Excellent dental books are one way to look into your future as a dental student. One particular book will help you know what's expected of you when you finish school. Mosby's Comprehensive Review of Dental Hygiene by Michele Leonardi Darby lives up to its title. Its goal is to serve as a study guide for the national board exam, and it includes a sample exam and case examples.
If your pathway leads to becoming a dental assistant, Modern Dental Assisting, co-authored by Doni L. Bird and Debbie S. Robinson, is among the leading dental books in the field. Dental hygiene students will find their equivalent in Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist by Ester M. Wilkins. The book is described as a "cornerstone text in almost every dental hygiene education program."
Whether you plan to work as a dental hygienist or assistant, both professions share similar skills and knowledge. This is primarily comprised of foundational components of the practice. For example, an understanding of human anatomy from a dental perspective is in Head and Neck Anatomy for Dental Medicine by Eric Baker, Michael Schuenke, Erik Schulte and Udo Schumacer. With 800 detailed color images, the book is one of the most comprehensive options available.
The need to understand the diseases and disorders related to dentistry is also important. Contrary to its title, both assistants and hygienists will benefit from Olga A. C. Ibsen and Joan Andersen Pelan's Oral Pathology for the Dental Hygienist. Described as an "atlas style text," it includes over 500 illustrations.
Diagnostics is an essential component of any dental practice, and X-rays have been in use for decades. It is in fact the single most important diagnostic tool that you will encounter. An excellent primer on dental radiology is Dental Radiography: Principles and Techniques by Joen Iannucci and Laura Howerton.
Once a diagnosis is made, a treatment plan is developed and implemented. The principle tool for both hygienists and assistants are dental instruments. Linda Bartolomucci Boyd's Dental Instruments: A Pocket Guide ranks among the best learning resources of its kind. The book employs a flashcard method that includes both an image of the tool and descriptive information. Anesthesia is frequently used in dentists' offices, and it's critical that you, as a dental assistant or hygienist, understand the precautions, as well as its uses. Specifically tailored for the dental hygienist, Demetra D. Logothetis' Local Anesthesia for the Dental Hygienist accomplishes just that.
One of the primary treatment modalities in dentistry is the use of a wide variety of medications. From combating infections to controlling pain, many cases require drugs to provide proper treatment. The dental student needs to know about these drugs from every perspective. Applied Pharmacology for the Dental Hygienist by Elena Bablenis Haveles is among the best of dental books, covering the entire gamut of dental pharmacology, from drug interactions to herbal and alternative remedies.
