Dental Hygiene
The Bachelor of Science program in Dental Hygiene offers a course of study that will prepare the student for a career as a dental hygienist. Dental hygiene students will study the sciences of biology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, chemistry, radiology, pharmacology, and a broad range of courses related to dental anatomy, clinical dental skills, and patient care to prepare them for practice as a dental hygienist. The first two years of the program will be completed at Lewis University and the remaining two years at the College of DuPage or Parkland College. Upon successful completion of this program students will be eligible to receive a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene awarded by Lewis University. Students may also elect to enroll as a Biology major and earn a Bachelor of Science in Biology and then apply for admission to the Dental Hygiene program at the College of DuPage, or Parkland College, to earn a Certificate in Dental Hygiene.
Admission to the Dental Hygiene program at the College of DuPage, or Parkland College, is not guaranteed and is solely the decision of the College of DuPage, or Parkland College, admissions committee. Students must attain a cumulative 3.0 GPA in the required science classes (Human A&P 1, Human A&P 2, General Chemistry 1 & 2, and Microbiology) in order to be considered for admission. Students must obtain/maintain health insurance and submit to a criminal background check as requirements of this program. Students accepted by COD or Parkland will register through that institution's website and pay in-district tuition and associated fees directly to that partner institution. The clinical courses will be transferred back to Lewis University for completion of the degree.
DENT 30100 - Principles in Dental Hygiene 1 (3)
Principles of disease transmission. Infection control policies, patient procedures, patient assessment and fundamental instrumentation for the dental hygienist. Foundation of knowledge and strategies of preventive dental hygiene practice. Emphasis on mechanical and chemical plaque control, use of fluoride and health promotion (3 lecture hours.)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 30200 - Principles in Dental Hygiene 2 (2)
Rationale for collection of assessment data and associated clinical procedures. Data collection. Use of instruments, dental sealants, topical fluorides, development of dental hygiene treatment plans. Introduction to direct patient care (2 lecture hours.)
Prerequisite: DENT 30100 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 30500 - Dental Materials/Expanded Functions (3)
Physical and chemical properties of dental materials, characteristics and manipulation of impression materials, gypsum products, investments, waxes, cements, resins, metallic and non-metallic restorative agents (2 lecture hours, 3 lab hours.)
Prerequisite: DENT 30100 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 31500 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 32000 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 33500 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 30600 - Radiation Biology and Radiation Safety (2)
Topics in radiation biology, including qualitative and quantitative effects on the human body following exposure to various types of ionizing radiation, and the potential harmful effects and the benefits of the medical uses of radiation. Procedures for personnel and environmental monitoring, emergency management, decontamination, and proper methods of receiving, storing and disposing of radioactive materials. Basic concepts of radiation exposure reduction. Concepts of radiation safety for personnel, patients and the environment.
DENT 30800 - Current Topics in Dental Hygiene (3)
This course is designed to create awareness of current developments in general and oral health care. A variety of topics will be explored. As new developments are presented in the media, they will be added to the class. This course will explore new practice models such as inter-professional health care teams, teleconferencing and collaboration with dentists as well as other health care providers in order to provide access to care for persons in under-served areas, long-term facilities, or those needing home health care. Emerging influences on health status such as the aging of the population, the opioid crisis and the widespread use of marijuana are included. New technologies as well as expansion of the dental hygienists' roles and responsibilities to meet the disparities in oral health care will be discussed.
DENT 31000 - Dental Health Presentation Workshops (0)
This course consists of three presentations by various health professionals in the dental field. Students will be required to attend all three lectures to complete their degree requirements. This will allow students to stay informed and gain insight into topics such as oral cancer, new treatments for periodontal disease, advanced treatment techniques, and equipment.
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Health.
DENT 31100 - Periodontics I (2)
Periodontal anatomy. Physiology/etiology of periodontal diseases. Clinical, histopathogenesis of gingivitis/periodontitis. Role of genetics, tobacco use and systemic preventative/therapeutic procedures associated with diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and initial phase of periodontal therapy(2 lecture hours.)
