DEHY Course Descriptions
DEHY 1999 Summer Research Elective Year 1
CREDIT HOURS: 0
This course is designed to provide the student with exposure to research in the field of oral health or dental materials.
DEHY 2000 Directed Study in Dental Hygiene
CREDIT HOURS: 3
Educational opportunities outside of the curriculum. Students have the option to design an independent course of study to expand their knowledge in an area of interest. Approval and consultation with the course director is required to determine learning objectives, outcomes and evaluation. Students also have the option to take an elective. The elective option must be approved by the program director. FORMAT COMMENTS: Self-directed study/primarily work with appropriate faculty advisor.
DEHY 2805 Periodontics
CREDIT HOURS: 1
This course presents the basic clinical, histologic and radiographic parameters needed for the assessment of normal and diseased periodontal structures. Likewise, this course also covers the microbiologic and histopathologic changes associated with the initiation of gingivitis and its progression to the various stages of periodontitis. Finally, the course deals with the cellular interpretation of the clinical response of the periodontium to the initial phase of treatment.
DEHY 2806 Dental Biomaterials Science
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course involves the study of the composition and properties of dental materials that are relevant
to dental hygiene practice. The application of biomaterials science to clinical practice is considered
through lectures, demonstrations and laboratory exercises. The course emphasizes the science of why
specific materials are used in particular applications. Fundamental concepts in biocompatibility are
also introduced and discussed.
DEHY 2809 Nutrition for Preventive Dentistry
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course provides information and an opportunity for discussion on nutrition and how it impacts our general and oral health. The learner will learn how to interpret food intakes related to healthy eating and dental hygiene using the tools Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide and the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI).
DEHY 2812 Fundamentals of Clinical Dental Hygiene - Theory
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This full year lecture based class is an introduction to the knowledge and concepts necessary to understand and practice clinical dental hygiene as a process of care.
DEHY 2817 Fundamentals of Clinical Dental Hygiene
CREDIT HOURS: 9
This class is an introduction to the knowledge, concepts, and skills necessary to understand and practice clinical dental hygiene as a process of care. This process of care involves four phases: assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation. This class is competency based with an expectation that the student will master specified didactic (theory) material as well as pre-clinical and clinical competencies.
DEHY 2822 Oral Anatomy and Dental Histology
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course introduces the student to basic dental terminology, anatomy and morphology of primary and permanent teeth, tooth identification and differentiation. It also includes the study of eruption patterns, occlusion relationships and basic dental histology.
DEHY 2823 Embryology and Pathology
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course covers the areas of embryology and general pathology.
The embryology section of the course covers gametogenesis and fertilization, cleavage and implantation, formation of the bilaminar embryonic disc, establishment of the body plan (gastrulation and neurulation), embryo folding, fetal membranes and placenta, orofacial development, and pharyngeal arches development.
The general pathology section of this course covers the cause, origin, and nature of disease, including the changes occurring because of disease through a series of lectures assignments, and presentations.
DEHY 2825 Radiology
CREDIT HOURS: 6
This course includes the technical and theoretical aspects of dental radiography, the hazards and safety of radiation, as well as interpretation of radiographic images for dental hygiene care. Course material will be presented through lectures, small group activities and laboratory sessions. Laboratory sessions will include a "hands on" portion that allows students to take dental images using prototype heads. The principles of digital imaging will be implemented and students will use this technology to complete practical assignments
DEHY 2826 Behavioral Foundations
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This full-year lecture and group discussion class is an introduction to the principals and methods of effective communication. The constructs, principals and methods of effective communication and motivation in health education and behavioural change will be examined. Concepts covered include theories of motivation, principals of teaching and learning, the client-centred approach to education and counselling, and aspects of psychology that are fundamental to dental hygiene practice. Emphasis will be on the one-on-one clinical setting with reference to the community environment. Learners will be prepared for the second-year clinic following the practice of their patient education skills in simulated patient interactions. There will also be an emphasis on motivational and counselling techniques for tobacco dependence education. Learners will practice motivational interviewing techniques, using video recordings, to prepare them for competencies in the second year of this program.
In addition, this course is home to an interprofessional learning module during the winter term for dentistry, medical, pharmacy, nursing, and dental hygiene students. The course description is as follows:
Introduction to Cultural Safety in Healthcare for Indigenous People
This course attends to three specific Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action that is particularly critical during the education of healthcare professionals. These Calls to Action include:
#22 - the healthcare system to recognize the value of Aboriginal healing practices
#23 - cultural competency training for all healthcare professionals, i.e., dentistry
#24 - medical and nursing schools in Canada “to require all students to take a course dealing with Aboriginal health issues”.
