Course program
The training program covers all the main oral hygiene procedures, from primary prevention to advanced patient management. Practical activities include root planing, gingival curettage, fissure and pit sealing, fluoride gel application, and dental whitening, supported by an intraoral radiographic set.
Special attention is given to prevention for patients with health fragility, through specific and personalized protocols. Advanced competencies include the management of patients with special conditions, primary, secondary, and palliative support therapies, as well as advanced professional and home oral hygiene strategies.
The laboratory and clinical practice allow participants to consolidate their technical skills, including practical execution of root planing, sealant application, and collection of periodontal indices, ensuring a comprehensive and tailor-made approach to tertiary prevention.
Prerequisites
The Third-Year Internship Exam may be taken by the student only after completing the total number of internship hours required for the first, second, and third years as established by the academic curriculum, and after achieving the expected learning objectives. These objectives will be verified through the evaluations obtained during the various internship cycles.
In each internship site, a dossier must be submitted containing:the standard internship schedule,the document outlining the internship objectives, andthe specific accident-prevention procedure for the student.
Books
Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist" – Esther Wilkins, Piccin Publishing
Oral Hygienist: Theory and Professional Practice" – Viviana Cortesi Ardizzone, Antonia Abbinante, Edra Publishing
Frequency
In accordance with Article 6 of the Didactic Regulations of the Degree Program in Dental Hygiene, the Professional Internship represents a fundamental educational activity for the development of professional, relational, and behavioral competencies, as well as for diagnostic reasoning and critical thinking.
Student attendance in internship activities is mandatory at 100% for all 60 ECTS credits required by the academic regulations, in compliance with European standards, and must be properly certified and assessed.The practical internship activity is normally organized in accordance with the academic calendar, and the implementation procedures fall under the responsibility of the Didactic Director.
Exam mode
To pass the exam, the student must achieve a grade of no less than 18/30 in each module. The student must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the basic techniques included in the program and of the operational protocols for primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention, as well as of palliative supportive techniques, advanced professional and home oral hygiene, and tailor-made operational protocols for patients in tertiary prevention.
To obtain the maximum grade of 30/30 with honors (cum laude), the student must demonstrate an excellent understanding of all topics covered during the course, showing the ability to connect and articulate them in a logical and coherent manner.
The examination consists of both an oral and a practical test on synthetic models. The final assessment also takes into account the evaluations provided by the clinical tutors at the end of each internship activity, as well as the student’s mastery of the subjects and communication skills.
Lesson mode
Responsible for planning and organizing the training activity is the Didactic Director in collaboration with the professional tutors of the CdS. These elaborate the annual training project and propose it to the approval of the Course Council. Traineeship supervision is guaranteed by a tutoring system. During the Internship the tutor exercises a constant evaluation of the student's learning in order to achieve the maximum effectiveness of the training process.
The methods that can be used for the learning process are:
- the simulation;
- project work;
- analysis and resolution of cases / problems;
- group work and exercises;
- the role playing.