Caries Prevention and Coronal Polishing for the Dental Assistants
Course Description
The Indiana State Board of Dentistry approved coronal polishing and fluoride administration as a permitted function for a trained Dental Assistant. This course will provide the required didactic and laboratory requirements for certification. It will include at least 9 hours of didactic and 8 hours of laboratory instruction. Dental assistants will be required to be present on site for the laboratory instruction.
Proof of graduation from an accredited dental assisting program OR proof of one or more years of dental assisting experience is required. To verify experience, the employer dentist must submit a signed letter (on company letterhead) verifying one or more years of dental assisting experience.
*Participants will act as live patients. A complete medical history will be mandatory*
Course Format
The course follows a hybrid, self-paced model with online didactic (lecture) modules and quizzes. The laboratory session meets one (1) Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. which is necessary to fulfill Indiana State requirements. The course includes printed materials, certification documents, and laboratory supplies. A minimum number of students are necessary to offer the course. A refund can be expected if the course is canceled or if capacity has not been reached.
Location
The laboratory component will be held in the Indiana University Northwest Dunes Medical/Professional Building, 3400 Broadway Street, Gary, IN 46408.
*A parking permit is not necessary (students may park in lot on 33rd Avenue).*
Caries Prevention (Fluoride Administration)
Indiana Dental Law 828 IAC 6-1-1 Caries Prevention states:
Sec. 1. (a) A dental assistant who has been employed in a dental practice for a minimum of one (1) year or has graduated from a program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association and who has completed the requirements in subsection (b) may apply medicaments for the control or prevention of dental caries under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist.
(b) A dental assistant may not apply medicaments for the control or prevention of dental caries until satisfactory completion of an educational program or curriculum accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association or approved by the board in the following order that includes, at a minimum:
(1) Nine (9) hours of didactic instruction covering the following subject areas:
(A) Ethics and jurisprudence.
(B) Reasons for fluoride.
(C) Systemic fluoride.
(D) Topical fluoride.
(E) Toxicity of fluoride.
(F) Fluoride application.
(G) Infection control.
(2) Two (2) hours of laboratory work, using a mannequin and two (2) live patients, in topical fluoride applications.
(3) Clinical competency demonstrated on a minimum of five (5) patients under the direct observation of an Indiana dentist or dental hygienist whose license is in good standing and an affidavit certifying the competency signed by the supervising dentist and a copy given to the employee.
Coronal Polishing
Indiana Dental Law 828 IAC 6-1-2 Coronal Polishing states:
Sec. 2 (a) A dental assistant who has been employed in a dental practice for a minimum of one (1) year or has graduated from a program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association and who has completed the requirements in subsection (b) may polish the coronal surface of teeth under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist.
(b) A dental assistant may not polish the coronal surface of teeth until satisfactory completion of an educational program or curriculum accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association or approved by the board in the following order that includes, at a minimum:
(1) Five (5) hours of didactic instruction covering the following subject areas:
(A) Ethics and jurisprudence.
(B) Plaque and material alba.
(C) Intrinsic and extrinsic stain.
(D) Abrasive agents.
(E) Use of a slow speed hand piece, prophy cup, and occlusal polishing brush.
(G) Infection control.
(2) Two (2) hours of laboratory work, using a mannequin and two (2) live patients, in the use of a slow speed handpiece, prophy cup, and occlusal polishing brush and hand dexterity.
(3) Clinical competency demonstrated on a minimum of five patients under the direct observation of an Indiana dentist or dental hygienists whose license is in good standing and an affidavit certifying the competency signed by the supervising dentist and a copy given to the employee.
Course Instructors
Donna S. Krause, CDA, LDH, MPA
Lynne Wiley, CDA, LDH, MSEd.
Cinda Fife, CDA, LDH, MPA
Lisa Borst, CDA, LDH, MPA
