • OSHA Universal Precautions

  • BBP Standards

  • Anticipation of dentist's needs

  • Armamentarium 

  • Four-handed dentistry 

  • Dental dam 

  • Patient management 

  • Instrument grasps 

  • Topical anesthetic 

  • Intraoral landmarks 

  • Oral health instructions

Issues: 

  • Time management

  • Organization

  • Self-direction

  • Safety

Skills:

  • Anticipate the needs of the operator while assisting chairside

  • Pass instruments while utilizing safe practices 

  • Document exam findings, health history updates, vitals, and services rendered

  • Preparation, application, and removal of dental dam

  • Demonstrate proper instrument grasps and transfers as it relates to dental  instruments

  • Document patient chart using industry standard dental software

Related Instruction

Communication
Hours: 7

  • Demonstrate professionalism towards patients, students, dentists at the practicum office

  • Communicate in a professional manner before, during, and after all procedures performed in the practicum dental setting.

  • Communicate with mentors in a professional manner during all interactions at practicum office

  • Four-handed dentistry

  • Anticipation of dentist's needs

  • Patient management