Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Students must be formally admitted to the Dental Assisting program or have department permission to attend.

1. Recognize the proper uses, limitations, and characteristics of the dental materials used in the practice of general dentistry.
2. Apply knowledge of dental materials and safety principles in the laboratory setting.

This course is arranged chronologically and employs a modular design utilizing D2L.

DA 130: 

1. Weekly quizzes
2. Vocabulary assignment
3. Discussion board postings
4. Final Exam

DA 131:

1. Demonstrate understanding of the techniques of handling dental materials through completion of lab projects
2. Demonstrate adherence to all lab safety procedures in the laboratory
3. Complete a comprehensive final exam

Concepts, Themes and Issues

• Characteristics of the oral environment 
• Relationship of restorative materials to the oral environment
• Classification and identification of dental restorative materials
• General concepts of dental material science
• Properties, characteristics, and application of dental amalgam, alginate impression materials, gyspsum products, high performance elastomeric impression materials, composite resins and polymers.

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS

1. Recognize a variety of dental materials used past and present.
2. List dental standards and organizations responisble for those standards.
3. Explain the relationship between the oral environment and the types of materials used.
4. List and explain the properties of dental materials.
5. Discuss the general types of restorative materials used in dentistry and their specific applications.
6. Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use, manipulation, application and clean-up procedures required when placing amalgam restorations.
7. 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.
8. Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use, manipulation, application and clean-up procedures required when using dental cement.
9. Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use, manipulation and application of acid etch and bonding agents. 
10. Describe the role and duties of the dental assistant in the use, manipulations, application and clean-up procedures required when using resin cement.
11. Describe the characteristics, handling and storage of alginate impression materials.
12. Describe the characteristics, handling and storage of reversible hydrocolloid.
13. Describe the characteristics, handling and storage of elastomeric impression matterials and apply procedures to assist in theri use.
14. Describe the characteristics, handling and storage of acrylic dental polymers.