DNTL 100 ORIENTATION TO DENTAL CAREERS
1 unit • LG • Total hours: Sixteen hours lecture
Provides the student with a basic knowledge of the various areas of dental health care; the team members of the profession, career pportunities with special emphasis on dental terminology to prepare the student for entry into other dental assisting courses. Required of all Dental Assisting Program candidates.
General Ed. Credit: MPC, Area E
DNTL 101 DENTAL ANATOMY
2 units • LG • Total hours: Thirty-two hours lecture
Anatomy of the head and neck, oral physiology, dental embryology, histology, tooth morphology.
DNTL 102 CHAIRSIDE ASSISTING I
3 units • LG • Total hours: Thirty-two hours lecture; forty hours lab
Basic chairside examination procedures, instrumentation principles of four-handed dentistry, dental materials for preliminary impressions and diagnostic models, vital signs, dental charting, infection control protocol, treatment records and patient management skills.
Enrollment Limitation: Acceptance in Dental Assisting Program
DNTL 103 BEGINNING RADIOGRAPHY
2 units • LG • Total hours: Sixteen hours lecture; forty-eight hours lab
Principles of roentgenographic physics, current intra-oral radiographic techniques, procedures for processing films, and mounting films. Full mouth X-ray surveys on mannequins.
Prerequisite or Co-requisite: DNTL 100
DNTL 104 CHAIRSIDE ASSISTING II
2.5 units • LG • Total hours: Twenty-four hours lecture; forty hours lab
Continuation of DNTL 102. Emphasis on local anesthetic procedures, hand and rotary instruments, dental cements, amalgam and composite materials, rubber dam instrumentation, cavity preparation principles and patient management.
Prerequisites or Co-requisites: DNTL 100 and 102
Enrollment Limitation: Acceptance in Dental Assisting Program
DNTL 106 SUPERVISED CLINICAL EXPERIENCE I
1 unit • LG • Total hours: Eighty hours clinical experience
Development of professional attitudes and skills in all phases of dental assisting under the direct supervision of dentists and MPC faculty. Prerequisites: DNTL 100, 102, 103, and 104; current CPR required; hepatitis and tetanus immunization; TB test; malpractice insurance
DNTL 111 DENTAL PHARMACOLOGY AND ORAL PATHOLOGY
3 units • LG • Total hours: Forty-eight hours lecture
Description and use of drugs usually found in the dental office, types of materials and equipment used to anesthetize patients, post-injection complications and dental office emergency procedures. Description of oral lesions and diseases.
Prerequisite: DNTL 100
DNTL 112 OFFICE MANAGEMENT
1.5 units • LG • Total hours: Sixteen hours lecture; twenty-four hours lab
Instruction in the role of the dental assistant as receptionist, secretary, and office manager; communication, oral and written; appointment control; record keeping; case presentation; dental insurance forms; supply and inventory control; fees and management of accounts. Hands-on application of computer use in the dental office.
Prerequisite: DNTL 100
DNTL 113 INTERMEDIATE RADIOGRAPHY
1.5 units • LG • Total hours: Eight hours lecture; forty-eight hours lab
Practice in making full-mouth radiographic examinations on patients, technical evaluation of processed films, recognition of radiographic landmarks, instruction in extra-oral techniques. Radiography for children, elderly, and special problems.
Prerequisites: DNTL 100 and 103
DNTL 114 CHAIRSIDE ASSISTING III
2.5 units • LG • Total hours: Twenty-four hours lecture; forty hours lab
Continuation of DNTL 104. Emphasis is on fixed and removable prosthodontics, operative and laboratory procedures associated with fabrication of temporary and permanent replacements of natural dentition and oral structures.
Prerequisites: DNTL 100, 102, and 104
DNTL 115 DENTAL SPECIALITIES
2 units • LG • Total hours: Sixteen hours lecture; forty hours lab
Covered in this course are the dental specialties: Orthodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics, Endodontics and the associated assisting functions. Duties associated with specialty dentistry and delegated to the dental assistant and registered dental assistant in the California Dental Practice Act are taught to a level of competence. Completion of this course fulfills the State Board requirement for certification in Coronal Polishing. The importance of legal/ethical issues is addressed throughout the course.
Prerequisite: DNTL 100, 102, 104, and 114
DNTL 116 SUPERVISED CLINICAL EXPERIENCE II
3.5 units • LG • Total hours: Eight hours lecture; two-hundred forty hours clinical experience
Practice in working as part of the complete dental team under the direct supervision of dentists at clinics and private offices. Development of professional attitude in all phases of dental assisting and skill in use of equipment. Emphasis placed on the specialty areas of dental practice: oral surgery, periodontics, endodontics, orthodontics, and prosthodontics. Weekly seminars held to evaluate and review
clinical applications.
Prerequisites: DNTL 100, 102, 103, 104, 106, 113, and 114
DNTL 213 DENTAL RADIOGRAPHY CERTIFICATION
2 units • C/NC • Total hours: Sixteen hours lecture; twenty-four hours lab; twenty-three hours clinical
Provides theory, laboratory practice and clinical application in dental radiography techniques. Clinical application includes exposure of a minimum of four (4) diagnostically acceptable full mouth series including bitewing on patients (according to California Law). Laboratory instruction includes completion of a minimum of two (2) acceptable full mouth series including bitewing on a mannequin.
Advisory: Clinical dental assisting experience verified by Program Director
DNTL 215 REGISTERED DENTAL ASSISTING REVIEW/PREPARATION
3 units • C/NC • Three hours lecture
For the employed dental assistant without formal training to prepare for the California Registered Assistant licensure examination. An overview of all dental assisting procedures with particular emphasis on RDA functions.
Advisory: Eligibility for State RDA licensure exam