5.1.3 - Auxiliary Clinic Services

CLINIC HOURS: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Clinic staff must clean the clinic and inventory and stock supplies before and after clinic sessions. Please do not request clinic materials, supplies, and supplemental equipment before 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to allow clinic personnel to make these preparations uninterrupted. 

Inventory Associates manage equipment/supplies inventory, storeroom restocking, cleaning of clinics, and student needs when clinics are in session. There are supplies, such as masks and gloves, which are now located in each individual clinic operatory chair unit.  Students are not allowed in the clinic dispensaries at any time.

Each dispensary is stocked with the equipment and materials necessary for all dental procedures governed by the respective clinic discipline.  Certain supplies (e.g., additional anesthetic carpules) require faculty approval before they will be dispensed.  The third floor contains clinic equipment where dental supplies to support the dental procedures are maintained in the assistants’ carts. For all other clinics, the supplies are available in the dispensary.

Additional dental equipment may be checked out in the clinic dispensary, such as nitrous oxide equipment, apex locators, etc. Failure to return the equipment at the end of the clinic session will result in the student being charged the cost to replace the item(s). 

Students requesting nitrous oxide must obtain faculty permission via axiUm; the Inventory Associate will assign you a mobile unit assembly. Students must obtain patient consent prior to the administration of nitrous oxide. Students will enter the D9230 code - Inhalation of Nitrous Oxide, and complete the required consent and the Nitrous Oxide Analgesia template note.

The axiUm section must be filled out and authorized by both you and the attending faculty. If you use nitrous oxide, remember to post it as a completed treatment code under ADA procedure code #9230 (9000 in Pediatric Dentistry is no charge). 

NITROUS OXIDE ANALGESIA RECORD EXAMPLE: 

The patient has been made aware of the reasons for and benefits of nitrous oxide/oxygen sedation and the potential complications related to its use as well as the consequences of not using nitrous oxide/oxygen sedation. The patient’s questions regarding nitrous oxide/oxygen sedation have been answered and consent was obtained (patient signature on file for Nitrous Oxide Consent). The following is a record of the nitrous/oxide oxygen administration for the visit. 

Start Time: {*}, End Time {*} Flow Rate: {*}, {*}%, N20 

Post-op: 110%02 administered for {*} Patient condition upon dismissal: {*} Adverse reactions/comments: {*} Student Name: {*} 

The main student laboratory (Room 433) is used for most pre-clinic-related laboratory work. However, as you transition into the third-floor clinics, each clinic has a clinic lab area associated with your assigned chair and clinic. Each area has sit-down chair spaces with air and gas outlets and quick connects for handpieces (tubing required).  Also available are model trimmers, vibrators, vacuum mixers, high and low-speed polishing lathes, and work sinks.

Clinic laboratories are available for use Monday through Friday, 6:00 am to 12:00 am, and must be accessed via your card access after 4:30 p.m. Each clinic is monitored, and clinic access will be restricted if clinical areas are not maintained in an acceptable manner. To maintain the clinical laboratories in a presentable condition, the following rules will apply: 

1. Use white lab paper (available in each clinic laboratory) on countertops. 

2. Always use water with model trimmers. Flush with copious amounts of water to prevent clogging. Turn off model trimmers when not in use. 

3. Keep sinks free of excess stone, plaster, and impression material. 

4. Keep personal possessions to the minimum necessary to do your work. 

5. Mixing bowls, spatulas, and hoses for vacuum mixers are provided by the COD. They must be cleaned immediately after use. Failure to maintain equipment may result in loss of lab privileges. 

6. When working after hours, students are responsible for checking out any necessary equipment from Central Sterilization. 

7. Do not use these areas for social gatherings. Those activities should be confined to the student commons area, student lounge, or atrium. 

8. Please pick up after yourself. 

The College has an in-house dental laboratory to process crowns, fixed and removable partial dentures and complete dentures for student patients; they also use outside laboratory services for additional support as needed. These services are obtained via laboratory prescription through the axiUm system only.