Prerequisite: DENT 30200 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 30500 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 31200 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 34500 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 31200 - Dental Radiology 1 (2)
Concepts of radiation history, radiation physics, radiation biology, radiation protection, dental X-ray equipment, film, image characteristics and film processing. Introduction to radiographic examination techniques (1 lecture hour, 3 lab hours.)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 31400 - Oral and General Pathology for Dental Hygienists (3)
This course is designed for dental hygienists and will provide updates in the field of oral health. Oral pathology will be discussed as well as general pathophysiology since many health and medical conditions affect treatment plans. Patients with specific medical problems require modified treatment and the dental hygienist needs to have an understanding of how the body is affected by disease and how it might affect the patient's response to treatment.
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Health.
DENT 31500 - Dental Tooth Anatomy and Morphology (3)
Emphasis on clinical appearance of oral structures, dental terminology, morphology of the permanent and primary dentition, patterns, and the occlusion and malocclusion within and between the dental arches. Review of dental anomalies and other clinical appearances (1 lecture hour, 3 lab hours.)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 31700 - Dental Public Health Practicum (1)
This course is designed to provide the students with a review of public health to include biostatistics, epidemiology, cultural awareness, and public health policy. The student also will gain practical experience in public health by selecting a community, identifying the stakeholders, completing a needs assessment, analyzing the data, and developing a plan to meet those needs.
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Health.
DENT 32000 - Preclinical Dental Hygiene 1 (1)
Integration of the scientific and clinical principles underlying the practice of dental hygiene. Clinical procedures and techniques for patient assessment, including: prevention of disease transmission, health history, extra and intraoral examination, gingival evaluation and periodontal examination. Operation of the dental unit and basic instrumentation techniques for the removal of plaque and calculus are presented.
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 32100 - Clinical Dental Hygiene I (1)
Comprehensive examination procedures, charting and patient treatment. Adjunctive procedures are presented, dental caries preventive agent application and stain removal procedures. Integration of scientific and clinical principles underlying the practice of dental hygiene. Assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating dental hygiene care on patients in the clinical setting.
Prerequisite: DENT 32000 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 32500 - Head and Neck Anatomy: Histology and Embryology (3)
Organization, structure and function of the head and neck. Focus will be placed on histologic and embryologic development and structural microanatomy to gain an understanding of clinical and oral manifestations of the regions of the head and neck (2 lecture hours.)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 32600 - Research Methods for Dental Hygiene (1)
Review and evaluation of dental literature for the contemporary dental hygienist. Focus on research methodologies and statistical analysis as it applies to dentistry. This course is equivalent to DH 2225 at College of DuPage.
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 33500 - Applied Nutrition and Biochemistry for the Dental Hygienist (3)
Principles of nutrition and biochemistry applied to dental hygiene patient care. Skills in diet analysis and patient counseling (2 lecture hours.)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 33600 - General and Oral Pathology (2)
Pathology of the head and neck and oral structures. Specific pathologic processes, repair, healing and regressive changes. Developmental conditions, diseases of bacterial and viral origin, and neoplasms of the oral cavity (2 lecture hours.)
Prerequisite: DENT 30100 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 31500 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 32000 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 32500 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 33500 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 34500 - Medical Emergencies in a Dental Office (1)
Familiarity with critical steps in prevention, preparation, early recognition and appropriate management of common medical emergencies in the dental office(1 lecture hour.)
Prerequisite: DENT 30100 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 31500 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 32000 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 33500 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 40100 - Dental Hygiene Theory 1 (2)
Application of dental hygiene theory to direct patient care. Techniques and theory related to local anesthesia administration of local anesthetic agents. Emphasis of dental hygiene care of patients with various systemic, mental and physical disorders in the dental office setting. Introduction to use of heavy scaling hand instruments is included(1 lecture hour, 3 lab hours.)
Prerequisite: DENT 30200 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 40200 - Dental Hygiene Theory 2 (3)
Application of dental hygiene theory to direct patient care. Overview of dental hygiene care of patients with various systemic and mental disorders. Presentation of periodontal cases is included (2 lecture hours.)
Prerequisite: DENT 40100 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 40400 - Immunology for Dental Hygienists (3)
This course is designed to make students familiar with the basic structure and function of the immune system, as well as expose students to underlying immune responses in various clinical situations. Topics will include the immune response to infection as well as the consequences of abnormal immunity in patients experiencing immunodeficiency or augmented immune responses such as those present in allergy, autoimmunity, and gastrointestinal diseases.
