5.1.2 - General Clinic Information

SECOND FLOOR CLINICS  

THIRD FLOOR COMPREHENSIVE CARE CLINICS 

Clinic hours are 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Clinic sessions are 9:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. Every effort should be made to have all electronic/evaluation forms completed, procedure codes entered, session notes completed, and authorized/approved by the attending faculty. Students should turn in instruments for sterilization within the allotted clinic time. Organized and efficient time management builds patient confidence. 

You are not permitted to provide any clinical treatment outside regular clinic periods without specific permission from a faculty member and that faculty member must be present in the clinic. Students may bring their patients back into the clinical area 5 minutes before the clinic session begins with expressed verbal permission of a faculty member on the floor. Treating patients without direct faculty supervision is a serious infraction of COD clinic policy resulting in the filing of a Professionalism Concerns Report (PCR). The PCR will be given to the Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs, the Director for Quality Assurance, the Director of Compliance, and the Dean of Student Affairs. There will be a loss of clinic privileges for no less than 1 week, resulting in a loss of RVUs for that week.

Attendance in the clinic is mandatory unless the student is excused by their attending supervising Course Director, Group Practice Director, Director for Quality Assurance, Director of Compliance, or Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs. The request for absence must be submitted in the format requisite to the course. If not treating a patient, the student will be expected to assist another student, working under the direction of their Course Director, Group Practice Director, or assigned supervising faculty. Students who "No-Show" in the clinic will result in a zero grade for the clinic session missed.

Students are expected to use every available clinic session and your assigned PSC will help you maintain a consistent schedule. The minimum clinical experiences you must complete for promotion or graduation are easily attainable with regular clinic attendance. Comprehensive Care and Departmental minimum clinical experiences have been structured with the understanding that every student will experience patient cancellations or no-shows. However, other unanticipated circumstances (illness, weather, etc.) may also result in some clinic sessions not being utilized; it is your responsibility to notify the proper supervising authorities, whether it be your Course Director, Supervising Faculty, or Group Practice Director when this occurs. 

Unanticipated absences, (i.e., personal illness, family emergency, transportation problems, etc.) are to be reported:

DS1               Student Affairs in the Dean’s Office, all course directors
DS2               Student Affairs in the Dean’s Office, all course directors
DS3 & DS4       Student Affairs in the Dean’s Office, all course directors, and assigned Group Practice Director.

This is necessary so that your coursework, pre-clinical courses, and patient care courses (patient appointments) can be addressed during your absence. However, as a caretaker, it is your responsibility to notify your assigned PSC and your supervising clinical faculty in the case of these unanticipated absences.

Anticipated absences, (i.e., family events, advanced program interviews, personal business, doctor appointments, official university business, etc.) should be discussed with the appropriate faculty (Course Director) and a Student Request for a Clinic Absence form should be completed prior to the time of the absence so arrangements can be made for make-up work. The absence should also be reported to the Dean’s Office as soon as you are aware of the event. 

All absences are to be reported to the Office of the Dean for documentation; however, this does not excuse the absence; arrangements must be made with individual Course Directors, Group Practice Directors, or supervising faculty for make-up.

STUDENT REQUEST FOR A CLINIC ABSENCE form is found in axiUm Links in the Clinical Forms section or from an available PSC. The location is axiUm / Links / Clinic Forms.

See Dental Hygiene Reference Documents for attendance policy.

Dental Students:

A clinic schedule is published each semester that indicates the disciplines providing clinic coverage on each half-day of the week and when specific clinics are closed for cleaning and re-stocking supplies.  The schedule will also indicate the student academic class (DS2, DS3, and DS4) and the maximum number of students that will be scheduled in each clinic session. The clinic schedule will be e-mailed to all students at the beginning of each semester.

Clinics are restricted solely to the academic classes designated on the clinic schedule. You may not use the clinic at any time that your class is scheduled to be in a lecture or laboratory. If one of your patients requires emergency care during a time when you do not have access to a clinic, you must get written permission from [1] the course instructor to be excused from class and [2] the attending clinical faculty (Department Faculty or GPD, as applicable and the Clinic Manager) to be allowed into the clinic to treat the emergency.

