UH MAUI COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Dental Assisting Program
DENT 154 Course Outline
Course Title:
DENT 154 Dental Materials
Number of Credits::
One credit (1)
Course Description:
Physical and chemical properties of dental
materials, characteristics and manipulation of
impression materials, gypsum products,
investments, waxes, cements, resins, metallic and
non metallic restorative materials.
Contact Hours Per Week: Two (2) Lecture/Lab
Prerequisites:
Co requisites:
DENT 151 with grade of C or batter
DENT 165, DENT 155, DENT 177, DENT 90V
General Course Objectives
1 Identify the various materials used in the practice of dentistry and the
structure, composition,
2 Uses, manipulations and properties of these materials.
3 Demonstrate competency in manipulation of dental amalgam and commonly
used impression materials.
Specific Course Objectives, Competencies and Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of DENT 154, the student should be able to:
Classroom Learning Outcomes
Introduction to Dental Materials
Explain the important of the study and understanding the uses of dental materials
for the dental assistant
List the general uses and categories of dental materials.
List and describe the 18 properties of dental materials outlined, including
considerations of their use in dentistry.
Describe the use, necessity, rationale, and components of universal
(standard precautions and personal protective equipment (PPE) when
peforming invasive dental procedures or working with dental materials
and when performing related laboratory procedures.
Relate the importance of communication with the commercial dental
laboratory, maintaining a case tracking system, handling of impressions,
prothesis, and appliances before and after patient treatment.
Describe the role of the dental assistant relevant to dental supply and
materials ordering, inventory control, and shelf life.
List the qualities of the oral environment that make it challenging for long
term clinical performance of dental materials.
Define stress strain and ultimate strength.
Describe the effects of moisture and acidity on dental materials
Define thermal conductivity and thermal expansion and contraction
Describe the process used to achieve mechanical, chemical and bonding
retention
Describe microleakage and how the results of this process can lead to
recurrent decay and postoperative sensitivity
Defne biocompatibility
Principles of Bonding
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use,
instrumentation, manipulation, and application of acid etch and bonding
agents.
Discuss the effects of acid etching on enamel and dentin.
Describe the basic steps of bonding
Describe the agents used for bonding.
Discuss factors that interfere with good bonding.
Describe the amalgam bonding technique.
Explain differences in bonding to enamel, dentin, metal, and porcelain.
List the factors that contribute to tooth sensitivity after bonding.
Direct and Indirect Esthetic and Restorative Materials
Describe the various types of composite resin restorative materials
Discuss the uses, advantages and disadvantages of each type of composite
resin
Discuss the procedural differences between direct and indirect composite
restorations
Describe the composition of glass ionomer restoratives and their uses,
advantages, and disadvantages
Explain the effect of fluoride releasing, resin-modified glass inomer
restorations on prevention of recurrent decay.
Fluoride & Sealants in Prevention
Describe the use of fluoride in prevention.
Explain how fluoride protects teeth from caries.
Discuss the various methods for fluoride delivery.
Discuss the use of sealants for prevention of pit and fissure caries.
Amalgam and Composite Materials
Discuss the general types of restorative materials used in dentistry and
their specific applications.
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use,
instrumentaion, manipulation, application, and clean-up procedures
required when placing amalgam restorations.
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in safe handling of
mercury, the principles of mercury hygiene, and the necessary steps
required to safely clean up a mercury spill.
Discuss the safety of amalgam as a restorative material.
List the main components in dental amalgam.
Define creep, corrosion, and tarnish.
Describe the different types of metals used for dental implants.
Explain the purpose of a post.
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use,
instrumentation, manipulation, application., and clean-up procedures
required when placing composite restorations.
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use,
instrumentation, manipulation, application., and clean-up procedures
required when placing glass ionomer restorations.
Finishing and Polishing
Define and discuss abrasion, finishing, polishing, and cleansing.
Describe the abrasives used and procedure for finishing and polishing
metals, composite, and porcelain.
Dental Cement
Discuss the uses of cements in dentistry for pulpal protection, luting,
restorations, and surgical dressing.
Describe the properties of cement and how these properties affect
selection of a cement for a dental procedure.
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use,
instrumentation, manipulation, application, and clean-up procedures
required when using zinc phosphate cement.
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use,
instrumentation, manipulation, application, and clean-up procedures
required when using zinc oxide eugenol.
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use,
instrumentation, manipulation, application, and clean-up procedures
required when using polycarboxylate cement.
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use,
instrumentation, manipulation, application, and clean-up procedures
required when using glass ionomer cement.
Discuss the mixing technique for temporary Cement (Temp Bond).
Impression Materials
Describe the general types of impression materials used in dentistry and
their specific applications
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use,
instrumentation, manipulation, application., and clean-up procedures
required when working with hydrocolloid impression (irreversible and
reversible) materials.
