Dental Hygiene Practice Syllabus for 2011-2012
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Course

DHYG-1123-001 Dental Hygiene Practice

Prerequisites

Course Description

Emphasis on the laws governing the practice of dentistry and dental hygiene, moral standards and the ethical standards established by the dental hygiene profession. Practice settings for the dental hygienist, office operations and preparation for employment.

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Department Expectations

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Hours

(1 sem hr; 1 lec)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

 Required Course Textbooks

Students MUST have the CURRENT edition of all required textbooks and must bring textbooks to ALL scheduled class sessions.

1.  State Board of Dental Examiners Rules and Regulations and Occupations Code (Current  Copy)

2.  Ethics, Jurisprudence, & Practice Management in Dental Hygiene, Vickie J. Kimbrough and Charla J. Lautar, 3rd edition, Pearson Education, Inc.,  2012. 

 

                            

Supplies

\  Course Supply List

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\ 1.  Library Card for AC and/or city library

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\ 2.  Computer and Internet Access, Printer, Print Cartridges

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\ 3.  Index Cards, Scantrons, Paper, Pens,

Student Performance

Course Description

Emphasis on the laws governing the practice of dentistry and dental hygiene, moral standards, and the ethical standards established by the dental hygiene profession.  Practical settings for the dental hygienist, office operations, and preparation for employment.

End-of-Course Outcomes

Explain the Dental Practice Act governing the dental and dental hygiene profession; evaluate ethical and moral issues affecting dental hygiene practice; describe traditional and non-traditional dental hygiene practice settings; and prepare for employment.

Course Objectives

1.   Define the term ethics.       
2.   Define the terms deontology (deontology approach) and teleology (teleological approach).
3.   Distinguish between the ethical theory of utiliatarianism and Kant's ethical theory.
4.   Compare rule utilitarianism with act utilitarianism.
5.   Contrast a right with a duty and a right with a privilege.
6.   Discuss the role of social justice in determining ethical behavior.
7.   Identify the core values found in the Code of Ethics of the American Dental Hygienists' Association.
8. Compare other codes of ethics found in the dental hygiene profession at the local, state, provincial, and national levels.
9.   Define the terms autonomy, confidentiality, societal trust, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, veracity, fidelity, paternalism, and    utility.
10.   Discuss the criteria necessary for informed consent.
11.   Relate conditions for not obtaining informed consent.
12.   Compare the ethical principles found in codes of ethics, informed consent, patients' bill of rights, and other documents related to patient care.
13.   Define the term ethical dilemma.
14.   List the steps involved in ethical decision making.
15.   Solve ethical dilemmas using a decision-making process.
16.   Determine core values and principles used to solve an ethical dilemma.
17.   Discuss the role of laws in determining alternatives for solving an ethical dilemma.
18.   Compare the concepts of civil law with criminal law, utilizing examples found in dental hygiene practice.
19.   List the types and circumstances of supervision (or absence of supervision) found in the Dental/Dental Hygiene Practice Act of the jurisdiction in which you reside or attend school, or where you would like to practice dental hygiene. 
20. State the conditions necessary for a contract between a patient and a dental hygienist with regard to dental hygiene services.
21. Define and distinguish between the following terms:  a.  Intentional tort and unintentional tort; b.  Malpractice and Negligence; c.  Libel and slander; d.  Assault and Battery and e.  Implied Contract and Expressed Contract
22. Discuss the rights of patients protected by law and duties of providers regulated by law from both ethical and legal perspectives.
23. Discuss the role of lobbying in developing legislation for the practice of dental hygiene.
24. Identify legislation that protects and aids the patient and the dental hygienist against discrimination in dentistry.
25. Recognize the signs of abuse (child, spouse, and elderly).
26. List barriers to access to care and reasons for disparities in oral health care.
27. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various reimbursement or insurance plans (Medicaid, Medicare, and mangaged care) as they pertain to access to care and distributive justice issues.
28. Discuss the role of the dental hygienist as an advocate for oral health care.
29. Discuss the need for practice management in the dental office.
30. Identify different management styles.
31. Differentiate between oral health care and the business of oral health care.
32. Discuss the team concept.
33. Identify the benefits of cross training.
34. Differentiate types of staff meetings.
35. Differentiate between employer expectations and employee expectations.
36. Identify uses of public relations and image for the dental/dental hygiene practice.
37. Identify  patient needs as they relate to dental hygiene.
38. Discuss how marketing relates to the dental/dental hygiene practice.
39. Identify advantages and disadvantages of profit centers.
40. Describe the scope of the dental hygiene diagnosis as it relates to building a practice.
41. Discuss business aspects for dental hygiene.
42. Discuss time management issues and plan a treatment hour.
43. Identify leadership traits.
44. Describe different models for alternate practice.
45. Discuss legislative barriers to alternate practice.
46. List different duties for dental hygienists in alternative practice and dental therapists.
47. Develop a business plan for an alternative practice model.
48. Discuss the development of computer use in the dental practice.
49. Discuss aspects of job searching.
50. Identify different employment opportunities for dental hygienists.
51. Discuss the process of interviews between employers and employees.
52. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of working interviews.
53. Identify contents and needs for office policy manuals.
54. Discuss benefits as they relate to the dental hygienist.
55. Apply negotiating skills related to employee benefits.
56. Describe the differences between stocks, mutual funds, and IRAs.
57. Explain the meaning of portfolio.
58. Describe CD investments.
59. Explain liability insurance.
60. Explain disability insurance.
61. Identify the need for self-care and physical health.
62. Describe the benefits of professional membership.

