Dental Area

Many team members will have the opportunity to rotate through the dental area for at least one clinic day. During your clinic rotation you will see a wide range in dental health — from patients with teeth that are minimally affected to those with extensive carious lesions. Often teeth are severely decayed and periodontally involved. Many patients may never have had an opportunity to receive care form a dentist or hygienist. It is hoped that we may provide simple oral hygiene instruction to these people (e.g., brushing, "Mr. Tooth" demonstration) in addition to meeting some of their immediate problems.

 Dental Assisting

The dental assistant will basically receive a "crash course" which will include:

• assisting with various dental procedures (i.e., extractions, fillings)

 • charting;

• mixing various dental materials;

• utilizing sterile-clean technique;

• sterilization of instruments.

Obviously, no one is expected to be an expert in one day, so please relax, ask questions, and have fun! Remember that above all we are here to witness the love of God. Always take a moment to think, do things safely, and be sure to have a cold drink when needed.

Disease Protection

It is essential that proper preventative measures and sterilization technique be used al all times during clinic in order to prevent the spread of infection from patient to patient as well as from patient to staff. Therefore, masks, gloves, and eye protection are mandatory. Gloves should be changed regularly and hands should be properly scrubbed and cleaned.

Dental Treatment

Types of procedures performed:

• simple exams;

• removal of teeth (extractions)

• simple restorative;

• oral hygiene instructions (giving out tooth brushes and brushing demonstrations).

Staff

It is hoped that along with the dentist and one or two assistants, there will be one full time interpreter to assist in translation. (This depends upon the number of team interpreters.)

Dental Equipment

• Two portable dental chairs

• One portable dental lamp (with extra light bulbs)

• One portable dental unit equipped with:

=> high/low speed hand pieces => air/water syringe => vacuum suction

• Dental instruments:

=> forceps, elevators, hemostats, scalpels => exam kits (mirror explorer, cotton

plier) => restorative instruments

• Dental materials:

=> silver filling materials => white filling materials => sutures, gauze

• Instrument sterilization table:

=» Clorox (1:10 -1:100 dilution)

=> Water rinse

=> Cold sterilization solution (e.g. Cidex)

• Doctor/assistant sterilization table:

=> washbasin/soap

=> paper towels

=> gloves

==> masks

Clinic Duties

1. Initial Set-Up

As much as possible, everything will be completely set up prior to clinic opening. Each patient is to be seated with a bib placed on them. Each patient will require:

• exam kit (mirror, explorer, cotton plier)

• cup, Kleenex

• suction tip

• anesthetic (dental syringe, needle, anesthetic solution in carpule)

• 2"x2" gauze sponges

2. With the aide of the interpreter, the patient's chief complaint will be determined. Due to the large number of patients, it is often only possible to treat part of the patient's problem (i.e., remove the most painful tooth, etc.).

3. Treating the Patient

a) Extractions

• anesthetize patient (dentist)

• suction, adjust light

• hand instruments to dentist           

• comfort patient

If surgical extractions are performed, additional instruments will be required:

• scalpel                              

• hemostat

• blade                                  

• sutures

• periosteal elevator

b)     Restorative

• set up materials                       

• mix and deliver materials

4.     Dismissing the Patient

a)     Fill out the dental card and return to patient;

b)     Help the patient out of the chair and direct them to the pharmacy if indicated. Often medications, such as antibiotics for infection and analgesics for pain, will be dispensed in pre-packaged bags by dental personnel, along with a toothbrush and Bible tract.

5. Clean-up between patients

a)     Carefully place all dirty instruments in the initial scrub tub (disposable suction tips are discarded);

b) Dispose of all dental needles, scalpel blades and sutures into the proper receptacle;

c)     Clean working area, dental hand pieces, and air/water syringe with surface disinfectant;

d) Set-up for the next patient.

6. Instrument Sterilization (as time allows)

a)     All instruments are immediately placed in the initial scrub after use (Clorox 1:10-1:100)

b)     Scrub off any blood and saliva from instruments; wear heavy rubber gloves;

c)     Place instruments in water tub to rinse off Clorox;

d)     Place instruments in cold-sterilization solution tub for a minimum of 10 minutes;

e)     Place instruments in alcohol bath to remove cold-sterilization solution residue;

f)     Return instruments to their proper storage place.

7. Clean-up at the end of the clinic day

a)     Run water through suction to clean out debris;

b)     empty suction residue container carefully, and then clean it;

c)     refill water container;

d)     clean all surfaces, hand pieces, air/water syringe;

e)     oil the hand pieces;

f)     empty out and rinse the sterilization tubs;

g)     drape all dental instruments (cover with a clean cloth).

8. Congratulations! You are finished and you passed with flying colors! Have a cold pop.