Caruth School of Dental Hygiene

The Caruth School of Dental Hygiene is an integral part of the College of Dentistry. The dental hygiene school was equipped in 1954 through a generous gift from the Caruth Foundation of Dallas and W.W. Caruth, Jr., in honor of W.W. Caruth, Sr., a pioneer Texas philanthropist.

The first dental hygiene students were accepted in fall 1955. At that time, there was no requirement for previous college experience. In 1964, the Caruth School of Dental Hygiene established prerequisite courses prior to professional study. During the same year, the Bachelor of Science degree was offered in addition to the traditional certificate program. All graduates since 1973 have received the degree of Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene. In 1997, the Master of Science degree was added.

Purpose

The purpose of the Caruth School of Dental Hygiene is to educate preventive oral health professionals, eligible for licensure as dental hygienists, who are capable of providing educational, clinical and therapeutic services that support total health through the promotion of optimal oral health.

Opportunities

The services of a dental hygienist are offered in private dental practices and clinics, public health agencies, school systems, hospitals, nursing homes and corporate health facilities. Dental hygienists also teach in dental and dental hygiene programs and participate in health research. The baccalaureate degree offered through the Caruth School of Dental Hygiene by the College of Dentistry satisfies the educational requirement for eligibility for state licensure. Graduates are provided with diverse experiences to prepare for a variety of employment settings and to pursue graduate education. A Master of Science in Education for Healthcare Professionals with a focus in dental hygiene is also offered.

This program prepares students for the opportunity to pursue an occupational license. Please refer to the Notification for Students Pursuing an Occupational License in our catalog for additional information.

Dental Hygiene (DDHS)

DDHS 3020 Theory of Dental Hygiene Practice I

Credits 2. 2 Lecture Hours. Emphasis on advanced dental hygiene skills and services; provision of services to medically compromised patients.

DDHS 3110 Introduction To Dentistry

Credit 1. 1 Lecture Hour. Introduction to dental hygiene as it relates to the dental specialties. Guest lecturers will describe what their specialty encompasses and the dental hygienist’s role in that field of dentistry.

DDHS 3120 Dental Anatomy

Credits 2. 2 Lecture Hours. Form and function of the primary and permanent human dentition; laboratory and seminar emphasis on morphology and comparisons of teeth.

DDHS 3160 Preclinical Dental Hygiene

Credits 6. 4 Lecture Hours. 0.5 Lab Hours. 8 Other Hours. This course introduces the student to the foundational knowledge and skills needed to provide basic dental hygiene services. With faculty guidance, the student learns how to assess a patient’s oral health needs, plan dental hygiene services to meet those needs, and implement and evaluate newly learned preventive and therapeutic procedures.

DDHS 3220 Oral Radiology

Credits 0 to 2. 2 Lecture Hours. 1 Lab Hour. 1 Other Hour. This course is intended to provide the student with an understanding of the generation, properties, and techniques for use of X-rays in dentistry. The principles of radiation safety and health physics, interpretative recognition techniques and clinical patient management.

DDHS 3250 Biomedical Sciences I

Credits 5. 5 Lecture Hours. 0 Lab Hours. Structure of the human body, including its anatomy, biochemistry, histology and physiology. Emphasis is placed on the structures of the head and neck region that surrounds the oral cavity.

DDHS 3310 Health Education and Behavioral Science

Credit 1. 1 Lecture Hour. This course is designed to introduce the student to health education and behavioral science as it relates to educating patients and changing behaviors. Students will gain knowledge in evaluating and delivering educational services to culturally diverse populations.

DDHS 3325 Microbiology

Credits 2.5. 2.5 Lecture Hours. 0 Lab Hours. A lecture course designed to teach the basic principles of medical microbiology, immunology and the infectious disease process.

DDHS 3340 Biomedical Sciences II

Credits 4. 4 Lecture Hours. 0 Lab Hours. Structure of the human body, including its anatomy, bio-chemistry, histology and physiology. Emphasis is placed on the structures of the head and neck region that surrounds the oral cavity.