Support laboratory services are critical to the timeliness of patient care and hence to your attainment of minimum clinical experiences. To better ensure that your cases are expedited, be sure your submitted work authorizations are filled out properly and completely, including a description of the required work, patient name, type of restoration and material required, case design, faculty, and all approved authorizations in the axiUm system.

If you need a case completed sooner than the published number of days normally required (refer to laboratory service schedule), you must obtain approval from the laboratory supervisor. Do not enter the laboratory area without permission; always check in at the receiving desk first.

To submit any case to the laboratory, the Central Business Office must certify via axiUm request that the patient has paid appropriately and must have been approved in the axiUm system.

Any gold crown that is found unacceptable for delivery must be returned to the support lab.

The protocols for the requisition of artificial teeth for Removable Prosthodontics may be found in their department manual. 

The Dental Support Lab schedule indicates the average time (in school days) necessary to complete the services listed.

The day the case is turned in and the day the case is picked up does not count toward production lead time. Weekends and holidays do not count.

Central Sterilization (CS) is on the first floor and is responsible for the sterilization of all items related to patient care in the College. The primary sterilization method is steam under vacuum pressure.

Routine sterilization of instruments, burs, and handpieces is mandatory for safe patient care in all clinic areas. Before using dental instruments or equipment for patient care, all students must confirm their equipment has been sterilized by evaluating the sterilization packaging. All patient-used instruments must be stored in Central Sterilization when not in use. Items used on patients can never be stored in your assigned clinic locker.

No outside equipment can be used in the clinic unless it has been reviewed and approved by the Clinic Materials Committee. Students may not check out any equipment, instruments, or handpieces for a classmate. If a student is picking up instruments for a classmate, the instruments will be checked out to the student at CS, and the student will be responsible for the return of the instruments. Students are responsible for all instruments or equipment checked out in their name. The student will be responsible for the replacement costs for any unreturned or broken items. Students may not keep any patient care items in their locker; all patient care items must be checked-in and stored in Central Sterilization or in the Clinic Dispensary.  

The instrument delivery/pickup system in Central Sterilization is designed to minimize cross-contamination. This process is as follows: 

1. Pick up sterilized burs, handpieces, cassettes, and other equipment from the Sterile Instrument Pickup window (Room 131A). 

2. Follow the process below for returning contaminated instruments to the dirty carts, found in each clinic.

3. DO NOT Bag:

   1. Operative instrument cassette

   2. Perio instrument cassette

   3. Handpiece cassette - Disinfect with a disinfectant wipe; then run the handpiece through the cleaner and lubricant machine located in the dry labs.

   4. Exam instrument cassette

4. Bag:

   1. Ultrasonic inserts

   2. All bur blocks into one bag

   3. Rubber dam kit including punch, forceps, frame, Paladent force, Paladent pin tweezers, Paladent Ring (1), and 3 rubber dam clamps.

   4. Bite fork

Central Sterilization has automated washers to clean, high-level disinfect, and dry instruments which are in cassettes. Cassettes are bagged and sterilized. The sterilization cycles are approximately 40-50 minutes. Sterilized instruments are stored in storage bins.

Students will acquire issued instrument kits from Central Sterilization on the day of their patient's appointment. Students may only check out sterilized instruments used for patient care on the day of the appointment and not before.

EACH STUDENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR:

• Placing contaminated instruments into dirty bins within each clinic for the Central Sterilization staff to transport for sterilization.
• Students will be required to replace any lost instruments as soon as possible.
• Informing a staff member in Central Sterilization of a broken or defective instrument so it can be replaced.
• Making certain that any visible debris is removed from their instruments prior to packaging in the clinic.
• Ensuring all contaminated instruments are secure inside the cassettes to prevent bloodborne pathogen exposures or injuries to the Central Sterilization staff.  

Dental student kits/instruments are provided by The College of Dentistry for dental students.

1. Exam Kit
2. Operative Kits
3. Perio Cassettes
4. Electric Handpieces
5. Endodontic Kits
6. Rubber Dam Kits
7. Digital Studio Kits
8. Bur Blocks
9. Ultrasonic Tips
10. Impression Trays

Dental Hygiene students own their own instruments.