ADEX Dental Hygiene Process of Care 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with a latex allergy presents for treatment. Which action is MOST critical before beginning the appointment?
- Prescribe an antihistamine prophylactically
- Ensure all latex-containing products are removed from the operatory and use latex-free gloves (Correct answer)
- Schedule the patient for the last appointment of the day
- Document the allergy but proceed normally if no history of anaphylaxis
Correct answer: Ensure all latex-containing products are removed from the operatory and use latex-free gloves
A latex-free environment must be established by removing all latex products because contact or airborne exposure can trigger anaphylaxis.
Question 2: Which of the following is the BEST indicator of current periodontal disease activity during re-evaluation?
- Amount of calculus removed
- Presence of radiographic bone loss
- Bleeding on probing and change in probing depth (Correct answer)
- Patient-reported pain levels
Correct answer: Bleeding on probing and change in probing depth
Bleeding on probing combined with change in probing depth are the most clinically reliable indicators of current inflammation and disease activity.
Question 3: During care planning, which factor MOST influences the frequency of supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) appointments?
- Patient's insurance coverage
- Patient's periodontal disease severity and risk profile (Correct answer)
- Dentist's scheduling availability
- Patient's oral hygiene compliance in the first appointment only
Correct answer: Patient's periodontal disease severity and risk profile
SPT interval is individualized based on disease severity, systemic risk factors, and the patient's response to therapy.
Question 4: A patient presents with a deep purplish-red enlargement of the interdental papilla that bleeds easily and is found to be a pyogenic granuloma. What is the MOST common etiologic factor?
- Viral infection
- Systemic hormonal changes or local irritation from plaque/calculus (Correct answer)
- Fungal overgrowth
- Autoimmune disorder
Correct answer: Systemic hormonal changes or local irritation from plaque/calculus
Pyogenic granulomas are most commonly caused by local irritants such as plaque and calculus, or by hormonal changes such as during pregnancy.
Question 5: When implementing motivational interviewing (MI) during patient education, which behavior BEST reflects the 'rolling with resistance' principle?
- Listing all the consequences of poor oral hygiene
- Directly challenging the patient's reluctance to floss
- Acknowledging the patient's ambivalence and reflecting it back without arguing (Correct answer)
- Providing a written home care instruction sheet
Correct answer: Acknowledging the patient's ambivalence and reflecting it back without arguing
Rolling with resistance in MI means avoiding confrontation and instead acknowledging and reflecting the patient's ambivalence to reduce defensiveness.
Question 6: A 55-year-old patient taking amlodipine for hypertension presents with generalized gingival enlargement. What is the MOST likely cause?
- Vitamin C deficiency
- Drug-induced gingival enlargement from the calcium channel blocker (Correct answer)
- Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus
- Necrotizing gingivitis
Correct answer: Drug-induced gingival enlargement from the calcium channel blocker
Calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine are known to cause drug-induced gingival enlargement in susceptible patients.
Question 7: Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of a risk assessment tool such as the Caries Management by Risk Assessment (CAMBRA) in the dental hygiene process of care?
- It replaces the need for radiographs in caries detection
- It guides individualized preventive and therapeutic recommendations based on caries risk level (Correct answer)
- It is used exclusively for pediatric patients
- It determines the need for periodontal surgery
Correct answer: It guides individualized preventive and therapeutic recommendations based on caries risk level
CAMBRA categorizes patients by caries risk to guide targeted preventive interventions such as fluoride regimens and dietary counseling.
ADEX Dental Hygiene Process of Care 5
A patient with a latex allergy presents for treatment.
Which action is MOST critical before beginning the appointment?