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use,
instrumentation, manipulation, application., and clean-up procedures
required when working with polysulfide elastomeric impression materials.
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use,
instrumentation, manipulation, application., and clean-up procedures
required when working with condensation silicone and addition
polysiloxane/ polyvinyl elastomeric impression materials.
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use,
instrumentation, manipulation, application., and clean-up procedures
required when working with polyether impression materials.
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in disinfection of
various dental impression materials.
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in procedures required
when working with bite registration paste.
Dental Wax
Ientify the common components of dental waxes.
Identify the properties of waxes.
Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the care, storage, and
handling of dental waxes.
Describe specific disinfection procedures as they relate to waxes used in
dental procedures.
Differentiate between direct and indirect waxings.
Gypsum Products
Describe the role of the dental assistant in the use, composition, and
properties of plaster and stone (gypsum materials) used in dentistry.
Describe the steps required for the dental assistant to pour and trim study
models for diagnostic purposes.
Differentiate between negative and positive reproduction.
Differentiate between diagnostic casts, working casts, and dies.
Polymers for Prosthetic Denistry
Describe the formation of long-chain polymers from monomers.
Describe the stages of addition polymerization.
List the important properties of acrylic resins.
Explain the difference between hard and soft liners
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of chairside and laboratory
hard liners.
Describe the home care regimen for complete and partial dentures that
patients should follow.
Dental Resins and Provisional Restoration
State the purpose of the provisional restoration.
List examples of circumstances that may require provisional coverage.
List the advantages and disadvantages of preformed and custom crowns.
Describe the role of the dental assistant in fabricating temporary
(provisional) acrylic restorations.
Bleaching Materials
Describe the methods used to bleach teeth.
Discuss the similarities and differences among the materials used to bleach
teeth.
Explain the differences between professionally supervised home bleaching
and over-the-counter systems.
Describe the role of the dental assistant in fabricating self-curing custom
resin trays, light cured custom resin trays, vacuum formed custom trays,
thermoplastic custom trays.
Clinical Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of DENT 154 lab the student will be able to:
Impression Materials
Demonstrate various mixing techniques and manipulation for dental
materials.
Demonstrate how to take an alginate impression suitable for diagnostic
casts.
Demonstrate tray selection for an alginate impression.
Demonstrate mixing alginate, loading and seating the tray, and removing
the impression.
Demonstrate proper handling of alginate impression.
Demonstrate tray selection for an edentulous impression.
Bonding
Demonstrate procedures for bonding to enamel and dentin.
Direct and Indirect Esthetic and Restorative Materials
Demonstrate how to place a composite resin restoration in a tooth set in
stone
Demonstrate steps to be taken to ensure proper conditions for shade
taking.
Demonstrate how to apply sealants to a tooth mounted in stone.
Amalgam and Composite Materials
Demonstrate how to properly mix and place amalgam in a tooth mounted
in stone.
Finishing and Polishing
Finish and polish a preexisting amalgam restoration.
Polish a preexisting composite restoration.
Dental Cements
Apply the mixing technique ZOE.
Apply the mixing technique for Glass Ionomer Lining Cement
Apply the mixing technique for Glass Ionomer Cement (Ketac-Cem)
Apply the mixing technique for Calcium Hydroxide Liner (Dycal)
Apply the mixing technique for mixing Temporary Cement (Temp Bond)
Apply the mixing technique for Zinc Phosphate
Additional Impression Materials
Apply the mixing technique Polyether Impression Material
Apply the mixing technique Vinyl Polysiloxane Impression Material
Apply the mixing technique Polysulfide Impression Material
Apply the mixing technique Vinyl Siloxane Impression Material (Express
or Extrude) using Putty-Wash Technique
Dental Wax
Demonstrate obtaining wax bite registration.
Gypsum Products
Obtain and pour and trim study models for diagnostic purposes.
Demonstrate differences between negative and positive reproductions
Polymers for Prosthetic Dentistry
Perform a denture repair and polish acrylic.
Fabricate a custom tray from an edentulous cast.
Mount upper model on a articulator
Dental Resins and Provisional Restoration
Fabricate a custom provisional crown
Bleaching Materials
Fabricate custom bleaching trays from stone casts using thermoplastic
vinyl
material.
Fabricate a sports mouth guard.
Grading
Quizzes & Weekly Proficiencies
Midterm
Final exam
Final Lab OSCE
Attendance, and preparation
20%
15%
25%
25%
15%
Reading assignments are to be read before the class.
Make-up for lecture, quiz, and lab will be allowed only for excused absence.
Methods Of Instruction
Lecture
Group discussion
Supervised laboratory practice
OSCE
Text and Materials
Hatrick, Carol, Eakle, W., Birk, William, Dental materials, Saunders, 2003.
Dietz-Bourguignon, Ellen, Materials and procedures for today’s dental assistant,
Delmar Learning, 2006.