Dental Hygiene Exam Cheat Sheet

Chapter 1: Professional Dental Hygienist

  • Pioneers:

    • Father of dental hygiene: Dr. Fones

    • First dental hygienist: Irene Newman

  • Core Roles of Dental Hygienists:

    • Teach: Educate patients on oral hygiene practices.

    • Assess: Evaluate oral health through examinations.

    • Diagnose: Determine the presence of dental diseases.

    • Prevent: Implement strategies to prevent dental issues.

    • Treat: Provide treatment for various oral conditions.

    • Research: Engage in studies to advance dental hygiene knowledge.

    • Manage: Oversee dental health practices and procedures.

  • Prevention Levels:

    • Primary Prevention: Measures taken to prevent disease before it occurs.

    • Secondary Prevention: Early treatment of disease to prevent further damage.

    • Tertiary Prevention: Restoration of function and quality of life after disease has occurred.

  • Practice Settings:

    • Dental offices

    • Schools

    • Hospitals

    • Military settings

Chapter 5: Infection Control – Transmissible Diseases

  • Types of Germs:

    • Bacteria

    • Viruses

    • Fungi

    • Parasites

  • Disease Transmission Chain:

    • Agent: The pathogen that causes disease

    • Reservoir: Where the pathogen lives and multiplies

    • Exit: How the pathogen leaves the reservoir

    • Transmission: How the pathogen spreads

    • Entry: How the pathogen enters a new host

    • Host: An individual that harbors the disease

  • Standard Precautions:

    • Use of gloves, masks, eyewear, and gowns to protect against infection

  • Extra Precautions:

    • Droplet precautions: Measures to prevent spread through respiratory droplets

    • Contact precautions: Measures to prevent spread through direct touch

    • Airborne precautions: Measures to prevent spread via airborne transmission

    • Sharps precautions: Safe handling and disposal of sharp instruments

Chapter 6: Exposure Control (Barriers)

  • Order of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

    • Mask → Eyewear → Gloves

  • Clinic Attire:

    • Scrubs

    • Gowns

    • Clinic-only shoes

  • Recommended Immunizations:

    • Hepatitis B

    • Influenza

    • Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR)

    • Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap)

    • Varicella (Chickenpox)

    • Meningococcal

  • Latex Allergy:

    • Important to use alternative materials in case of latex allergies

Chapter 7: Infection Control – Clinical Procedures

  • Instruments Categories:

    • Critical Items (e.g., scalers, probes): Must be sterilized.

    • Semi-Critical Items (e.g., mirrors, trays): Should be sterilized or subjected to high-level disinfection.

    • Non-Critical Items (e.g., chair, bib chain): Should be disinfected.

  • Instrument Cleaning Process:

    • Ultrasonic or washer cleaning

    • Sterilization

    • Packaging with an indicator to show sterilization status

Chapter 9: Emergency Care

  • Preventive Measures:

    • Review patient history

    • Check vital signs

    • Assess stress levels

  • Common Emergencies:

    • Fainting: Position patient flat with legs elevated.

    • Allergic Reaction: Use epinephrine (epi).

    • Seizure: Protect the patient's head during the seizure.

    • Angina/Myocardial Infarction (MI): Administer nitroglycerin and oxygen; call EMS.

  • Essential Emergency Equipment:

    • Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

    • Oxygen supply

    • First aid kit

Lecture 1: Ergonomics

  • Common Ergonomic Hazards:

    • Awkward posture

    • Static posture

    • Excessive force

    • Repetitive movements

  • Neutral Posture Guidelines:

    • Head position: 0–20°

    • Shoulders: level with each other

    • Elbows: at waist level

    • Wrists: aligned with hands

  • Clock Positions for Instrumentation:

    • Right hand: 8–1 o'clock positions

    • Left hand: 11–4 o'clock positions

Lecture 2: Instruments & Finger Rests

  • Handle Characteristics:

    • Light, wide, and textured for better grip

  • Shank Variations:

    • Straight Shank: Used for anterior teeth

    • Bent Shank: Used for posterior teeth

    • Rigid Shank: For heavy calculus

    • Flexible Shank: For light calculus

  • Working End Components:

    • Face: Surface used for cutting or scaling

    • Back: Opposite side of the face

    • Edges: Sharp sides that perform the cutting

    • Toe/Tip: Pointed end for access to interproximal areas

  • Finger Rests:

    • Provide stability and control during instrumentation

  • Stroke Types:

    • Exploratory Stroke: Light touch to assess the surface

    • Scaling Stroke: Firm stroke for removing deposits

    • Root Planing Stroke: Smooth stroke to prepare the root surface

Lecture 3: Medical History & Vitals

  • Communication Breakdown:

    • Verbal Communication: 7% words

    • Non-Verbal Communication: 35% tone of voice

    • Body Language: 58% of the message being conveyed

  • Barriers to Communication:

    • Cultural differences

    • Language barriers

    • Literacy issues

    • Past trauma affecting communication

  • Health Literacy Principles:

    • Use of plain language

    • Implementing teach-back strategies to ensure understanding

  • SOAP Notes Documentation Method:

    • S: Subjective information

    • O: Objective findings

    • A: Assessment of findings

    • P: Plan for treatment

  • Vital Signs to Monitor:

    • Pulse rate

    • Blood Pressure (BP)

    • Respiratory rate (breathing)

    • Body Temperature

Lecture 4: Oral Physiotherapy

  • Perspective on Oral Health:

    • Oral health is integral to overall health

  • Major Oral Health Problems:

    • Dental cavities

    • Gum disease

    • Tooth loss

  • Brushing Techniques:

    • Modified Bass Technique: Recommended method for effective brushing

    • Brush for 2 minutes, twice a day

  • Interdental Aids:

    • Floss

    • Interdental brushes

    • Water flosser for cleaning between teeth

  • Indices Utilized:

    • Various indices to measure plaque levels, bleeding, and gum health