Handbook for Dental Chair Side Assistants Part 1

The chapter deals with basic general human anatomy. The basic idea is to get the student oriented to gross surface anatomy, the bones, and organs so that he is able to relate to diseases and scientifically record blood pressure and perform venipuncture. This chapter will also orient the student to related surface anatomy for basic life-saving procedures.

The chapter deals with the basis of human physiology, that is, the human cell. It also explains the functioning of the cardiovascular system, the nervous system, and the digestive system. It is of paramount importance for the student to understand basic human systems functioning so that he can be of value in assistance during a life-saving procedure and also be able to rationalise all precautions for patient care. 

This chapter introduces the student to oral microbiology. Dental plaque is a known common denominator for caries and periodontal diseases. The colonization of plaque is an important concept. The microbial basis of caries is discussed in this chapter along with gingivitis, periodontics, periimplantitis, and cellulitis.

The chapter focuses on the dental pathology. It covers the pathology related to teeth and epithelium. Congenital defects of the oral cavity and developmental defects of teeth are also elaborated. It explains inflammation in general with an emphasis on pulp and periapical inflammation and disease. Squamous cell carcinomas are also discussed along with their etiology. 

The chapter covers the anatomy of the tooth, the oral cavity, enamel, dentine, and pulp. It discusses the arrangement of teeth and also their individual and peculiar anatomical features. Different types of nomenclature used all over the world are discussed. It gives the student an overview of dental anatomy and introduces him to necessary details.

The chapter gives an overview of radiology as practiced in a dental clinic. The radiographs are of two types, mainly periapical and bitewing radiographs. The techniques of radiology are explained in this chapter. The deleterious effects of radiation, radiosensitivity of various organs, recommended radiation dose, film speed, and radiation protection gear are discussed for providing an insight to the students. 

The chapter provides an insight into the common drug therapy practiced in dental clinics for patients. Various routes of administration of drugs are explained. The responsibilities of the patient attendant are highlighted, which is very important and cannot be overlooked, considering the legal liabilities. Most of the important drugs are also described in this chapter.

This chapter explains the various common methods of sterilization used in a dental clinic. It describes the principle of autoclave, ozone steri-lization, cold sterilization and chemicals used in sterilization. It is of utmost importance for a dental chairside assistant. 

The chapter deals with the practice of washing hands and its importance. It is a simple process, and its importance is reinforced. The small act of handwashing is an activity that has been repeatedly shown to be very useful in controlling the spread of nosocomial infections. Eye protection and alcohol-based rubs are also discussed. The use of other protective gear is also stressed.

The chapter deals with the management of waste generated in a dental clinic. It highlights the various steps for its disposal. In this chapter, the types of incinerators are described. Tabulated directions are given on step-by-step recommendations for disposal. It prepares the student for biomedical waste management. It also provides a very important reference for the future dental chair side assistant.

This chapter will provide an overview of various restorative and impression materials used in a dental practice. The students will be explained how to handle and manipulate various restorative materials and impression materials to attain their ideal properties. Studying this topic is essential as the assistant helps to pace up the restorative appointment by dispensing and mixing the cement bases and restorative materials required while restoring the tooth and impression materials for impression making.

The chapter deals with commonly used instruments of various types. It is full of real-life pictures and has the potential to prepare the students for clinical posting to various specialities

The chapter explains the technique for various blocks used in dentistry. The areas anaesthetized are also well explained. The various techniques discussed are alveolar nerve block, mental nerve block, nasopalatine block, greater palatine block, and posterior superior alveolar block.

The role of patient education is extremely important in maintaining oral hygiene and oral health. It is even more important when the patient has had a periodontal surgery. Patient education is a simple process if the goals and content of education are understood. Motivation is a rare consequence of this education until additional reinforcement and rewards are used. The subject is discussed in a simple manner in this chapter, and the importance of oral hygiene methods and oral hygiene maintenance is simultaneously discussed

Psychology of human nature and its understanding is the key to smooth interactions between two human beings. It is of great importance to dental surgeons and dental nurses who are dealing with persons in times of distress. These are various theories of developmental psychology given by different authors. The psychosexual theory by an Austrian neurologist Dr. Sigmund Freud and the psychosocial theory by Erik Erikson are the two main theories that explain psychological development and maturity. They have important dental implications, which are discussed in this chapter. The theory of classical conditioning, as given by Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist, is discussed

The chapter is a very important topic of study for the dental chair side assistant. One of the main jobs that he has to perform is of controlling the anxiety of the patient and trying to make the patient more cooperative. There are various types of anxiety, and they may have an association with past experience, or they may be inbuilt. Anxiety needs to be assessed and conveyed. It is important to assess it on a numerical scale and by various physiological tools. Methods of scoring anxiety are discussed for learning how to calculate and communicate the anxiety in our patient. Five self-explanatory real-life pictures are included for the benefit of the student.