Most dental courses have multiple courses in the theory and practice of dental hygiene. Montgomery County Community College, or MCCC, in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, has four different courses in the theory and practice of dental hygiene. The first of these courses introduces the student to basic dental hygiene procedures, dental hygiene care, dental field ethics and diseases. The other three courses in theory and practice of dental hygiene go further into the practice of dental hygiene including hands-on practical applications in a dental clinic setting.
Dental anatomy and radiology are two other courses in dental hygiene that help make up the curriculum in this field of study. Dental anatomy courses teach the student the structure of the mouth, function of the teeth and root morphology as well as other dental anatomy. Dental radiology courses concentrate on the study and use of X-rays in the field of dentistry. Students learn the procedures, processing and diagnosing of X-rays as well as how to store the film.
Every dental school has courses in periodontics as part of the dental hygiene curriculum. Some schools have two or more courses in periodontics such as MCCC, while other schools, such as SUNY Canton, only require one course. Periodontics studies areas of the mouth or tissue where disease can develop. The course teaches the student what normal and diseased tissue looks like in addition to the treatment of that disease. The student learns how and when a patient requires maintenance of periodontal tissue at different stages of the disease and when to recognize that a specialist must see the patient for the disease.
Another major course in dental hygiene is regarding the dental materials used in the field. Some dental schools have two classes in dental materials, with one of those classes covering dental materials in the laboratory, such as SUNY Canton. MCCC combines the dental materials and lab work together into one class. The course covers the instruments used in the field, what the tools are used for and how to use the tools. The course always offers practical experience of the use of these materials in a clinical setting.