Prerequisite: DENT 40200 (may be taken concurrently) or DENT 1AA00 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Health.
DENT 40900 - Research Principles: Theory and Application (2)
This course is designed to enable students to develop knowledge of the scientific method in order to evaluate and interpret professional and scientific literature. The student will apply principles of scientific research to develop an evidence-based approach to problem-solving and decision-making. The course will provide an in-depth study of basic research terminology, the research process, research design, methodology and sampling techniques, basic statistical calculations, data collection, and analysis. The student will access the most recent and relevant scientific evidence, critically appraise it and determine if it is clinically applicable for dental hygiene best practice. Each student will plan, implement, and evaluate a small-scale research project.
Prerequisite: BIOL 38500 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 31700 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Health.
DENT 41200 - Periodontics 2 (3)
Description of clinical procedures associated with surgical phase of periodontal therapy. Evaluation of periodontal treatment, maintenance phase, ad relationship between periodontics and other dental specialties. Discussion of clinical management of the periodontum and adjunctive therapies (2 lecture hours.)
Prerequisite: DENT 31100 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 41300 - Dental Radiology 2 (2)
Advanced dental radiographic and related procedures including exposure and technique errors, occlusal and localization techniques, normal anatomy, panoramic films and radiography, extraoral radiography and digital radiography. Radiography for patients with special needs, introduction to radiographic interpretation: dental caries, periodontal disease, trauma and pulpal and periapical lesions. Introduction to forensic odontology (1 lecture hour, 3 lab hours.)
Prerequisite: DENT 31200 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 42200 - Clinical Dental Hygiene 2 (2)
Continuation of clinical dental hygiene practice. Includes assessment, planning and implementation of patient care. Adjunctive clinical services include dental sealants, ultrasonic scaling, air polishing, topical fluoride treatments and dental radiographs.
Prerequisite: DENT 32100 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 42300 - Clinical Dental Hygiene 3 (2)
Continuation of clinical dental hygiene practice. Includes assessment, planning and implementation of patient care. Adjunctive clinical services include dental sealants, ultrasonic scaling, air polishing, topical fluoride treatments, amalgam polishing, application of desensitizing agents and dental radiographs. Introduction to outside rotational experiences.
Prerequisite: DENT 32200 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 42400 - Clinical Dental Hygiene 4 (3)
Continuation of clinical dental hygiene practice. Includes assessment, planning and implementation of patient care. Adjunctive clinical services include dental sealants, ultrasonic scaling, air polishing, topical fluoride treatments, amalgam polishing, application of desensitizing agents and dental radiographs. Administration of topical and local anesthetic agents.
Prerequisite: DENT 42300 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 43200 - Community Dental Health 1 (2)
Dental hygienist's role in community. Epidemiological concepts, trends in oral diseases, research assessment tools, and strategies to improve public access to oral health care. Review of biostatistics, federal and state agencies, and managed care (2 lecture hours.)
Prerequisite: DENT 32600 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 43300 - Community Dental Health 2 (3)
Creation, implementation, and evaluation of a dental health care program in the community Presentation of projects to faculty and peers (6 lab hours.)
Prerequisite: DENT 43200 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 43500 - Dental Pharmacology and Local Anesthetics (2)
Classifications and varieties of drugs, pharmacologic effects, adverse reactions, usual indications and contraindications. Discussion of drugs utilized to treat common diseases. Pharmacokinetics of local and general anesthetic agents, and their use (2 lecture hours.)
Prerequisite: DENT 31100 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 32200 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 33600 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .
DENT 44500 - Ethics and Jurisprudence: Practice Management for the Dental Hygienist (3)
Preparation for professional role as health care provider and member of dental health team. Focus on ethical and legal responsibilities, dental practice act, malpractice issues, and scope of dental hygiene practice(2 lecture hours.)
Prerequisite: DENT 32200 (may be taken concurrently) and DENT 40100 (may be taken concurrently)
Program Restrictions: Must be enrolled in the following Program: Dental Hygiene .