DDHS 3410 Introduction to Pathology

Credit 1. 1 Lecture Hour. Introduction to Pathology is primarily a didactic lecture oriented course. Although clinically oriented, it is designed to provide a base of knowledge about pathologic processes and specific disease entities. Emphasis is on concepts and vocabulary essential to under-standing basic pathologic process; systemic pathology of organ systems and tissues; clinical manifestations that result from biological cellular alterations.

DDHS 3425 Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Credits 2.5. 2.5 Lecture Hours. This course introduces the student to the etiology and prevalence of oral diseases and oral problems. The emphasis of the course is on the role of the dental hygienist in the promotion of optimal oral health, the prevention of oral diseases, and the importance of achieving and maintaining excellent personal oral health habits. The importance of and the techniques for educating the patient in self-care skills will also be examined.

DDHS 3530 Applied Dental Materials

Credits 3. 2 Lecture Hours. 2.5 Lab Hours. Didactic, laboratory and clinical instruction in the principles of the science of dental materials and in procedures within the scope of dental hygiene practice.

DDHS 3830 Clinical Dental Hygiene I

Credits 3. 9 Other Hours. Comprehensive dental hygiene care through clinical application of procedures. Includes intramural dental hygiene and dental school rotations.

DDHS 4010 National Board Review

Credit 1. 1 Lecture Hour. Reviews applications of previous course content using a seminar format in preparation for the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam.

DDHS 4015 Pharmacology

Credit 1.5. 1.5 Lecture Hour. Actions, indications and contraindications of drugs; emphasis on drugs frequently encountered in dentistry.

DDHS 4025 Oral Pathology

Credits 2.5. 2.5 Lecture Hours. A didactic lecture oriented course. The lecture portion of the course, although, clinically oriented is designed to provide a base of knowledge about pathologic processes and specific disease entities. Diseases unique to the oral regions as well as oral manifestations of systemic disease will be covered. The Clinical Pathologic Conference (CPC) attempts to assimilate that information and apply it to relevant clinical situations in a case-based PDL format. Cases which illustrate a variety of clinical signs and symptoms will be presented with clinical histories. Students will be given the opportunity to develop a differential diagnosis and discuss the implications of this relevant to the patient’s treatment.

DDHS 4110 Medical Emergencies

Credits 0-1. 0-1 Lecture Hours. Discussions on the preparations for handling emergencies; prevention, recognition and management of various emergencies. The course includes case scenario presentations and mock hands-on drills.

DDHS 4140 Clinical Dental Hygiene III

Credits 4. 12 Other Hours. Comprehensive dental hygiene care through clinical application of procedures. Includes intramural dental hygiene and dental school rotations and extramural site rotations.

DDHS 4210 Professional Ethics

Credit 1. 1 Lecture Hour. The didactic lecture course and case-based small group decision making exercises draw from general ethics, bioethics, dental-specific ethics and obligations of health-care professionals.

DDHS 4220 Comprehensive Care Seminar

Credits 0 to 2. 0 to 2 Lecture Hours. Topics and activities designed to integrate dental hygiene care with total patient care; includes a case presentation.

DDHS 4240 Clinical Dental Hygiene IV

DDHS 4310 Oral Radiography

Credits 0-1. 0-1 Other Hours. Provides the student with clinical experience in the application of the principles, procedures and techniques of oral radiography.

DDHS 4320 Perspectives in Dental Hygiene

Credits 2. 2 Lecture Hours. In addition to preparing the student for private practice dental hygiene positions, this course introduces other potential career options including hospital/clinic administration, sales, consulting, public health, insurance and education. The importance of the dental team concept, résumé writing and interviewing skills will be discussed. Legal, ethical and professional issues involving record keeping, licensing, informed consent, sexual harassment and the standard of care will be explored. The business aspects of dental hygiene, personal financial planning, and insurance options will also be addressed. In addition, this course will prepare students for the Texas Jurisprudence Exam required for state licensure.

DDHS 4410 Gerontology

Credit 1. 1 Lecture Hour. This course will examine the unique considerations a dental professional will encounter when providing care to a geriatric patient. Social, psychological and biological aspects of aging will be discussed. Strategies for patient care will be outlined and discussed. Appropriate community referral agencies will be explored to aid the hygienist in providing assistance to the elderly patient.

