Prerequisites: You must be a junior student in good academic standing, have an active file in the Preprofessional Health Advising Office, and have an interest in a dental career.  However, if you are not yet a junior, you are encouraged to attend and participate in all activities.

Objectives:

Course Components:

1) Preventive Dentistry Screening Clinic
Students are encouraged to attend and observe at one or more hours of clinic each week. At clinic volunteer dentists from the community conduct dental screening exams and answer both pre-dental student and patient questions relating to dentistry. Pre-dental students will assist dentists in preparing the exam room and give oral hygiene presentations to the patients.

Each clinic hour attended is worth 2 points. A maximum of 24 points (12 clinic hours) may be earned by attending clinic each semester.

All clinic hours must be completed by December 7, 2007.

2) Oral Hygiene Presentations
Students will give oral hygiene presentations to patients at the screening clinics. These presentations will present proper brushing and flossing techniques and address common oral diseases.

4) Class Sessions (minimum required for credit in course)
Students are encouraged to attend all regular Preventive Dentistry class sessions held on Mondays 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm. A minimum of 12 classes is required

Each class session attended is worth 1 point. The maximum number of points will correspond to the number of regular class sessions held within the semester.

5) Observation in a Dental Office
Students will seek out a dental office with which to do off-campus observation during the semester. Only one student should observe at a time, and the appointment should be made well in advance to accommodate the dentist’s schedule. At the end of the observation time, students must have the dentist fill out the Observation Evaluation form. These forms can be downloaded from the Blackboard website or by clicking on the following link: Observation Evaluation Form. When you are observing in a dental office, be sure to dress professionally. Click here for recommended conduct and dress.

Each hour of observation completed is worth 1 point. A maximum of 10 points (10 hours of observation) may be earned by observing each semester.

6) Field Trips (minimum required for credit in course)
Students are required to attend two dental club field trips each semester. In order to receive credit in the course students must attend two of these field trips, but are encouraged to attend more trips. 1-3 trips are offered to each of the following locations each semester: Tecate Orphanage, Home of Guiding Hands, and preschool or elementary schools. These trips are fun and rewarding and allow students to interact with potential patients and teach about proper oral hygiene.

Each field trip attended is worth 3 points. A maximum of 6 points (2 trips) may be earned by attending trips each semester.

Grading and Evaluation:

In order to receive credit in the course, students must earn 95 out of a possible 100 points for completing work in the various components of the course. In addition, four components of the course must be completed in full in order to receive credit. These four components include 1) attendance, 2) two or more field trips into the community, 3) a score of 80% or better on the Oral Hygiene Quiz and 4) a score of 80% or better on the Service Learning Reflection Paper.

All work for the course must be completed and turned in to the class coordinators no later than the last regular class session of the semester.

If you are enrolled in Preventive Dentistry and your work or school schedules overlap or otherwise interfere with your ability to complete any component of the class and thus earn enough points to receive credit, please speak to the class coordinators by September 17 to resolve the issue. In general, students will be allowed to make up work in one component of the course by doing extra work in another component except for the trips, oral hygiene quiz and service learning paper. For example, a student who is unable to attend clinic, may receive credit for 1 hour of clinic if they do two additional hours of tabling or two additional hours of observation at a dental office. You must get approval from a class coordinator before doing this substitution of work.

C. PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY PLEDGE (to be signed and turned in at the first class meeting)

Required for Course Credit: