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DTA 1121 - Operative I

Includes 10 laboratory hours 

Student Learning Outcomes:
Unit #1 The Dental Office  

1. Pronounce, define, and spell the key terms. 

2. Describe the specific areas of the dental office, including the important qualities of the reception area and the design of the dental treatment area. 

3. Describe the importance of a welcoming and functional dental office environment. 

4. List the clinical equipment most commonly found in the dental treatment area and the basic functions of the equipment. 

5. Explain the care involved with maintaining the dental equipment. 

6. Describe the morning and evening routines for dental assistants. 

Unit #2 Delivering Dental Care  

1. Pronounce, define, and spell the key terms. 

2. Discuss knowing your patients and reviewing the patient records, including the following:  

1. Preparing the dental operatory for the patient and type of procedure. 

3. Discuss the concept of team (four-handed) dentistry. 

4. Describe the principles in team positioning during patient care, which include: 

1. How the operator is positioned during treatment. 

2. How the assistant is positioned during treatment. 

5. Explain the classification of motions. 

6. Define the four operating zones. 

7. Explain instrument transfer, which includes the following adaptations: 

1. Types of grasps used by the operator. 

2. Dental instruments that would be transferred differently because of design or use. 

3. One-handed and two-handed instrument transfer techniques. 

8. Describe the expanded function dental assistant (EFDA), and the registered dental assistant (RDA), and how their importance has changed dental care. 

9. Discuss the five areas of competency in which the EFDA/RDA should strive to be competent when practicing expanded functions. 

Unit #3 Dental Hand Instruments  

1. Pronounce, define, and spell the key terms. 

2. Explain how to identify hand instruments, including the following: 

1. The three parts of a dental hand instrument. 

2. The instrument formula designed by G. V. Black. 

3. Describe the classification of instruments used in general dental procedures, including the following information: 

1. The theory of placing instruments in a specific sequence. 

2. The examination of dental instruments and their uses. 

3. The hand (manual) cutting dental instruments and their uses. 

4. The restorative dental instruments and their uses. 

5. Describe additional accessory instruments and items used in general dental procedures. 

6. Describe the use of preset trays, tubs, and color-coding systems in dentistry. 

Unit #4 Dental Handpieces and Accessories  

1. Pronounce, define, and spell the key terms. 

2. Discuss the historical background of the dental handpiece. 

3. Describe the use of the dental handpiece in dental procedures, and include the following: 

1. The low-speed handpiece and its uses in dentistry. 

2. The attachments accompanying the low-speed handpiece. 

3. The high-speed handpiece and its uses in restorative and specialty procedures. 

4. Additional specialized handpieces used in dentistry. 

5. Maintaining the handpiece. 

4. Explain what a rotary instrument is and how it is used, and include the following: 

1. The parts of a bur. 

2. The composition, shape, and uses of burs. 

3. The difference among a diamond, finishing bur, and a cutting bur. 

5. List the types of abrasive rotary instruments. 

6. Describe the use and types of laboratory burs.  

Unit #5 Moisture Control  

1. Pronounce, define, and spell the key terms. 

2. Discuss the importance of oral evacuation systems, including the following: 

1. Two types of oral evacuation systems used in dentistry. 

2. The grasp and positioning of the high-volume evacuator tip. 

3. Describe the methods of rinsing the oral cavity with the use of the air-water syringe. 

4. List isolation techniques used to decrease moisture during a dental procedure. 

5. Describe the dental dam and its role in moisture control, including the following: 

1. The equipment and supplies required for dental dam application. 

2. The placement of the dental dam. 

3. The special applications for the dental dam. 

Unit #6 Anesthesia and Pain Control  

1. Define, pronounce, and spell the key terms. 

2. Discuss the importance of pain control in dentistry. 

3. Describe the composition and application of topical anesthetics. 

4. Discuss local anesthesia in dentistry, which includes the following: 

1. The composition and application of local anesthetic agents. 

2. Injection techniques used for local anesthesia administration. 

3. The setup for local anesthesia. 

4. Complications and precautions that the dental team should be aware of when administering local anesthesia. 

5. List the benefits of electronic anesthesia. 

6. Discuss inhalation sedation, which includes the following: 

1. Nitrous oxide/oxygen sedation and its use in dentistry. 

2. The importance of reducing the dental team’s exposure to nitrous oxide. 

7. List the conditions in which antianxiety drugs may be prescribed. 

8. Discuss intravenous sedation and its use in dentistry. 

9. Discuss general anesthesia and its use in dentistry, including the four stages of anesthesia. 

10. Describe how mind-body medicine is applied to dentistry. 

11. Explain the necessity of documenting the type of anesthesia and pain control used in a dental procedure. 

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