DDHS 4510 Pediatric Dentistry

Credit 1. 1 Lecture Hour. Child development as the basis for management of behavior in the dental environment.

DDHS 4530 Public and Community Health

Credits 0 to 3. 0 to 3 Other Hours. This course examines dental public health and pro-motes a greater understanding of the important role of the dental hygienist within the community. The student is exposed to opportunities to promote oral health and prevent dental diseases in the community through organized community-based programs versus the traditional clinical approach.

DDHS 4610 Periodontics

Credit 1. 1 Lecture Hour. Characteristics, etiology and treatment of inflammatory diseases of the supporting tissues of the teeth and their substitutes. Emphasis is placed on the relationship of periodontics to the practice of dental hygiene.

DDHS 4620 Theory of Dental Hygiene Practice II

Credits 2. 2 Lecture Hours. Fundamental knowledge and techniques in managing patients with special needs.

DDHS 4710 Applied Research Methods

Credit 1. 1 Lecture Hour. Practical experience in applying principles of research methodology; includes preparation of a formal proposal and table clinic under mentorship of individual faculty.

DDHS 4715 Research Methods

Credit 1.5. 1.5 Lecture Hour. Identification of research problems and variables; sampling; research design; statistical testing of data; critical review of dental literature; table clinic development for presentation to the public and professional groups.

DDHS 4810 Local Anesthesia and Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Sedation

Credit 1. 1 Lecture Hour. The primary method of presentation is lecture, a detailed outline is provided to each student to facilitate the lecture or textbook notes to supplement the outline. Students are given outside assignments to practice dose calculations for each local anesthetic and for a variety of patients. The lecture material is supplemental with videotapes designed to show the correct administration techniques, the neural innervations of each area of the oral cavity and the area anesthetized.

DDHS 4820 Clinical Dental Hygiene II

Credits 2. 6 Other Hours. Comprehensive dental hygiene care through clinical application of procedures. Includes intramural dental hygiene and dental school rotations and extramural site rotations.

Brown, Maureen D, Clinical Assistant Professor
Dental Hygiene
MS, Texas A&M University Commerce, 2020

Cotter, Jane C, Associate Professor
Dental Hygiene
MS, Texas A&M University, 2009

Cowen, Brandy, Clinical Assistant Professor
Dental Hygiene
MS, Texas Woman's University, 2018

Estrada, Martha, Clinical Assistant Professor
Dental Hygiene
BS, Baylor College of Dentistry, 2003

Estrada, Rocio, Clinical Faculty
Dental Hygiene
BS, Texas A&M University, 2014

Fox, Eric, Clinical Assistant Professor
Dental Hygiene
MS, Texas A&M University, 2005

Gauthier, Eliska, Clinical Assistant Professor
Dental Hygiene
MBA, Texas Woman's University, 2018

Graham, Chelsi, Clinical Assistant Professor
Dental Hygiene
BS, Tyler Junior College, 2021

Kim, Thao, Clinical Faculty
Dental Hygiene
BS, Baylor University, 2022

King, Tracy, Clinical Associate Professor
Dental Hygiene
MS, Baylor College of Dentistry/Texas A&M School of Dentistry, 2002

Mallonee, Lisa, Professor
Dental Hygiene
MPH, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2000

Martinez, Bernadette, Clinical Faculty
Dental Hygiene
BS, Baylor College of Dentistry, 2003

McNiel, Amanda, Clinical Faculty
Dental Hygiene
MS, Texas A&M College of Dentistry, 2009

Mendoza Hernandez, Ariana, Clinical Assistant Professor
Dental Hygiene
MPH, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 2023

Moorman, Chelsea, Clinical Faculty
Dental Hygiene
BS, Texas A&M College of Dentistry, 2016

Nurick, Leigh Ann, Clinical Associate Professor
Dental Hygiene
MS, Texas A&M University, 2014

Reed, Kayla, Clinical Assistant Professor
Dental Hygiene
MED, Texas A&M University, 2019

Spittle, Leah, Clinical Faculty
Dental Hygiene
MED, Texas A&M University, 2016

Tolentino, Mary, Clinical Faculty
Dental Hygiene
MS, Texas A&M University, 2013