Dental Hygiene, Faculty and Staff

New “Mosby’s Dental Hygiene” Is Published; Wilder Is Co-Editor

With research increasingly focused on the possible links between oral health and systemic health, every practicing dentist and dental hygienist will need a broader field of knowledge than even 10 years ago.

In response to that emerging research, the recently published second edition of “Mosby’s Dental Hygiene: Concepts, Cases and Competencies” includes 51 chapters focusing on a contemporary biopsychosocial approach to oral health care, says Rebecca S. Wilder, one of the book’s three editors.

Rebecca S. Wilder, a co-editor of the recently published second edition of “Mosby’s Dental Hygiene: Concepts, Cases and Competencies,” presents a copy of the textbook to Dean John N. Williams. Wilder also directs the School’s Graduate Dental Hygiene Education Program.

Included in the text are chapters on evidence-based decision-making, the body’s response to challenge, drug-induced adverse oral effects, orthodontics, emergency management of dental trauma, immune system dysfunction, saliva and salivary dysfunction and HIV/AIDS.

Wilder also is associate professor and director of the Graduate Dental Hygiene Education Program within the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Dentistry’s Department of Dental Ecology.

Co-editors are Susan J. Daniel and Sherry A. Harfst, both adjunct clinical associate professors in the Department of Dental Ecology. Daniel also is president of Educational Visions, LLC, a former assistant professor in the Department of Dental Ecology (1984-1991) and a UNC-Chapel Hill Dental Auxiliary Teacher Education (DATE) program graduate.

Harfst is president of Castle Media Consultants, LLC, former vice president for professional programs and creative director of Oral Health Advantage, and former adjunct professor within the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry’s Department of Periodontology.

“Every chapter begins with a case, and questions are asked about that case throughout the chapter,” says Wilder. “The students not only read the material but they have a case to which they apply the knowledge. We certainly want students to apply this knowledge to a real-world situation, and the cases are based on patients they might encounter in a dental setting.”

The second edition of “Mosby’s Dental Hygiene: Concepts, Cases and Competencies” features five components:

  • A textbook, consisting of 1040 pages and 795 illustrations, incorporating case studies and case applications, as well as margin notes highlighting important concepts;
  • An instructor’s resource manual to assist faculty in using the textbook features, CD-ROM exercises and the student clinical companion study guide;
  • A clinical companion study guide to assist students in obtaining the most knowledge from the text, and CD-ROM;
  • An interactive case-based CD-ROM featuring nine fully developed patient cases to help students apply concepts, review skills, develop and print clinical reference materials and develop and store a portfolio; and
  • A Web site that can synch with teaching tools of any school and that offers features for students and faculty.

“The real innovation with this new edition is probably the CD,” says Wilder. “The CD is easy to use and is interactive, where students select a ‘patient’ and can use periodontal charting, radiographic images and other assessment and diagnostic information to make competency-based decisions on these cases.”

The interactivity is a direct response to students’ evolving learning styles, she adds.

“Students expect interaction now. They have such access to computers and technology that we never had as students. This new learning package is poised to appeal to the different learning styles of today’s student.”

The second edition also features a regularly updated Web site, which allows for immediate posting of content and emerging dental issues.

School of Dentistry faculty members and dental hygiene graduates are among the book’s many chapter authors. Faculty authors include Deborah E. Fleming, a former clinical assistant professor within the Dental Hygiene Programs; Bonnie Francis, adjunct clinical associate professor of dental ecology; Dr. Sylvia Frazier-Bowers, assistant professor of orthodontics; Mary C. George, associate professor of dental ecology; Laura Howerton, former clinical associate professor of dental ecology; Lynne C. Hunt, adjunct clinical faculty member within dental ecology; Dr. Ralph Leonard, clinical professor within diagnostic sciences and general dentistry and director of the Dental Faculty Practice; Dr. Samuel Nesbit, clinical associate professor of diagnostic sciences and general dentistry; and Dr. Karen K. Tiwana, clinical assistant professor of diagnostic sciences and general dentistry.

Mary Kaye Scaramucci, associate professor of dental hygiene at the University of Cincinnati’s Raymond Walters College, and Colleen Schmidt, director of education for the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, received their master of science degrees in DATE and dental hygiene education, respectively, from UNC-Chapel Hill. Susan Kass, chair of Miami Dade Community College’s Department of Dental Hygiene, received a bachelor of science degree in DATE from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Bonnie Francis and Shannon H. Mitchell, who also received their master of dental hygiene education degree from UNC-Chapel Hill, led planning, content development and editorial processes for the instructor’s resource manual and student companion study guide.

Mosby Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc., is the book’s publisher. More information on the second edition of “Mosby’s Dental Hygiene” is available at the Elsevier Web site (click here).