Course Outline for Dental Hygiene 56A
Community Dental Health I

Effective: Fall 2025
SLO Rev:
Catalog Description:

DHYG 56A - Community Dental Health I

1.00 Units

DHYG 56A introduces concepts related to the study of community oral health. Students will be introduced to Healthy People 2020 and those populations which experience greater levels of disease. Discussions will also include dental indices used in biostatistics, and related research methodologies. Additional factors include understanding concepts related to health inequities, and the role of the dental hygienist in increasing access to oral health care.
Strongly Recommended: COMM C1000 (Formerly COMM 1) or COMM 10 Corequisite: DHYG 80A.
1240.20 - Dental Hygienist*
Letter Grade Only
Type Units Inside of Class Hours Outside of Class Hours Total Student Learning Hours
Lecture 1.00 18.00 36.00 54.00
Total 1.00 18.00 36.00 54.00
Measurable Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. define health, public health, community health and barriers to care;
  2. differentiate community dental health care from private practice dental care;
  3. outline a basic time-line of dental public health and the ten greatest public health achievements;
  4. identify the public health agencies and their purpose at the federal level;
  5. describe the impact of the Surgeon’s General Report on Oral Health in America;
  6. define the purpose of Healthy People 2020 and list the 17 objectives for improving the oral health of Americans;
  7. outline the steps and apply the methodologies used in planning a community oral health care program: assessment, diagnosis, planning, funding, implementation, and evaluation;
  8. define the major oral health problems and the extent to which they affect the population;
  9. define epidemiology and the types of epidemiological research;
  10. describe the different indices used to measure dental disease and under what conditions they are used;
  11. analyze data collected from assessments from a target group and utilize this data to write a working plan for a community oral health project;
  12. develop goals and measurable objectives for a community oral health project.
Course Content:
  1. Principles of dental public health-definition of key terms
    1. Health, Public Health, Dental Public Health, Community Health and Population Health
    2. Dental disease as a chronic public health problem
    3. Core funcitions of public health
  2. Dental public health achievements
    1. Community water fluoridation
  3. Dental health programs
    1. Community program planning process
    2. Primary prevention programs
    3. Funding for community health programs
  4. Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health and healthy people 2020
    1. Leading health indicators
    2. Methods used in oral health surveys
  5. Planning an oral health care community project
    1. Community oral health assessment
    2. Identify primary health issue
    3. Develop measurable goals and objectives
    4. Plan effective health interventions
    5. Create a budget, identify funding
    6. Create a SWOT table
    7. Develop assessment methods
    8. Develop a staffing plan
    9. Create a timeline
  6. Major dental public health issues
    1. Surgeon General's Report
  7. Epidemiology and epidemiological research
    1. Evidence based decision making
    2. Measurement of data and central tendency
  8. Dental indices
    1. Indices used to measure: dental caries, periodontal disease, plaque levels, missing teeth, fluorosis, oral cancer
  9. Development of a community project
    1. Community Project Program Planning
Methods of Instruction:
  1. Clinical experiences
  2. Community Service
  3. Computer lab-internet exercises
  4. Guest Speakers
  5. Lecture/Discussion
  6. Presentation of audio-visual materials
  7. Class and group discussions
  8. Group Presentations
  9. Group Activities
  10. Distance Education
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
  1. Develop a Community Oral Health related program plan which includes: 1) identify a target population; 2) write a problem statement and identify points of intervention; 3) develop a community profile; 4) write a program mission statement: 5) develop program goals and related outcome, impact and process objectives; 6) design activities to support program objectives; 7) develop a project timeline; 8) create a systems resourcing grid and staffing plan; 9) develop a program budget and a budget justification; 10) create a SWOT Analysis Table;
  2. Complete 15 hours of community service through participation in community-based outreach projects
  3. Chapter related assignments
  4. Community Health Workbook
  5. Write a literature review related to population/disorder being addressed in community health project
  6. Create a PPT discussing community project program planning processes
  1. Midterm Examination
  2. Final Examination
  3. Homework
  4. Oral Presentation
  5. Group Projects
  6. Research Projects
  7. Class Participation
  8. Written assignments
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. design a community oral health program using program implementation methodology including: assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation;
  2. design a timeline, SWOT analysis, goals and objectives, funding, budget and budget justification, staffing plan, resources plan related to a community dental health program;
  3. discuss and apply epidemiological concepts including: terminology, indices, statistical tests related to public health case studies;
  4. discuss concepts related to health, population health, measuring oral health status, access to oral health care, and preventive health programs;
  5. describe and discuss use of dental indices.
Textbooks (Typical):
  1. Patten, M. L. & Newhart, M. (2018). Understanding Research Methods: An Overview of the Essentials (10th). Rutledge.
  2. Beatty, C. F. (2017). Community Oral Health Practice for the Dental Hygienist (4th ). Elesvier.
  • None
Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:
Study of individual and community oral health problems relative to personal, family, and public health needs.
Strongly Recommended: COMM C1000 (Formerly COMM 1) or COMM 10 Corequisite: DHYG 80A.
Discipline:
Dental Technology