Chabot College
Fall 2001
Course Outline for Dental Hygiene 54
PHARMACOLOGY
Catalog Description:
54 - Pharmacology
2 units
Sources, dosages, therapeutic action, and side effects of drugs used in dentistry and dental hygiene.
Includes legal and ethical aspects of drug usage. Corequisite: Dental Hygiene 57. 2 hours
Prerequisite Skills:
None
Corequisite Skills:
Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:
1.
assess a patient's medical and dental history and devise a sequential treatment plan so the patient is
treated completely and efficiently;
2.
assess patients' medical history to determine their suitability to receive local anesthesia and
determine what precautions if any should be taken prior to administering local anesthetic;
3.
discuss methods of anxiety control and articulate methods of introduction of local anesthetic and
nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia;
4.
identify the advantages and disadvantages of administering local anesthesia and nitrous
oxide/oxygen analgesia in the practice of dental hygiene;
5.
identify the indications and contraindications to administering local anesthesia and nitrous
oxide/oxygen analgesia;
6.
identify the complications which may result from the administration of anesthetic agents and the
proper management or emergency procedures to use in response to these complications;
7.
calculate the maximum safe dosage of local anesthetic for any given patient;
8.
identify the armamentarium required for administration of local anesthetic;
9.
identify which nerve, teeth, and soft tissue structures are anesthetized for each of the intraoral
injections;
10.
successfully administer local anesthesia following procedural guidelines;
11.
identify the advantages and disadvantages of using nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia in the practice of
dental hygiene;
12.
describe the signs and symptoms of nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia;
13.
identify the components, safety features and recommended maintenance of the nitrous
oxide/oxygen analgesia;
14.
describe and demonstrate the procedures for administering nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia;
15.
successfully administer nitrous oxide/oxygen following procedural guidelines;
16.
identify the goals and rationale for soft tissue curettage procedures;
17.
assess patients' medical history to determine their suitability to have soft tissue curettage procedures
and determine what precautions if any should be taken prior to performing soft tissue curettage;
18.
identify the armamentarium required for soft tissue curettage procedures;
19.
describe the stages of the healing process and explain any possible interferences;
20.
document dental hygiene expanded functions according to course guidelines;
21.
identify safety measures to prevent occupational exposure during the administration of nitrous
oxide/oxygen analgesia and local anesthesia.
Expected Outcomes for Students:
Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:
1.
list and compare four drug information reference sources;
2.
differentiate between chemical names, generic names, and trade names of drugs;
3.
define the terms pharmacotherapeutics, pharmacodynamics, and toxicology;
4.
differentiate between the terms potency vs. efficacy; ED vs. LD; onset of action vs. duration of
action;
Chabot College
Course Outline for Dental Hygiene 54, Page 2
Fall 2001
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
list and describe (including advantages and disadvantages) the eight major routes of administration
of drugs;
describe the major distribution areas and routes of drugs in the body, including the factors affecting
this distribution;
define the terms; summation, additive effects, synergism, and potentiation;
list and describe the three types of drug antagonism;
list and describe the six types of untoward effects of drugs;
identify and describe the five parts of prescription writing;
translate 20 commonly-used Latin abbreviations used in prescription writing;
identify drugs (and drug products) actively prescribed and/or employed in dental and dental hygiene
practice. The student will be able to:
a.
describe their pharmacologic and therapeutic effects including mechanism of action and
adverse effects;
b.
describe their administration and distribution in the body;
c.
list and describe their main clinical uses and side-effects, including dosage ranges and
precautions for use;
d.
classify and list commonly-used preparations (of the drugs) including generic names and
trade names;
e.
compare and contrast the use and efficacy of similar drugs within a pharmacologic class
including their advantages and disadvantages, in clinical use;
Concerning drugs (and drug products) not normally utilized in dental and dental hygiene practice but
capable of presenting a potential dental practice problem when prescribed medically, the student will
be able to describe how these drugs modify a patient's functions and how these modifications
require proper handling of the patient in clinical practice. Specifically, the student will be able to:
a.
describe the pharmacological action and generic therapeutic use of these drugs with special
emphasis on those self-effects and adverse reactions that affect clinical practice;
b.
describe the major interactions of these drugs and procedures employed and prescribed in
clinical practice;
c.
list and describe clinical precautions to be employed when these drugs are being used
medically by the patient.
Note: The drugs referred to in #12 and #13, above, belong to the classes described below in course content.
Course Content:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
General principles of pharmacology; untoward reactions
Drugs affecting the autonomic nervous system-4 major types
Psychotherapeutic agents, anti-psychotic and anti-depressants
Sedative-hypnotic agents
Anticonvulsant and CNS stimulants
Analgesics-narcotic and non-narcotic
General anesthetics
Parenteral sedation and nitrous oxide analgesia
Local anesthetics
Antihistamines
Adrenocorticosteroids
Drugs affecting the cardiovascular system, including coagulants and anticoagulants
Antibacterial agents (sulfonamides and antibiotics)
Fluorides
Prescription-writing
Chabot College
Course Outline for Dental Hygiene 54, Page 3
Fall 2001
Methods of Presentation:
1.
2.
3.
Lecture
Discussion
Audiovisual aids
a.
charts
b.
chalkboard
c.
handouts
Assignments & Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
1.
2.
Typical Assignments
a.
Utilize current drug guide to define the mode of action, dosage, indications/contraindications
and dental considerations for a commonly-prescribed drug
b.
Self-directed research on an assigned topic
Methods of Evaluating Student Progress
a.
Quizzes
b.
Midterm examination
c.
Final examination
Textbook(s)(Typical):
Applied Pharmacology for the Dental Hygienist, Requa-Clark, B., C.V. Mosby, 2000
Special Student Materials:
None
tms, Disk 20, A:\DH Outlines 2000\DH 54
Revised; 12-1-00