dhc ch 12, 14, 17, 18 vocab

American Dental Association (ADA)

A professional organization that represents dentists nationwide and seeks to address the most important professional and public health issues.

Dental assistant

A professional who assists dentists by performing a variety of patient care, office, and laboratory duties.

Dental ceramist

A technician who makes porcelain and acrylic restorations.

Dental hygienist

A professional who cleans teeth, provides other preventive dental care, and teaches patients how to practice good oral hygiene.

Dental laboratory technician

A specialist who creates dental appliances according to a dentist's prescription.

Dental public health specialist

A dentist who promotes good dental health and disease prevention within the community.

Dentist

A trained practitioner who diagnoses and treats problems with teeth and tissues in the mouth, along with giving advice and administering care to help prevent future problems.

Endodontist

A dentist who performs root-canal surgery and therapy.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeon

A dentist who operates on mouths, jaws, teeth, gums, neck, and head.

Oral pathologist

A dentist who diagnoses diseases of the mouth.

Orthodontist

The largest group of dental specialists, work to straighten teeth.

Pediatric dentist

a dentist whose work focuses on children and special-needs patients

Periodontist

Specialize in treating the gums.

Pit and fissure sealants

Sealants applied to the tooth to fill pits and fissures and provide a physical barrier on the tooth surface.

Prosthodontist

A dentist who replaces missing teeth with permanent fixtures, such as crowns and bridges, or with removable fixtures such as dentures.

Compounding

The actual mixing of ingredients to form powders, tablets, capsules, ointments, and solutions.

Consultant pharmacists

Pharmacists who travel to nursing homes or other facilities to monitor patients' drug therapy

Internships

Supervised, practical experience to aid professional development

Medication profile

A computerized record of the customer's drug therapy.

Nuclear pharmacists

Pharmacist who prepares and dispenses radioactive pharmaceuticals

Nutrition support pharmacists

Pharmacist that helps determine and prepare nutrition formulas given intravenously

Pharmaceutical chemistry

Physical and chemical properties of drugs and dosage forms. Also known as pharmaceutics.

Pharmaceutical industry pharmacist

Pharmacist that works the sales, research and development, or marketing divisions of pharmaceutical companies.

Pharmaceuticals

Medicinal drugs

Pharmaceutics

The branch of pharmacology concerned with the preparation, use, or sale of medicinal drugs.

Pharmacoeconomics

The analysis of the costs and benefits of different drug therapies.

Pharmacology

The study of the effect drugs have on the human and animal bodies.

Pharmacotherapists

Health professional that specializes in drug therapy and works closely with physicians.

Pharmacy administration

The study of business aspects of pharmacy use and management

Pharmacy aides

Often a clerk or cashier who primarily answers telephones, handles money, stocks shelves, and performs other clerical duties

Pharmacy technicians

Technician who helps licensed pharmacists provide medication and other healthcare products to patients

Radiopharmacists

Applies the principles and practices of pharmacy and radiochemistry to produce radioactive drugs that are used for diagnosis and therapy

Side effects

A secondary and usually adverse effect of a medication or treatment

Assistive device

Medical equipment designed to help patients with disabilities perform everyday tasks and activities. Also known as protective or preventive devices, including tape, bandages, and braces that athletes or their trainers use to protect, prevent, or avoid injuries during a sport or other form of training that involves the human body.

Deep tissue massage

A form of massage therapy that targets large muscle groups to relieve pain and tension.

Electrical stimulation

Use of a low-voltage electrical current to stimulate nerves for relief of pain.

Evidence-based practice

Use of scientific evidence to guide practice decisions

Orthotic and prosthetic technician

One who provides technical support to a certified individual in creating, repairing, and maintaining orthoses and prostheses.

Orthotics and prosthetics (O&P)

The evaluation, fabrication, and custom fitting of artificial limbs and orthopedic braces.

Orthotist

One who designs and fits corrective braces, inserts, and supports for body parts that need straightening or other curative functions

Outcomes assessment

The use of standardized, objective measures to gauge a patient's functionality at various stages of treatment.

Paraffin bath

A form of pain relief that uses heated wax for medical purposes.

Pedorthist

One who selects, modifies, or creates footwear to address conditions of the foot and ankle.

Photosensitivity

Sensitivity to light from the sun

Physical therapist

Professional trained to provide services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities.

Physical therapist aide

A professional who helps make therapy sessions productive, under the direct supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant

Physical therapist assistant

Under the direction and supervision of physical therapists, he or she provides part of a patient's treatment

Physical therapy

The treatment of disease, injury, or deformity by physical methods such as massage, heat treatment, and exercise rather than by drugs or surgery.

Prosthetist

One who designs, measures, fits, and adjusts artificial limbs for amputees and devices for people with musculoskeletal or neurological conditions

Rehabilitation

The restoration of a person to normal or near-normal function after a physical or mental illness, including chemical addiction

Research

Collecting of information about a particular subject

Soft tissue mobilization

a form of therapy that seeks to loosen tightness and minimize pain through application of pressure and manual manipulation

Sports medicine

Specialty concerned with the prevention and treatment of injuries and disorders that are related to participation in sports.

Tests and measurements

methods of evaluating physical capacity and health

Therapeutic exercise

Medically recommended physical activity designed to improve function, address an impairment, or improve quality of life.

Adaptive equipment

Special equipment designed to facilitate everyday functioning for patients.

Cognitive skills

Competent use of one's intellectual activity (as thinking, reasoning, remembering, imagining, or learning words).

Emotional disorders

Difficulty in competent use of one's intellectual activity (as thinking, reasoning, remembering, imagining, or learning words).

Home health care

Supportive care provided in one's home.

Mental health

A state of emotional and psychological well-being.

Multidisciplinary team

Medical group comprised of several different specialties that evaluate the patient in terms of their individual specialties and work together to develop goals that meet the patient's needs.

Occupational therapist

Helps individuals with mental, physical, developmental, or emotional disabilities learn to perform the activities of daily living.

Occupational therapy

Treatment for those recuperating from illness that encourages rehabilitation by performing the activities of daily life.

Occupational therapy aide/assistant

Helps patients develop, recover, and improve skills needed for activities of daily living and for being gainfully employed; works under the supervision of an occupational therapist

Perceptual skills

awareness of the elements of environment through physical sensation

Physical disabilities

A limitation on a person's physical functioning, mobility, dexterity, or stamina. Its definition can vary, depending on whether it is a medical, legal, cultural, or other issue.

Rehabilitation center

A facility for providing therapy and training for rehabilitation.

Wellness and health promotion

Wellness is a healthy balance of the mind, body, and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being. Health promotion refers to the improvement of health or wellness. For example, stopping smoking is one means to promote one's health and wellness.