vcc.ca
DHYG 2100: Foundations of Dental Hygiene 1
Effective date
September 2026
Department
Dental Hygiene
School
Health Sciences
Description
This course is designed to provide learners with theoretical knowledge required for novice clinical dental hygiene practice. Emphasis will be placed on infection prevention and control, client assessment, instrumentation skills, and preventive dentistry.
Credits
4.0
Year of study
2nd Year Post-secondary
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
DHYG 2110.
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Describe the primary routes of microbial transmission and accepted standards for infection prevention and control and safety.
- Describe medical health considerations and their impact on oral health and the provision of dental hygiene care.
- Explain basic clinical assessments important to dental hygiene care.
- Demonstrate and discuss basic communication techniques to support the collection of comprehensive assessment data.
- Describe the process of obtaining thorough and accurate clinical assessment data.
- Describe principles of clinical instrumentation skills associated with clinical dental hygiene care.
- Describe the use of preventive oral self-care aids and therapeutic agents.
- Demonstrate accurate clinical annotations and records management in a simulated environment.
- Explain the types of dental deposits and how to detect, quantify, and document them.
Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
None
Hours
Lecture, Online, Seminar, Tutorial: 63
Total Hours: 63
Total Hours: 63
Instructional Strategies
Instructional strategies include active, collaborative learning; lecture; experiential learning in simulation, group work; discussion; and self-reflection.
Grading System
Letter Grade (A-F)
Passing grade
C
Evaluation Plan
|
Type |
Percentage |
Assessment activity |
|
Quizzes/Tests |
20% |
2-4 quizzes |
|
Assignments |
20% |
Communication Assignment |
|
Exam |
15% |
Written Midterm Exam |
|
Project |
15% |
Dental Products Project |
|
Exam |
30% |
Written Final Exam |
|
Assignments |
S/U |
WHMIS Module |
Course topics
- Infection Prevention & Control; Medical and Dental History; Vital Signs; Ergonomics; Surgical Magnification; Clinical Assessments; Instrument Theory; Ultrasonic Theory; Brushing and Flossing; Oral Self-care; Dentifrices and Gums; Oral Rinses and Gels; Annotations and Dental Records; Dental Deposits and Plaque Index;
Learning resources
Course resource information will be supplied by the department/instructor.
Notes:
- Course contents and descriptions, offerings and schedules are subject to change without notice.
- Students are required to follow all College policies including ones that govern their educational experience at VCC. Policies are available on the VCC website at:
https://www.vcc.ca/about/governance--policies/policies/. - To find out if there are existing transfer agreements for this course, visit the BC Transfer Guide at https://www.bctransferguide.ca.