USC
University of Southern California
black horizontal bar for print styles

Courses of Instruction

Dental Hygiene (DHYG)

311ab Fundamentals of Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice (3-3) Principles and techniques of clinical dental hygiene with emphasis on preventive dentistry; laboratory and preclinical experience in techniques of complete oral prophylaxis services; and clinical application thereof.

314L Dental Morphology Laboratory (1) Fundamentals of tooth morphology and characteristics of the deciduous and permanent dentition. Laboratory, 3 hours.

316 Patient Education in Preventive Dental Care (1) Principles and methods for teaching and motivating patients to practice effective oral care.

318 Dental Specialties (2) Procedures performed in selected dental specialty areas with emphasis on the role of the dental hygienist.

320 Preventive Dental Therapy (1) Study of the etiology and pathogenesis of periodontal disease and dental caries; therapeutic use of fluorides.

401 Introduction to Advanced Dental Hygiene (2) Principles and techniques of advanced dental hygiene with emphasis on advanced root instrumentation and dental hygiene treatment planning.

410abc Clinic: Dental Hygiene (2-7 each) Application of advanced techniques with emphasis on increased proficiency in skills: principles of prevention; periodontal examination; root planing; soft tissue curettage; local anesthesia; inhalation sedation.

411ab Dental Literature Review (2-2) Seminar-discussion and analysis of current dental literature in selected topics related to dental hygiene practice.

412 Preventive Dental Care Programs (1) Methods for development and implementation of programs involved with the delivery of preventive dental care.

413ab Dental Hygiene Educational Concepts (2-2) Educational concepts for development of dental hygiene curriculum, including teaching and learning strategies, curriculum design, course development and evaluation methods.

414ab Advanced Dental Hygiene (2-2) Advanced dental hygiene techniques: treatment, referral and maintenance of the advanced periodontitis patient emphasizing treatment planning and patient management.

415ab Directed Clinical Teaching (2-2) Experience in clinical teaching with supervision and evaluation of undergraduate dental hygiene and doctoral dental students engaging in patient care.

416ab Community Dental Health (1-1) Lectures and practical application of the principles of public health as related to the hygienist; involvement with oral health problems of a group of people not normally seen as patients. Lecture, 1 hour.

417 Issues in Dental Health Care Delivery (1) Study of current trends in public health care delivery, manpower, finance mechanisms, and quality assurance.

422 Essentials of Dental Hygiene Practice (1) A review of the moral, legal, and ethical responsibilities of the dental hygienist. Other topics: securing a position, dental economics, taxes, insurance, and human relationships in the dental office. Lecture, 1 hour.

424ab Research Methods (1-1) Critical evaluation of scientific literature; techniques of writing and coordinating scientific information for research papers; techniques for preparation of scientific table clinics. Graded IP.

430 Seminar: Initial Periodontal Therapy (2) Presentation of selected clinical cases with documentation of clinical findings, diagnosis, treatment planning, and therapy.

431 Seminar: Periodontal Treatment Planning (2) Periodontal treatment planning; case presentations of uncomplicated periodontitis progressing to complex treatment involving multidisciplinary approach.

460abcd Clinic: Advanced Dental Hygiene (2-2-1-1) Clinical experience in advanced dental hygiene; preventive and therapeutic skills with emphasis on advanced periodontal instrumentation and expanded functions for the registered dental hygienist.

Oral Diagnosis and Radiology (DIAG)

415 Radiographic Techniques (1) Clinical application of radiographic chairside and dark room techniques and quality control.

521 Principles of Oral Radiology (2) Introduction to ionizing radiation and its use in the health professions; radiation biology, physics and hygiene; descriptive terms used in radiography, with illustrations; documentation.

522 Radiographic Techniques (1) Clinical applications of radiographic chairside and darkroom techniques; quality control and evaluation of the radiograph.

523 Oral Maxillofacial Imaging (2, Sm) Clinical application of intraoral and extraoral radiographic techniques; emphasis upon radiation physics, biology, safety, film and digital imaging and image interpretation.

610 Clinic: Advanced Chronic Facial Pain (1) Clinical experience in diagnosis, treatment planning, and treatment of patients with chronic orofacial pain. Prerequisite: departmental approval.

615 Digital and Oral Maxillofacial Imaging (2-4, FaSp) Introduction to computer based imaging in dentistry. Student will learn to use video cameras, scanners, intraoral sensors and advanced imaging technology. Open to dentistry and dental hygiene majors only. Prerequisite: DIAG 521, DIAG 522.

621 CAD/CAM in Dentistry (1) Modern principles of dental Computer Assisted Design/Computer Assisted Manufacturing and will fabricate such restorations in the laboratory.