Objectives taken from the assignments from the dentalcare.com resource center:

1.  Understand the concepts of beauty as they relate to individuals and cultures.

2.  Identify the factors that can influence patients' interest in whitening and other esthetic procedures.

3.  Learn how to effectively communicate with patients from establishing conversations to treatment acceptance.

4.  Enhance communication with the dental laboratory.

5.  Understand how to create and maintain a cohesive esthetic office team.

6.  Learn ways to build a profitable esthetic practice.

7.  Understand how to ensure successful outcomes to the patient and the practice.

8.  Understand the basis of color.

9.  Apply the basics of color to human teeth and dental restorations.

10.  Understand how shade guides and digital imaging are used to assess tooth color and shade.

11.  Understand the indications for various esthetic and restorative procedures, including tooth whitening, veneers, enamel microabrasion, dental implants and orthodontics.

12.  Learn the basic techniques for these esthetic and restorative treatments.

13.  Understand the advantages and disadvantages of these procedures.

14.  Learn about the various whitening agents.

15.  Understand the factors affecting whitening response.

16.  Understand the techniques, advantages and disadvantages of popular whitening delivery systems.

17.  Recognize the scope and implications of health literacy issues.

18.  Know the differences between general literacy, health literacy, and oral health literacy.

19.  List several behaviors that may be indicative of limited literacy.

20.  List common responses that someone with low literacy levels might use.

21.  List several strategies for improving interpersonal communication with patients.

22.  Identify pivotal activities that have focused attention on the importance of oral health.

23.  Discuss several of the ADA initiatives aimed at improving oral health literacy.

24.  Identify and implement strategies to enhance patient understanding. 

25.  Learn to evaluate health care literature and documents for their level of reading complexity and make them more readable and easily understood.

26.  Understand the importance of and the reasons for properly documenting and maintaining patient records.

27.  Differentiate between types of data that should be included or excluded from the complete record.

28.  Explain ownership of the physical dental records, radiographs and information found in patient charts.

29.  Avoid potential charting errors by learning to use objective and legible entries to properly document pertinent patient information.

30.  Enumerate important criteria when recording treatment procedures.

31.  Demonstrate how to properly revise an incorrect entry.

32.  Explain the difference between a correction and an alteration of an entry in the patient chart.

33.  Understand contributory actions and their necessary documentation.

34.  Discuss the risks involved if documentation is inaccurate.

35.  Gain a better understanding of dental malpractice, standard of care and the importance of communicating with patients.

36.  Suggest ways to improve record documentation in the practice setting.

37.  Understand the HIPAA privacy and security rules.

38.  Define HIPAA.

39.  Describe what HIPAA requires.

40.  Discuss how protected health information can be recognized.

41.  Identify situations in which information can be disclosed without consent.

42.  Describe penalties for HIPAA noncompliance.

43.  Identify instances when a parent of a minor may not have access to health information.

44. Identify individuals considered business asscociates under HIPAA.

45.  Explain how to create or maintain financial arrangments with patients or the responsible party.

46.  Demonstrate how to maintain patient account records including a record of all charges, payments, and adjustments to the account.

47.  Understand why patients should be provided with a receipt or walkout statement.

48.  Verify day-end totals for all charges, payments and account adjustments.

49.  Show how to prepare a daily bank deposit of all receipts.

50.  Verify that daily totals have been accurately carried over to the monthly summary.

51.  Explain how to generate patient account statements on a regular basis.

52.  Demonstrate how to repair  and verify month-end accounts receivable and related management reports.

53.  Explain how to handle delinquent accounts.

54.  Understand and describe the different methods of third-party payments including:  UCR, schedule of allowances, DMO, HMO, IPA, PPO, direct reimbursement and capitation programs.

