Clinical experience information, Dental Hygiene
How many hours will I spend in clinic seeing patients? You will spend at least 12 hours each week seeing patients.
Where do I receive my clinical education? Students will receive their clinical education in a dental clinic setting within operatories for patient care.
How many operatories are in the clinic where I will work? In the Laredo regional campus clinic, there will be 8 operatories and in the UT Health San Antonio campus, there will be 8 operatories utilized in the Periodontics Clinic and 16 on the student clinic floor.
Who supervises and teaches? All dental hygiene faculty are assigned to supervise clinic throughout the semester. There is also a supervising dentist who provides local anesthesia, consults, and exams for patients of dental hygiene students. All faculty members will guide and mentor students.
Who are my patients? Patients are members of the San Antonio and Laredo community.
What rotations will I participate in? Clinical rotations will vary by location. Rotations are designed to treat the underserved such as the homeless, special needs or disabled, geriatrics, and pediatric population groups.
What types of procedures will students be expected to perform to complete in clinic and rotations?
- Periodontal assessments
- Comprehensive dental exams
- Oral cancer screenings
- Tobacco cessation and nutritional counseling
- X-rays
- Apply sealants
- Periodontal therapy, including scaling and planning
- Simple dental cleanings
Rotations are subject to change due to availability.
What else should I know? Our faculty will evaluate students on patient management and clinical competencies. You must serve our patients in a professional way to complete the program.