Orientation to Dentistry Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering dental team roles, dental specialties, key acronyms, provincial legislation, supervision levels, ethics, and legal topics from the Orientation to Dentistry course.

Chairside (float) assistant

A dental assistant who assists the dentist while under direct supervision and whose training may be provided on the job by the dentist.

Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)

A formally trained dental assistant who completed all certification requirements and may perform all services in the CADA scope of practice.

Dental Hygienist (RDH)

A dental professional who provides oral home-care instructions (OHI), removes deposits during a prophylaxis, takes radiographs, performs selective coronal polishing, and administers fluoride.

Dental Laboratory Technician (RDT)

A dental team member who typically works in a laboratory making crowns, bridges, retainers, and study models.

TEAM

An acronym standing for 'Together Everyone Accomplishes More'.

Dental Public Health

Dental specialty that addresses the community's dental needs, promotes dental health, and provides reduced-rate treatment for families in financial need.

Endodontics

Dental specialty dealing with the causes, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and injuries of the dental pulp.

Oral and Maxillofacial Radiography

Dental specialty focused on digital imaging to locate tumors and infectious diseases of the jaws, head, and neck, and to diagnose trauma and TMD.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Dental specialty involving the diagnosis and surgical treatment of diseases, injuries, and defects, such as wisdom teeth extractions and facial reconstruction.

Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology

Dental specialty involving the identification and management of diseases of the oral cavity by performing biopsies and consulting with surgeons.

Orthodontics

First dental specialty (established in 1900) focused on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of malocclusions.

Pediatric Dentistry

Dental specialty providing primary and comprehensive preventive and restorative care for infants and children through adolescence, including those with special needs.

Periodontics

Dental specialty focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the oral tissues that support and surround the teeth.

Prosthodontics

Dental specialty concerned with the rehabilitation of missing or deficient teeth using restorations like crowns, bridges, and dentures.

CDAA

Canadian Dental Assistants Association.

NDAEB

National Dental Assisting Examination Board.

CDAC

Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada.

Health Professions Act (HPA)

Umbrella legislation providing a common regulatory framework for health professions in Alberta.

CDSA

College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta.

CADA

College of Alberta Dental Assistants.

ACDH

Alberta College of Dental Hygienists.

Dental Jurisprudence

The application of the principles of law to the practice of dentistry, practitioners' obligations to patients, and dentists' relations to each other and society.

Expanded Functions

Specific intraoral functions delegated to qualified auxiliaries who have received increased skill and training.

Direct Supervision

Level of supervision where the dentist delegates a specific procedure, examines the patient before and after, and is physically present in the office and/or operatory.

Indirect Supervision

Level of supervision where the dentist examines the patient before delegating and again when finished, remaining in the office but not required in the operatory.

General Supervision

Level of supervision where the dentist authorizes a procedure that is already diagnosed and treatment planned, but is not required to be present in the office.

Respondeat Superior

'Let the master answer' — a legal doctrine holding that an employer is responsible for harm caused by an employee performing the employer's business.

Abandonment

Discontinuing patient treatment once begun without proper 30 days written notice.

Ethics

Moral conduct regarding right and wrong behavior ('good vs. evil'), including values, high standards, and personal obligations.

Justice

Basic principle of ethics defined as fairness.

Veracity

Basic principle of ethics defined as telling the truth.

Autonomy

Basic principle of ethics defined as self-determination, serving as the basis for informed consent, truth, and confidentiality.

Nonmaleficence

Basic principle of ethics meaning to do no harm to the patient.

Beneficence

Basic principle of ethics defined as being of benefit to the patient.

Professional Code of Ethics

Voluntary standards set by members of a profession that are not enforced laws, used to enhance ethical consciousness and guide decision-making.

Criminal Law

Branch of law involving crimes committed against society, including felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions.

Civil Law

Branch of law involving crimes committed against an individual, which includes contract law and tort law.

Express Contract

A contract established through explicit written or verbal agreement, used for extensive or long treatment like orthodontics.

Implied Contract

A contract formed through implied actions, representing the majority of dental contracts.

Tort Law

Area of law involving a wrongful act that injures one person, committed either accidentally through negligence or intentionally.

Res Gestae

'Things done' — spontaneous statements made by anyone on the dental team at the time of an alleged negligent act, which are admissible in court as evidence.

Act of Omission

Type of malpractice occurring when a professional fails to perform an act that a reasonable professional would perform.

Act of Commission

Type of malpractice occurring when a professional performs an act that a reasonable professional would not perform.

The Four Ds of Malpractice

The four required elements to prove malpractice: Duty, Derelict, Direct cause, and Damages.

Informed Refusal

Occurs when a patient declines recommended treatment after being told the likely consequences; does not release the dentist from providing the standard of care.