55.  Understand and be able to explain insurance coverage to a patient and formulate financial arrangements accordingly.

56.  Demonstrate how to prepare and submit pre-treatment estimates and claims to third-party carriers.

57.  Explain how to follow-up on delayed, lost, and/or rejected third-party claims.

58.  Explain how to determine eligibility of benefits.

59.  Describe the birthday rule.

60.  Give an example of a non-duplication of benefits scenario.

61.  Understand the CDT code categories.

62.  Describe advantages of electronic claims submission.

63.  Understand the difference between release of information and assignment of benefits.

64.  Explain what a pretreatment estimate is, and what factors can affect the estimate.

65.  Give examples of reports for tracking claims.

66.  Identify key information on an EOB.

67.  Understand what actions can constitute fraud.

68.  Understand how to differentiate between invoices and statements.

69.  Demonstrate how to verify a packing slip.

70.  Describe how to manage expense records by appropriate categories.

71.  Discuss how to balance a checkbook.

72.  Explain how to reconcile bank statements.

73.  Discuss how to manage the petty cash fund.

74.  Explain what information is required for payroll deductions.

75.  Explain how long payroll records should be maintained for tax and government purposes.

76.  Identify the components that make up a patient record.

77.  Describe SOAP and the portions of  SOAP notes.

78.  Discuss all dental terminology associated with record keeping.

79.  Identify various charting symbols and interpretations.

80.  Identify the parts of a prescription.

81.  Define HIPAA.

82.  Describe what HIPAA requires.

83.  Idenfity three key areas covered by HIPAA.

84.  Discuss how protected health information can be recognized.

85.  Identify situations in which information can be disclosed without consent.

86.  Describe penalties for HIPAA noncompliance.

87.  Explain how to retain clinical records to meet legal requirements.

88.  Describe filing systems for practice income and expense records, patient financial records and account histories.

89.  Identify ways in which to protect records from hazards such as fire and water damage.

90.  Describe filing systems for other records such as recare/recall, laboratory prescriptions, personnell, radiation exposure and management records.

91.  Describe the standard of care in dentistry.

92.  Discuss the legal responsibilities of a dentist.

93.  Differentiate between act of omission and act of commission.

94.  Name three areas of risk management.

95.  Identify the greatest factor in preventing litigation.

96.  Explain implied consent.

97.  Discuss the situations that are exceptions to disclosure of information for informed consent.

98.  Discuss how to initiate and follow-up on procedures for the referral of patients to specialty practices.

99. Understand the situations that require written consent from the patient.

100. Identify the necessary information documented when a patient is referred to a specialist.

101. Monitor and respond to patient questions regarding insurance, scheduling and other non-clinical queries.

102.  Interpret and comprehend the Universal and Palmer numbering systems used in charting entries.

103.  Understand and reiterate basic terminology used in treatment plans and in describing dental procedures.

104.  Describe effective written communication technique in preparing correspondence electronic mail reports and other documents.

105.  Understand the procedures relating to mail and other delivery stystems. 

 

The student will know that these objective have been successfully completed if he or she earns a final course grade of "C" or higher as evaluated by the instructor.

The standard for the objectives may be one or any combination of the following:

• As given in lecture
• As demonstrated, discussed in the clinic experience
• As given in handouts
• As stated in the course texts
• As given on exams

 

 

 

 

 

                                                         

                                                                                                           

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

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If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

Student Conduct and Responsibilities

A high standard of conduct is expected of all Amarillo College students.  The Student Code of Conduct is defined in the Amarillo College Student Rights and Responsibilities publication.  This document may be located online at www.actx.edu.

"Amarillo College expects a high standard of conduct from its students.  Students are expected to comply with the law, respect proper constitutional authority, and obey College policies, rules and regulations.  Unacceptable conduct is defined as an action or behavior that is contrary to the best interest of a fellow student or students, the faculty or staff, the College, or the teaching learning process.  Students failing to perform according to established standards may be subject to disciplinary action.  Policies, standards, rules and regulations apply to students attending College activities whether the activity takes place on or off campus.  Each student shall be responsible for becoming knowledgeable of the contents and provisions of College policies, rules, and regulations concerning student conduct.  In some cases, individual programs may have approved policies for student conduct which also apply to student conduct in those programs."

The Amarillo College Dental Hygiene Program has specific policies which apply to student conduct within the program.  These policies have been implied or written.  The course syllabi and the Program Manual are sources for student conduct policies for Dental Hygiene students at Amarillo College.

Professional Standards

1.   Student is prompt for class.
2.   Student is prepared for class sessions.
3.   Student assumes responsibility for his/her learning.
4.   Student is concerned with excellence in learning rather than just meeting minimal criteria.
5.   Student applies lecture material to the clinic setting.
6.   Student will seek faculty assistance if needed, and will monitor his/her own progress in meeting course requirements.
7.   Student maintains his/her composure, dealing with conflict in a constructive way.
8.   Student exhibits an attitude of respect for classmates, faculty and staff.
9.   In order for the maximum potential for learning to occur, students should not be disruptive during class.  Should this occur, the student will be asked to leave immediately and will receive an absence for the day.  Disciplinary action may also be taken. 

