Introduction to Health Care & Careers. Chapter 20. Answers to Checkpoint and Review Questions

Transcription

1 Introduction to Health Care & Careers Chapter 20 Answers to Checkpoint and Review Questions Checkpoints 1. Name and briefly describe the nine dental specialties. The nine dental specialties are orthodontics (straightening teeth with braces and retainers); oral and maxillofacial surgery (surgery on the mouth and jaws); pediatric dentistry (dental treatment of children); periodontics (care of the gums and bones supporting the teeth); prosthodontics (replacement of broken parts of teeth or missing teeth with crowns, bridges, dentures, or other fixtures); endodontics (treatment of the interior of the tooth, such as the root canal); dental public health (promotion of oral health and disease prevention); oral and maxillofacial pathology (diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases); oral and maxillofacial radiology (use of imaging to diagnose head and neck diseases). 2. What personal characteristics should dental hygienists have? Dental hygienists should be good at detail work, efficient, and organized. They also need good people skills. Other important personal characteristics are patience, flexibility, and the ability to work well with others in the dental office. Manual dexterity is also an important quality. 3. What are expanded functions in dental assisting, and what must dental assistants do in order to perform these functions in some states?

2 Expanded functions are advanced tasks, such as polishing teeth, that dental assistants may perform. In some states, dental assistants must have a license or be registered to perform expanded functions or to take X rays. Obtaining such a license may require attending an accredited dental assisting program or passing a written or practical exam. Review Questions Matching Match the job function with the occupation that typically performs it. _ d 1. Prepare and install braces and a. Dentist retainers _ c 2. Clean and polish patients teeth b. Dental assistant _ b 3. Hand instruments and materials to c. Dental hygienist the dentist _ a 4. Identify and treat cavities, gum disease, d. Orthodontist and other dental problems _ e 5. Specialize in the care of the gums and e. Periodontist bones supporting the teeth Multiple Choice 6. When people have a dental checkup, the first professional they see, and the one who spends the most time with them, is usually a. a dentist

3 b. a dental assistant c. a dental hygienist d. an orthodontist 7. Endodontists specialize in a. promotion of oral health and disease prevention b. replacement of missing teeth c. treatment of the interior of teeth, including root canals d. use of imaging to diagnose head and neck diseases 8. Which statement about dentists is NOT true? a. Most dentists specialize in a certain area of care. b. Dentists need to be good business managers. c. A typical dentist has six to eight years of college or professional education. d. The professional organization for dentists is the ADA. 9. Which of the following is a typical work responsibility of dental hygienists? a. repairing cracks in teeth b. applying fluoride treatments and sealants c. making crowns d. opening the dental office 10. Which statement about dental assistants is NOT true? a. Dental assistants always work under a dentist s supervision. b. Most dental assisting programs are one-year programs. c. All states require dental assistants to be licensed.

4 d. Nutrition, microbiology, and oral pathology are typical classroom subjects in dental assistant programs. Completion 11. Keeping one s mouth clean is known as oral hygiene. 12. A dental assistant who works closely with a dentist during a procedure is performing the function of chairside assistant. 13. The largest specialty for dentists is orthodontics. 14. Professional cleaning and polishing of the teeth is known as prophylaxis. 15. A cap that is placed on a broken tooth is known as a/an crown. Short Answer 16. Compare and contrast the education and training of dental hygienists and dental assistants. In nearly every state, to become a dental hygienist a person must graduate from an accredited dental hygiene program. Most of these programs grant an associate s degree. Some offer a certificate, a bachelor s degree, or a master s degree. In addition to coursework, dental hygiene students spend an average of more than 650 hours in supervised clinical work. Some dental assistants are trained on the job, but most attend dental assisting programs offered by community and junior colleges, trade schools, technical institutes, and the military. Most programs last about a year and award a certificate or diploma. Community and junior colleges offer two-year

5 programs that lead to an associate s degree. Dental assisting programs also include clinical practice with a dentist. 17. How are dental assistants like medical assistants? How are they like surgical technologists? Dental assistants are like medical assistants because they perform both administrative and clinical tasks to help keep the practitioner s office running smoothly. They are like surgical technologists because they sometimes assist in minor dental surgery, setting up a sterile field and handing the dentist instruments. 18. What are the two main job responsibilities of dental hygienists? The two main job responsibilities of dental hygienists are to clean and polish patients teeth and to teach them about good oral health. 19. Give three examples of administrative tasks that dental assistants typically perform. Any three of the following: retrieving the patient s records, making and confirming appointments, answering phones, greeting patients, keeping treatment records, managing billing, overseeing inventory, ordering supplies, and preparing bank deposits. 20. Briefly summarize the personal characteristics that dental hygienists need to have. Personal characteristics that dental hygienists need include being good at detail work; having manual dexterity; being efficient, organized, patient, and flexible; having good people skills; and being able to work well with others.