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Health Sciences
171
Dental hygiene (diploma)
COURSE CODES:
PLACES 2012:
POINTS 2011:
DEGREE AWARDED:
TR802
8
420
Diploma
This is a restricted entry course.
Applications must be
submitted by 1 February 2013.
Applicants will receive a questionnaire in March to be
completed and returned.
Entry Requirements:
Leaving Certificate
A pass in English, mathematics and in four other subjects,
one of which must be physics, chemistry, biology,
agricultural science or physics/chemistry.
Of the six subjects presented two must be of a standard
of at least grade C3 on higher Leaving Certificate
papers. The remaining four subjects must be presented
to a standard of at least grade D3 on ordinary Leaving
Certificate papers.
All offers of admission to this course are made subject to
infectious disease testing.
See Precautions against infectious diseases page 198.
Garda Vetting:
Students will be required to undergo Garda vetting. See
page 26 for further details.
What is a Dental hygienist?
The dental hygienist provides preventative oral care to both
children and adults including those with special needs in
collaboration with a registered dentist in a clinical setting. This
includes treatments to prevent or control periodontal (gum)
disease and dental decay, advice and counselling in relation to
lifestyle habits such as diet and smoking. The dental hygienist
also provides oral health education to both individuals and
groups of people and can be involved in the planning, delivery
and evaluation of oral health promotional programmes. The
dental hygienist works within the dental team and with other
groups of health care workers to provide a holistic approach to
patient care.
Is this the right course for you?
If you have an interest in working in oral health, and particularly
preventative oral health, then this course is right for you. You
will need to be able to develop good patient care skills, so
an empathic personality and good communication skills are
important. You need to be a good team player and show initiative
to achieve the best for people in your care.
Course overview
This two-year course is based in the Dublin Dental University
Hospital at Trinity College. It has academic, project-based and
clinical components which are carried out in the Dublin Dental
University Hospital, Health Services Executive and general
hospital settings. Emphasis is on small-group interactive
learning, health promotion projects, evidence-based learning,
and clinical practice. You will be integrated with undergraduate
dental science students and dental nursing students for some
elements of the programme.
Course content
The curriculum has a modular design and some modules are
prerequisites for others.
First year modules
Module 1: Introduction to applied clinical science
(20 ECTS)
n
Introduction module
n
Microbiology and cross–infection control
n
Dental pathology and disease
n
Physiology and medical emergencies
n
Psychology and social concepts
n
Introduction to orthodontics
n
Head and neck anatomy
n
Pharmacology
Module 2: Introduction to clinical practice (25 ECTS)
n
Basic preventive and therapeutic oral care
n
Restorative and prosthetic materials and therapy
n
Dental radiography
Module 3: Clinical practice and health promotion (15 ECTS)
n
Computer skills
n
Public dental health services
n
Presentation and communication skills
n
Clinical practice
Second year modules
Module 4: Health promotion practice (15 ECTS)
n
Applied psychology
n
Health promotion & project work
n
Smoking cessation counselling
n
Professional responsibilities
Module 5: Evidence based practice (10 ECTS)
n
Human diseases and general pathology
n
Periodontology & implantology
n
Research methods
n
Cariology & paediatric dentistry