Electronic and Recording Devices

In order to maximize learning, all electronic recording devices and cell phones or beeper/pagers are prohibited in this course.  If a student is caught with a cell phone in hand or in a uniform pocket, or actively texting, talking, or surfing the Internet during a clinic session, the student will immediately be dismissed from the Clinic and/or Class and will receive a grade of "0". 

Mailboxes

Each student is assigned a mailbox located inside the student dressing room.  Students are required to check his/her mailbox daily for various communication from faculty.

 

Emergency Contacts

Phone numbers that family members may use to reach a student in case of an emergency are as follows:

Dental Hygiene Office Supervisor:  354-6050

Amarillo College Police:  371-5163

 

Academic Grievance Procedure

A student who has a grievance concerning an academic course in which he/she is enrolled is directed to appeal in the following order to the:  (1) Instructor (2) Department Chair/Program Director (3) Dean of Health Sciences (4) Vice President of Academic Affairs (5) College President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grading Criteria

Assignments and Examinations

The course will consist of major examinations, homework assignments, preparation of a professional resume, and a comprehensive final examination.  Please refer to the course calendar for the schedule of materials to be covered in each class and the examination dates.  Also, please note the provisions of the Make-up Policy in this syllabus for missed examinations. 

Readings from  www.dentalcare.com include the following:

1.  Dental Esthetics in Practice: Part I - Focus on the Patient

2.  Dental Esthetics in Practice Part II - Dental Esthetics and the Practice

3.  Dental Esthetics in Practice Part III - Understanding Color and Shade Selection

4.  Dental Esthetics in Practice Part IV - Overview of Esthetics and Restorative Procedures

5.  Dental Esthetics in Practice Part V- Tooth Whitening

6.  Health Literacy for the Dental Team

7.  Maintaining Proper Dental Records

8.  The Business of Dentistry:  Financial Management for the Dental Office

9.  The Business of Dentistry:  Patient Records and Records Management

Grading Criteria

The final course grade will be computed as follows:

• Major Exams:  40%                           
• Homework Assignments from the www.dentalcare.com  and case study assignments:  25%      
• Completed Resume:  10%              
• Final Examination:  25%                   

 The following course grade scale applies throughtout this course:

• A = 93-100
• B = 83-92
• C= 75-82
• F= Below 75%

Note:  A grade of "D" is not possible in this course.

In order to pass the course, a student must achieve a final grade of 75% and meet all requirements for the course. 

Faculty Assistance

All students are considered mature enough to seek faculty assistance from the course director and to monitor their own progress in meeting course requirements.  If students have questions concerning assignments, content, etc., or if a problem arises that warrants instructor help, please do not hesitate to call or come by my office to schedule an appointment.  If I am unavailable, please leave a note and I will contact you as soon as possible.  I prefer to work with a scheduled appointment so that I may devote the time and attention necessary to meet each student's needs.

Make-up Policy

If a student is absent on the day when a major exam is given, the student may make-up the missed work as follows:

1.  It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements with the instructor within 24 hours of returning from the absence to      reschedule  the examination.
2.  The missed work must be made up within TWO Amarillo College school days where the day ends at 4:00 p.m.
3.  The make-up work may earn a maximum of 80% of the original point value.

Attendance

\ Attendance Policy

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\ "Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement.  Therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to attend class in accordance with the requirements of the course as established by the instructor."  (Amarillo College Student's Rights and Responsibilities Publication)

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\ Due to the tremendous amount of information contained in this course, the student who plans to succeed should also plan to attend all course sessions regulary and promptly.  Without question, the instructor expects each student to be present at each session.  Unfortunately, no one has ever developed a short cut which will replace hours of actual experience needed to master a new skill; therefore students must be present to acquire the specific knowledge in this subject.

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\ Absences will be monitored and evaluated to determine the student's final course grade.  The student may have no more than 1 absence in this course without affecting the final grade.  Beginning with the 2nd absence, 2 points will be deducted from the final grade; on the 3rd absence, 3 points will be deducted; on the 4th absence, 4 points will be deducted.  On the occurrence of the 5th absence, the student will fail the course and be required to repeat the course.  Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each lecture and lab session.  Students who are not present when attendance is taken will be counted as absent.  Students are expected to be present in class at the time class/lab is scheduled to begin.  STUDENTS WHO ARE LATE TO CLASS OR LAB OR WHO LEAVE CLASS OR LAB EARLY, WILL BE COUNTED AS ABSENT.  The student will receive 2 bonus points to the final grade in this course if the student has perfect attendance for the semester.

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