OH Training & Education

University of Las Vegas, Nevada - School of Dental Medicine

UNLV is committed to excellence in education, empirically-based research, and patient-care. In addition to offering a distinguished curriculum, the UNLV School of Dental Medicine (UNLV SDM) also provides quality, low-cost dental services to Southern Nevadans.

College of Southern Nevada Dental Programs

We are proud of our many health professions programs and pleased that you are interested in pursuing a career in the health sciences. Our mission is to provide quality, student-centered certificate and degree programs designed to meet the needs of our local and state communities. The following links will give you a more detailed understanding of the programs we offer.

Truckee Meadows Community College - Dental Hygiene Program

TMCC offers a two-year, full-time, Bachelor of Science Dental Hygiene Program. Traditional semester-hour coursework begins in the fall, with program completion in May of the second year. The TMCC Dental Hygiene Program is a full-time program, which requires core courses to be taken in sequential order. Students are strongly encouraged to complete support coursework prior to entering the program, as the training program is demanding.

Curriculum to Integrate Oral Health & Primary Care for Clinicians and Instructors

Smiles for Life is now the nation's most comprehensive and widely used oral health curriculum for primary care clinicians. It has been officially endorsed by 20 national organizations, and is in wide use in professional schools and post-graduate training programs. Smiles For Life produces educational resources to ensure the integration of oral health and primary care.

Oral Health Education for Family Service Providers and Early Child Educators

Family This Course is Designed for Educators, Professionals and Various Paraprofessionals Who Work with Children, Ages Birth through Five, Pregnant Women and Their Families

Why Oral Health?

Oral health is vital towards the overall health and development of the human body. When oral health is not a priority, children may experience multi-faceted developmental deficiencies.

Poor Oral Health Can Lead To:

Pain:

Intense oral pain is the hallmark sign of teeth advancing through gums, tooth decay and potential oral disease. Because young children may not be able to communicate pain effectively, or apply soothing techniques, they may demonstrate uncooperative behaviors.

Attention Problems:

Children affected by oral disease (including, but not limited to tooth decay and gum disease), may have a hard time relaxing, sitting still, and paying attention in school.

Delayed Social Development:

Children that are affected by oral disease may experience anxiety, depression, or withdraw from developmental activities. Also, missing teeth can lead to speech problems, children expressing shy behaviors and, or avoiding social interactions.

Sleep Deprivation:

Children with tooth pain may have trouble falling and staying asleep. For optimal growth, the National Sleep Foundation recommends toddlers, ages 1 to 2, receive 11-14 hours of sleep and, preschoolers, ages 3 to 5 years old, receive 10-13 hours of sleep. Tooth pain can prevent children from adhering to normal sleep patterns.

Poor Nutrition:

Painful teeth can make chewing and swallowing uncomfortable. Children with dental disease are more likely to experience disorders associated with malnutrition.

Missed School Days:

Children with dental disease miss more school days. The aforementioned may lead to educational and social development delays.

Further Training is Recommended for:

Home Visitors
Head Start and Early Head Start Teachers and Administrators
Childcare Providers
Pre-School Teachers and Administrators
WIC Staff
Healthcare Professionals
Community Health Professionals
Interested Parties