Dental Hygiene

If a man obtains professional qualification, he is entitled to use the title of dental hygienist.

Education in the Dental Hygiene study program is carried out in accordance with all applicable legal regulations (Decree No. 39/2005 Coll., Decree No. 55/2011 Coll., Act No. 96/2004 Coll., and Act No. 372/2011 Coll.).

Upon successful completion of the programme, the graduate is able to:

• understand the structure, function and dysfunction of the human body with a focus on the orofacial region and understand the principles of diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive procedures used in dentistry and dental hygiene
• carry out all activities of a health care professional with professional competence in accordance with applicable legislation
• carry out collective health-educational activities and research activities aimed at the prevention of dental caries, periodontopathies, orthodontic anomalies and rational nutrition, especially in relation to oral health;
• Perform initial and follow-up examinations of the oral cavity, obtain medical history, assess the condition of the periodontium and soft tissues, perform a preliminary assessment of the condition of the teeth and their susceptibility to decay; X-rays
• perform other indicated procedures in the field of dentistry and dental hygiene in accordance with applicable legislation;
• carry out the work of a dental instrument technician in accordance with applicable legislation;
• know the principles of dental hygiene office operation and cooperate with the dentist in the operation of the dentist's office;
• perform the practical part of medical radiation under the professional supervision of a dentist.
• Operate a registered healthcare facility in the field of dental hygiene.

Independently

- Educate and instruct patients on regular and systematic preventive oral hygiene care.

- Conduct collective health education activities focused on the prevention of dental caries, periodontal disease, orthodontic anomalies, and rational nutrition.

- Determine the level of individual hygiene, train patients in oral hygiene procedures and techniques, and monitor their effectiveness.

- Conduct research in dentistry, especially in the field of dental hygiene, in cooperation with a dentist.

Without professional supervision in accordance with the treatment plan

a) perform initial and follow-up examinations of the oral cavity, including obtaining medical history, assessing the condition of the periodontium and soft tissues

b) take dental impressions,

c) remove dental plaque and calculus from interdental and supragingival areas, polish the surface of teeth with prophylactic materials,

d) remove subgingival calculus as part of non-surgical treatment,

e) treat sensitive dentin and apply prophylactic materials such as fluoride solutions,

f) remove plaque retention sites and perform surface treatment of fillings,

g) perform professional teeth cleaning

h) establish an individual dental hygiene treatment plan and, on the basis thereof, perform conservative non-surgical therapy, namely initial, maintenance, and supportive antimicrobial therapy; an individual dental hygiene treatment plan may only be established within the limits of the individual treatment procedure determined by a dentist,

i) perform non-invasive applications of antiseptic, astringent, and antibacterial medicinal products supragingivally and into subgingival spaces,

j) smooth tooth roots,

k) perform closed curettage,

l) remove pigmentation using prophylactic materials and special instruments,

m) make study models,

n) inform the attending dentist about the results of patient treatment and recommend a follow-up examination by a dentist after no more than 6 months.

Under professional supervision,

a) perform the activities of a dental assistant in accordance with § 40,

b) apply surface anesthesia for surface numbing of the gums,

c) change rubber accessories on fixed orthodontic appliances,

d) perform teeth whitening and similar cosmetic procedures, and provide recommendations regarding individual home teeth whitening.

e) perform the practical part of medical irradiation with dental X-ray equipment based on the indication of the dentist who is the applying specialist.

Under direct supervision

a) fissure sealing

Graduates also acquire the skills of a dental assistant.

• Dental Hygienist

A dental hygienist is a health professional that works with patients in the field of dental hygiene and focuses on prevention, treatment and education in the area of oral hygiene in cooperation with dentists. The main areas covered by this programme are prevention, periodontology and oral hygiene. The aim of the programme is to educate Bachelor-holding professionals that know the principles of oral hygiene and can use them in their profession. Both general and profession medical training enables them to understand the relationship between oral care and the biomedical and social sciences, and to use this knowledge in their occupation. They should be able to help patients maintain, improve and protect their health and prevent oral diseases. They educate and motivate individuals as well as groups to choose a healthy lifestyle, especially in the field of oral hygiene. Graduates will also be able to manage and run medical facilities, cooperate and work independently in some areas of research, and continually maintain and improve their knowledge and skills. Practical training is performed also in other subjects - Oral hygiene, Periodontology, Dentistry I., II. and Preventive dentistry. The number of hours of practical training is 1691 hours altogether.

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Learning Outcomes

A standard scope of a Bachelor thesis ranges from 72000 to 60000 characters including footnotes, cover sheet, content, index, list of literature, and annotations. A Bachelors thesis does not have character of an independent empirical research (potential exception shall be approved by the thesis supervisor). Students can work with already published texts and data for secondary analysis. They should demonstrate the ability to work critically with specialized texts process the concepts and theories discovered there, and find relevant answers to given questions.

Currently, there is no direct follow-up master's degree program offered. Students can apply for any follow-up master's degree program. We recommend, for example, the Public Health program at the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University or Anthropology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Bioanalytical Laboratory Diagnostics in Healthcare - Bioanalyst, Bioanalytical Laboratory Diagnostics in Healthcare - Medical Genetics and Molecular Diagnostics, and Microbiology at the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University. Environment and Health