Dental Courses

Here is a sample schedule of the courses you will take.

Junior Year

Senior Year

 Dental Radiology: Optional based on instructor's approval.

Junior Year

Health Science Exploration (Full Year)

This course is designed to expose the student to the world of health care.  During this time, students will have the opportunity to learn to work positively and professionally within variety of settings.  Coursework will consist of class lecture, lab/clinical situations, presentations, projects, and guest speakers, to assist the students in their own individual learning.

Medical Vocabulary (Full Year)

Basic elements of medical words such as prefixes, word roots, suffixes, and medical abbreviations will be presented. This study uses body systems, disease processes, diagnostic tests, and procedures to enable students to define and build medical terms commonly used within the health care environment. 2+2 Eligible
 

Applications and Practices in Health Care Simulation Lab (Full Year)

A multitude of educational methods are utilized to apply and extend medical and health science concepts.  Students will engage in a variety of experiences in which they apply knowledge acquired through class lecture, hands-on lab practicum, scholarly research, community out-reach, and presentation in symposium format.

English (Full Year)

Students are placed into one of two English courses on the basis of scores on the CPT (Computerized Placement Test), an assessment tool used by Mt. Hood Community College to place students into appropriate reading and writing courses. Students who score into WR80 or WR90 will take Junior English, while those who score into WR115 or WR121 will take College-Prep English. Both courses provide opportunities for students to read and write in a variety of genres, on topics related to the health sciences, in order to prepare them for both college and the workplace. HS or ECO Eligible

Senior Year

Anatomy and Physiology (Full Year)

Students in this college-level science course are introduced to all the components of the human body, including cell structure and function, tissues and membranes, and the tem major body systems. Elements of advanced biology and chemistry courses, as they apply to a study of the human body, are included, and lab experiences provide opportunities for students to explore reading and lecture topics in greater depth. This course emphasizes a hands-on approach to learning through labs and field trips. ECO Eligible

Clinical Lab Practice (Full Year)

Research and practice come together in this course that prepares senior health science medical and dental students for the clinical experience as well as the CAL capstone project. Through laboratory and classroom assignments students acquire the skills and knowledge needed to make their clinical experience successful.  Students receive advanced instruction in professional, technical, and ethical expectations in a variety of heath care settings.  Students will share their experiences with their classmates through clinical case studies, while adhering to HIPAA.

Clinical Experience (Full Year)

Under direct supervision, students will participate in radiology laboratory assignments, using "Columbia Dentaform Manikins," automatic processors, and dental x-ray unit.  In addition to the radiology labs, students will perform the following dental procedures; Coronal Polish, Diagnostic Study Models, Take-Home Bleaching Procedures, Moisture Control, Matrix Bands and Dental Bases, Composite Restorations, Amalgam Restorations, Crown and Bridge Procedures, and Temporary Crown Construction. In addition to the classroom lab experience, students will have an opportunity to spend time in a clinical experience rotation.

Dental Radiology (Optional, Full Year)

Students will study the history and physics of x- radiation. Practice infection control, quality assurance, and safety standards. Emphasis made on the fundamentals of oral radiographic techniques, and the interpretation of radiographs, including; identifying landmarks of normal anatomy, common exposure and processing errors. The primary goal is to assure the safe effective use of ionizing radiation as a diagnostic tool and to minimize potential risk from adverse biological effects to patients, and dental staff.

English (Full Year)

Students are placed into one of two English courses for their senior year.  Students who successfully complete College-Prep English their junior year OR earn a B or higher in WR115 at CAL their junior year OR who score into WR121 on the CPT (Computerized Placement Test) will take College Composition. All others will take Senior English. Both courses help students develop critical thinking skills as they interpret, interact with, and write about a variety of texts, many of which pertain to issues in health. Texts include both long and short works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, film, and other media.

Senior English will prepare students for college composition courses, with an emphasis on learning basic structures in expository essay writing, including the 5-paragraph essay. Students will read a mixture of high-school and college-level texts, with an increasing emphasis on reading analytically and supporting conclusions about the inferential meanings of texts.

College Composition students are asked to write several major essays based on curricular themes. Instruction focuses on crafting essays for a specific, intended audience, using specific details and examples, applying the standard conventions of English, and using words exactly to avoid wordiness, ambiguity, and unidiomatic expressions. First semester assignments emphasize expository writing, while second semester assignments emphasize persuasion based upon analyses supported with evidence and logic. HS or ECO Eligible