LibGuides: Dental Assistant / Dental Hygiene: Streaming Video, Websites, & News

Dentistry Specialties

Dentistry: Topic Page
The treatment and prevention of diseases of the mouth and teeth; with medicine and nursing, one of the major health professions.
Dentists
From 2014-2015 Occupational Outlook Handbook
entists diagnose and treat problems with a patient’s teeth, gums, and related parts of the mouth. They provide advice and instruction on taking care of teeth and gums and on diet choices that affect oral health.
Dental Assisting
From Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Dental assistants are part of the dental health care team. They assist dentists in delivering oral health care to patients.
Dental Hygienist
From Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health Dental hygiene is the profession of cleaning teeth and helping patients maintain oral health. Dental hygienists are licensed professionals—key members of the dental health care team that provide educational, clinical, and therapeutic dental services, such as preventive care, dental examinations, and instruction about how patients can better care for their teeth and gums.
Oral Surgery
From Black's Medical Dictionary, 42nd Edition
A branch of surgery that treats deformities, injuries or diseases of the TEETH and JAW, as well as other areas of the face and mouth. Surgeons doing this work are usually qualified dentists who have done further training in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Orthodontics
From The American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language
The dental specialty dealing with correction of irregularities of the teeth, such as malocclusion, often by the use of braces..

Streaming Video

Dental Health Good dentists—and smart dental patients—think of the mouth as the first line of defense against disease. This program details the importance of maintaining good dental health, not only for aesthetic reasons, but also to prevent diabetes, cardiovascular inflammation, and other serious health threats. Illustrating the ways that gingivitis and periodontal disease destroy gum and bone tissue, the program shows how these mouth ailments can ultimately weaken systems throughout the body, with dangerous and possibly fatal effects on the pancreas, blood vessels, heart, and even unborn babies. Interviews with respected dentists reinforce critical concepts and treatment options. (28 minutes)
Dental Hygienist The job of the dental hygienist, or DH, is just as hands-on as any dentist’s—and it offers an outstanding springboard for a career in the health care and dental fields. This program shows what a DH can expect as far as training, duties, and compensation, while outlining the personal qualities and people skills that any successful DH should possess. Featuring interviews with experienced hygienists and those who train them, the program highlights the cleaning and examination procedures a DH will perform and the special rapport he or she must be able to establish with patients. Students are advised to prepare for a DH career by excelling in high school biology courses and volunteering at clinics and hospitals. A viewable/printable instructor’s guide is available online. Correlates to national and state board certification standards. A Meridian Production. (22 minutes)
Functions of the Face This Science Screen Report describes the anatomy and functions of facial features, and the evolutionary development of the human face. It explains how the mouth and nose work together to identify food, the process of chewing and swallowing, and the varying functions of the taste buds, saliva, teeth, tongue, and jaws. Combining principles in anatomy, anthropology, psychology, and zoology, the program also details how muscles in the face convey expressions and emotions, how humans and computers recognize faces and expressions, and how the aesthetics of attractiveness can be linked to facial symmetry. A viewable/printable instructor’s guide is available online. Correlates to National Science Education Standards. Produced in association with the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology and the Junior Engineering Technical Society. (26 minutes)
Gum Disease: Beyond Tooth Loss Mounting evidence indicates that there is a definite correlation between unhealthy gums and risk factors impacting overall bodily health. In fact, the bacteria that cause gingivitis and periodontitis also multiply the chance of heart attack, stroke, pneumonia, and, for mothers-to-be, premature birth. In this program, dental professionals address these and other related life-threatening conditions; spell out the symptoms, stages, and treatment of periodontal disease; and explain the simple steps to maintaining good oral hygiene. (24 minutes)
Hadzabe Toothbrush (Segment of "Many Moons Away from Home") A Hadzabe tribe member demonstrates how they clean their teeth after eating.
Oral Assessment and Dental Diseases in the Elderly Proper dental evaluations and hygiene are vital aspects of caring for an elderly client. Neglecting signs of oral health puts patients at risk for heart disease as well as more common problems like halitosis (bad breath), which can be embarrassing and could cause social and psychological problems. This program discusses specific conditions and diseases of the mouth, provides nursing and health care assistants with the procedures necessary for completing an oral exam, and presents ways to take action against oral problems. Viewers will learn how to recognize and manage a wide range of dental issues, including sores, dry mouth, problematic dentures, and oral cancer. Designated for 2 contact hours of continuing nursing education. A viewable/printable facilitator's guide is available online. (35 minutes)
Periodontal Treatment: Treating the Cause and Not Just the Symptoms

Websites

American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA)
American Dental Association
American Dental Hygienists' Association
Dental Assisting National Board, Inc.
International Federation of Dental Hygienists
Merck Manual Professional Find information on medical topics, symptoms, drugs, procedures, news and more, written for the health care professional.