2025-2026 Pierce College Catalog 
    
    Aug 22, 2025  
2025-2026 Pierce College Catalog
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DHYG 277 Restorative Dentistry and Dental Materials I (3 credits)



Course Description
Develop foundational knowledge in restorative dentistry including properties of dental materials, chairside assisting, and fabrication of select therapeutic oral devices

Course Content
Four-handed and six-handed dental assisting skills
Tissue retraction and instrument transfer 
Strategies to maintain a clear operating field
Infection control in restorative dentistry
Rubber dams
Rubber dam placement 
High and low volume evacuation
Restorative dental materials’ properties
Vacuum form trays
Occlusal splints/occlusal guards
Prosthetic impression materials
Classification of prosthodontic impression materials 
Alginate impression materials and alginate impressions 
Amalgam
Composite
Other restorative materials applicable to Washington State dental hygiene licensure WA RCW 18.29
Greene Vardiman Black (G.V. Black’s) carious lesion and restorative classifications
Dental restorative instruments for placement and finishing of dental restorations
Dental nomenclature/cavity preparation
Oral 3D scanning and 3D printing
Dental burs
Dental restorative instrument identification

Student Outcomes
  1. Contrast the properties and use of dental restorative materials.
  2. Apply dental nomenclature.
  3. Illustrate G.V. Black’s carious lesion classifications and its relationship to cavity preparation. 
  4. Explain the purpose of dental restorative instruments for dental hygienists.
  5. Demonstrate the transfer of dental restorative instruments used and transfered in four-handed and six-handed dentistry.
  6. Demonstrate the procedures for maxillary and mandibular alginate impressions, oral 3D scanning, and conversion of 3D scan to a 3D model via the 3D printers, and vacuum former.


Degree Outcomes
PROGRAM OUTCOME: This course is part of the Bachelor of Applied Science Dental Hygiene Degree. Please refer to the Dental Hygiene Competency Map for detail of the Program Competencies this course addresses. Each competency is identified at a level of skill by the terms Introductory (I), Developing (D), or Competent (C). The map also shows the alignment between each Program Competency and the Pierce College Core Ability(ies).

Core Abilities

Critical, Creative and Reflective Thinking: Graduates will evaluate, analyze, synthesize, and generate ideas; construct informed, meaningful, and justifiable conclusions; and process feelings, beliefs, biases, strengths, and weaknesses as they relate to their thinking, decisions, and creations.

Lecture Contact Hours 15
Lab Contact Hours 30
Clinical Contact Hours 0
Total Contact Hours 45

Potential Methods
Written exam
Lab activities/exam
Instructor observation
Formal assessment
Peer observation
Self evaluation
Class discussion
Clinical AIS Evaluation Criteria and/or Pierce College Global Rubrics



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