The course objectives recognize the importance of treaty education in health and clinical practice for Mi’kmaq and Indigenous Peoples. This course will provide students with a holistic understanding of Indigenous peoples’ health, including the historical context, the unique contemporary determinants of Indigenous well-being, practices to consider for therapeutic health care encounters integrated with domains from the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative framework (CIHC).
The CIHC National Interprofessional Competency framework describes six competencies required for effective inter-professional collaboration and these include: Role Clarification, Team Functioning, Patient/Client/Family/Community-Centred Care, Collaborative Leadership, Inter-professional Communication, Interprofessional Conflict Resolution.
By understanding historical events, treaties, landmark documents, health care, and cultural safety we begin to prepare Dalhousie University medical, pharmacy, nursing, dentistry, and dental hygiene students for the demands of clinical practice. In addition, the course will build institutional capacity so other learners from Faculties across Dalhousie University can learn this valuable Indigenous core content knowledge and apply it in their respective areas of study.
DEHY 2828 Extended Clinical Skills
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course takes place in the spring term of the first year of the dental hygiene diploma program. It includes the theoretical and technical aspects related to the “extended skills” competencies within the dental hygiene scope of practice. These extended skills cover three main topic areas: Laboratory Techniques, Restorative Practices and Orthodontic Procedures. Course material will be presented in lectures and demonstrations, as well as laboratory and preclinical sessions. The laboratory and preclinical sessions will include a hands-on portion that allows the student to practice the skills on each other and on mannequin.
FORMAT:
DEHY 2850 Introduction to General and Oral Microbiology
CREDIT HOURS: 3
Introduction to General and Oral Microbiology is an introductory level of microbiology course that aims to build up a foundation of microbiology and microbial diseases for dental professional students. The course includes studies of microbial structure, physiology, genetics, and the ways microbes cause diseases and affect human defense systems. This course will particularly emphasize the importance of common human microbes, host-microbial interactions and their impacts on oral health and diseases.
DEHY 2851 Basic Human Anatomy
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course is offered by the Department of Medical Neuroscience. Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to explain and describe, at a basic level, the gross anatomy, neuroanatomy, and histology of the human body. An online Virtual Human Cadaver Dissection Laboratory will be offered. The course is designed to keep learners engaged through weekly online assignments and a classroom response system.
FORMAT: Lecture
LECTURE HOURS PER WEEK: 3
RESTRICTIONS: Restricted to Dental Hygiene students
DEHY 2852 Gross Anatomy of Head and Neck
CREDIT HOURS: 1
This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the gross anatomy of the head and neck. Special attention is given to oral and dental structures. This class complements DEHY 2851.03 (Basic Human Anatomy) and DEHY 2853.06 (Human Physiology).
FORMAT:
FORMAT COMMENTS: Lecture/lab 2.5 hours
RESTRICTIONS: Restricted to Dental Hygiene students
DEHY 2853 Human Physiology
CREDIT HOURS: 6
This is an introductory human physiology course directed mainly to Health Profession and Dental Hygiene students. The functions of body organs and body systems and the integration functions of the whole organism are studied.
FORMAT:
FORMAT COMMENTS: weekly assignments
LECTURE HOURS PER WEEK: 3
CROSS-LISTING:
PHYL 1010.06
DEHY 3001 Dental Hygiene Clinic
CREDIT HOURS: 12
This course is the clinical application of skills and knowledge to provide comprehensive dental hygiene care. Students will use the dental hygiene process of care: assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation. Students will gain additional experiences by attending rotations through pediatric, geriatric, orthodontic, restorative and oral surgery clinics.
DEHY 3002 Population Health
CREDIT HOURS: 6
The course includes both didactic and practicum requirements. It is an introduction to the promotion of oral health and the prevention of oral diseases in populations. The population and health promotion approaches aim to improve the health status of the entire population and to reduce health inequities among population groups by taking action on the full range of health determinants. Course requirements include practical experience in community settings such as health centers, schools, and extended care facilities.
DEHY 3003 Diverse Populations
CREDIT HOURS: 3
In this lecture and seminar course students will learn how to modify the Dental Hygiene Process of Care to accommodate the oral health needs of these diverse populations through a series of assignments and presentation
FORMAT:
DEHY 3007 Pharmacology
CREDIT HOURS: 1
A broad overview of drugs commonly used in dental practice and by dental patients. Major considerations include basic pharmacokinetics, basic mechanisms of action, drug-drug interactions and specific factor that affect or influence dental/dental hygiene procedures.