Coronal Polishing for the Dental Assistant

Description

This lecture and lab-based course includes a comprehensive 3-hour lecture followed by a 4-hour clinical lab session to provide the basic concepts and techniques in polishing all exposed tooth surfaces with a rubber cup or brush driven by a slow-speed hand piece. This course meets the education requirements to prepare the dental assistant (whether a DA I or a DA II)* for core competence in coronal polishing as mandated by the NC Board of Dental Examiners.

Please become familiar with the following before class:

• Basic dental terminology
• Universal tooth numbering system
• Tooth surface identification
• Dental infection control

Some helpful free resources include:

• ADA Tooth Anatomy
• ADA Primary (Baby) and Permanent Tooth Chart
• ADA Glossary of Dental Clinical Terms
• Foundations: Building the Safest Dental Visit (a free, self-paced, online course from the CDC on dental infection control)

Class lab supplies provided by BencoDental™ and Patterson Dental.

*The NCBDE approved updated amendments to 21 NCAC 16H .0104, which were reviewed and approved by the NC Rules Review Commission on July 31, 2024, and took effect on August 2, 2024. The language of the Rule adopts two substantive changes:

• Paragraph (a)(3) recognizes appropriate military training/certification as a pathway to be classified as a DA II
• Paragraph (b) removes the amendment, added in 2020, that requires working 3,000 hours before a DA I engaged in "in-office" training is allowed to take a course in coronal polishing that meets the requirements of 21 NCAC 16H .0203(b). The supervising dentist would be responsible for determining when a DA I in training can take a qualifying coronal polishing course and would retain responsibility for ensuring that the DA I is directly controlled and supervised while performing the procedure. This is the same standard applied to all delegable DA II functions set out in 21 NCAC 16H .0203(a).

Note: The amendments to this rule do not change the necessity of completing 3,000 hours of work before a DA I in training may be classified by the employing dentist as a DA II.

In Collaboration With:

MAHEC Dental Health Center and Center for Advanced Training

Target Audience

Dental Assistants

Objectives

Upon completion of this lecture and lab-based educational activity, participants will be able to:

• Discuss dental terminology related to coronal polishing
• Comply with North Carolina rules and regulations related to coronal polishing
• Recognize types of coronal tooth stains and deposits
• Describe the types of abrasives that may be used in coronal polishing
• Select appropriate polishing agents for different types of restorative materials
• Demonstrate proper techniques and infection control related to coronal polishing in a supervised lab educational session

Faculty

• Karen Ledford-Schwabenlender, RDH, BS
• Peter Mehr, DDS, FAGD, AAP