General Practice Dentistry II

Catalog description

GPD 1001 and GPD 1002 course series provides early exposure to dentistry by rotating first-year students to the LECOM student dental group practices to observe and assist third year student dentists. The initial aspect of the course includes didactic and clinical instruction as well as topics related to the history of dentistry, pharmacy, and Osteopathic philosophy for a better understanding of the dentists’ role in the healthcare team. Instruction will include basic dental skills and rationale, which will provide a greater understanding during observation in a patient care clinical setting. These basic skills will include dental ergonomics, fourhanded dentistry, infection control and their applications as they are utilized in private dental practice. The didactic radiology module will encompass a basic understanding of radiographic safety and principles. Students will observe and discuss the importance of cultural competency within a private dental practice. Topics to be discussed during the didactic component of the cultural competency module include ethnicity, race, culture, and diversity within multiple populations. In addition, the response of diverse cultures to illness, traditional medical care and medications will be included. The effective use of interpreters and folk beliefs will be explored as it relates to practices that affect healthcare treatment. The preceding concepts will then be assimilated to the dental arena and provide an increased understanding and skill level of interpersonal communication and interviewing techniques.