Dental Hygiene Students:

A clinic schedule is published each semester that indicates where and when the hygiene students will provide clinic coverage on half-days each week. The clinic schedule will be e-mailed to all students at the beginning of each semester, as well as, made available on D2L under the appropriate clinic course. Clinics are restricted solely to the academic classes designated on the clinic schedule. You may not use the clinic at any time that your class is scheduled to be in lecture.

During the third and fourth years, each dental student is required to participate in several clinical rotations. Scheduled rotations always take precedence over regular clinic time; when you are on rotation, you must attend every assigned session. You may not treat patients in other clinics when you are on rotation without the permission of the department conducting the rotation and the department covering the clinic in which you wish to work.

Once published, rotation schedules are final. Any requested changes in the schedule will be considered only if approved by the involved department and the Division Head of Comprehensive Care and if such changes will not compromise the student coverage necessary to staff the rotation.

Dental Students:

The minimum clinical experiences in periodontics, operative dentistry, endodontics, removable prosthodontics, and fixed prosthodontics are summarized in the next few pages.  Other clinical disciplines (oral diagnosis, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, occlusion, and oral surgery) also have specific expectations; however, their minimum clinical experiences are generally managed in conjunction with other departments or through clinic rotations. For specific information regarding these disciplines and their current requirements, consult with the individual departments and/or appropriate clinic manuals.

The following are the current clinical divisions:

Comprehensive Care 
Endodontics
Occlusion
Operative
Oral Diagnosis
Oral Surgery
Orthodontics
Pediatric Dentistry
Periodontics
Prosthodontics

During clinic appointments remove all items not related to treatment (books, backpacks, notes, etc.) and place them in your assigned locker. Reserve countertops for instruments and supplies needed for treatment. Never seat your patient until after your armamentarium is set up and your operatory is prepared. 

For prosthodontic procedures done at the operatory, place white lab paper on the countertops. Use the adjacent clinic laboratory for routine laboratory procedures; do not perform laboratory work in clinic operatories. 

Refer to Section 5.8 Health and Safety/Infection Control for the appropriate infection control procedures to use for each clinic appointment. After your patient has been dismissed and the dental unit has been disinfected, reposition your operatory equipment as follows: 

1. Return the dental chair to an upright position, place the rheostat on a paper towel and place it on the chair seat, then raise the chair to at least the length of the rheostat cord. 

2. Reposition the dental lamp and handpiece unit over the center of the chair seat. 

3. Return the assistant cabinet to its position under the operatory counter. 

4. Position operator and assistant stools next to counters. 

5. Report any problems with your assigned operator unit to the Inventory Associate. 

As healthcare facilities, the clinics must be kept as clean as possible and must present a desirable, safe, and professional image to the public. You are responsible for the cleanliness of the operatory assigned to you and for any clinic laboratory space you use. 

Food and drink may not be taken into operatories, reception areas, dispensaries, consultation rooms, or x-ray facilities. The College and University are tobacco-free environments; the use of tobacco in any form including E-cigarettes is strictly prohibited. 

No animals of any kind are allowed in the dental building except for service animals. See Service Animal Policy. 

Clinical Appearance: All workforce members and students must comply with the following guidelines for clinical participation.  

Clinical Appearance: 

1. Hair should be clean, well-groomed, of a neutral or natural color, kept secured away from the face and front of the over-gown, and out of the field of operation so that it does not require handling during a procedure. 

2. Men must be clean-shaven, or beards and mustaches must be clean, neatly trimmed, and well groomed 

3. Personal body hygiene is required so that offensive body odor is avoided 

4. Avoid strong perfumes, colognes, or aftershaves 

5. Fingernails must be kept clean, short, and well-manicured 

6. Fingernail polish/gel nails must be free of any chips or wear 

7. Artificial nails are strictly prohibited 

8. Jewelry should be kept out of the field of operation. Watches must be covered by the over gown, earrings cannot hang past the bottom of the ear lobe, rings can be worn if smooth and do not compromise the glove’s integrity 

9. Visible tattoos must be covered 

Clinical Attire: 

1. COD ID badges must always be worn and visible. 

2. Scrub top and pants must be clean, wrinkle-free, and matching. Scrub sets must be in the same color as the student's class.

3. Scrubs must be properly fitted. They cannot be excessively tight or baggy. Scrubs must permit bending, leaning, and squatting while preserving modesty. 

