In this course, groups of students plan an oral health education presentation on a dental topic intended for a specific community organization or population. Within each group, students are assigned tasks for constructing the presentation. One member, the group leader, organizes all activities and assembles the final report. Other group members design the program plan, research the topic to identify educational content for the presentation, participate in a computer conference to discuss the intended program with peers, and construct an evaluation instrument to be used with the community group. A report describing all portions of the project is submitted for a final grade.
Some groups present their project plans to the class.
Students gain extra credit by participating in the computer conference. I, second year. Basic prophylaxis skills are covered, including patient and periodontal evaluation, the provision of preventive health information and preventive periodontal treatment. The clinical experience involves patients who require simple prophylaxis. Students practice intraoral radiographic technics on a manikin, and then apply these skills to patients requiring diagnostic radiographs.