Information about the study programme 7.4.9 Dental Hygiene
The bachelor study program of dental hygiene prepares students for the profession of a dental hygienist with their own responsibility and clinical competences as a part of a complex system of health care of patients focused on health maintenance. They are competent to work independently on command and recommendation of dentists and provide activities related to prevention, treatment and dental hygiene education of patients.
Graduates have knowledge about principles of dental hygiene and are able to apply them in practice. They are well educated and professionally prepared to understand the link between dental care, biomedical disciplines and humanities. They are able to transform this knowledge into a holistic approach to patients. They have theoretical knowledge and practical skills enabling them to promote and maintain health, prevent oral diseases, educate and motivate individuals and communities towards healthy life style, particularly in the area of oral health, and to provide quality care of patients with dental diseases within community and clinical health care. They are able to run a dental practice, cooperate in and perform research independently.

Main areas of work
Graduates can work in the field of dental prevention, conservative dentistry, periodontology, orthodontics, dental implantology, in d epartments of oral and maxillofacial surgery, community and clinical health care facilities.

Contents of curriculum
The core aims of the training focus on obtaining medical – technical, social and communicative, preventive and caring abilities, the ability to run a practise and capability for research and innovation. Curriculum includes the following courses:

• preclinical courses (anatomy, physiology, histology, embryology, pathology, biophysics, biochemistry, radiology)
• clinical and medical courses (pharmacology, microbiology, immunology, hygiene and epidemiology, pathophysiology of diseases)
• courses in dentistry (periodontology, orthodoncy, dental implantology, conservative dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery)
• dental hygiene (theory and practical training)

Practical training takes place in the Department of dental hygiene and maxillofacial surgery of the J.A. Reiman Teaching Hospital in Prešov, educational institutions and private dental offices.