4. Student scrub tops must be embroidered using the following criteria:
   a. 1 centimeter tall
   b. Full block font
   c. White thread
   d. First and last name

5. Scrub pants can be a jogger or traditional style and must reach the ankles when standing. 

6. White- or solid-colored T-shirts or long-sleeved shirts can be worn under the scrubs as long as they are tucked inside the scrub pant 

7. Socks are required 

5. Shoes must be protective, clean, closed-toed, solid upper sole (no visible perforations), with a rubber or leather sole 

6. Outer garments may be worn if the jackets have been purchased through The Uniform Shoppe. They must be embroidered with the first and last name of the student. They may be worn in the clinic, but not at chairside during patient treatment. They may be worn outside of the clinical environment as they are not treatment jackets. 

7. Workforce members are responsible for laundering their scrubs.

If a student wants to purchase additional scrubs, the scrubs must comply with the above criteria. The student may be sent home to change if purchases of scrubs do not meet the dress code criteria.

A long-sleeve protective gown (provided in each clinic) is required for procedures when aerosols are anticipated. Gowns may not be worn in public areas including bathrooms, PSC offices, and reception areas. They may be worn from clinic to clinic on the 3rd floor but may not be worn outside of the clinic on the 2nd and 4th floors. 

Violations of this policy will be handled in the following manner: 

For students: 

First offense: Written warning (copy to Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs and Director of Compliance). 

Second offense: Professional Concerns Report (PCR) filed (copy to Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs and Director of Compliance). 

Third offense: Appearance before the appropriate Periodic Assessment Committee, which could result in further disciplinary action. 

For workforce members: 

First infraction: e-mail written warning from Director of Compliance to workforce member cc’d to workforce member’s supervisor. 

Second infraction: a review with Supervisor and Director of Compliance; potential training: review on D2L and quiz within 10 days of notification of infraction. 

Third infraction: reviewed by the Dean of the College of Dentistry.  

Fourth infraction: disciplinary measure up to and including dismissal. 

Any incident involving patient endangerment may result in immediate disciplinary action. 

All freshman and sophomore dental students must work in pairs while in the clinic. Junior and senior dental students work solo during all clinic sessions except when in the pediatric or orthodontic clinic, where pairing is required. Additionally, DS3 students may be paired for certain courses involving patient treatment-specific disciplines (check with individual departments for further clarification). For dental hygiene students, pairing is required only during the fall semester of the first year.

The Department of Periodontics determines an initial pairing of students in the freshman class, however, your clinic partner assigned for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year will be assigned by the Director of Comprehensive Care. The Department of Dental Hygiene pairs hygiene students. Students are required to always work with their designated partner when pairing is required. Exceptions must be authorized by the Course Director, Group Practice Director, or the Director of Clinics as applicable. Failure to observe the clinic pairings in scheduling patients will result in clinic suspension, the length of which will be at the discretion of the clinical course director. You are also expected to share available clinic sessions so that you and your partner have access to an equal amount of time for the treatment of your respective patients.

Because student pairings are used in the development of rotation schedules, you may not switch partners without the approval of the Director of Comprehensive Care. For pairs wishing to change partners, all four students involved must personally inform the Director of Comprehensive Care that they agree to the switch. Even if all parties agree, the request will be postponed if there is any potential adverse impact on rotation schedules. 

If your partner is absent during a clinic session when pairing is required, notify the attending faculty member in that clinic who will determine the appropriate course of action. In most instances, you will be required to find another classmate to assist you. 

Patients may park in the Stonewall Parking Garage (P4), northeast of and across the street from the College. To park in the garage without being charged, the PSC or the receptionist on the third floor must validate your patient’s parking ticket.  All patients must be escorted to the PSC or 3rd-floor receptionist for payment upon dismissal (If no payment is due and/ or no fee is assessed, the patient must still be escorted to PSC or 3rd-floor receptionist for checkout).

Patients may not park in the driveway in front of the building. This area is reserved for the loading/unloading of patients only. Parking in this area without proper permission may result in your patient's car being towed at their expense. If your patient is handicapped and has the appropriate placard, they may park in the designated handicapped parking spaces.

The College of Dentistry has a patient shuttle service available to and from the P4 parking garage and the front door of the college. The shuttle service hours are Monday through Friday 7:45 am to 4:45 pm.