BOCO study plan
BOCO · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Chairside Assisting and Orthodontic Procedures
Map the full chairside four-handed sequence for a Class I composite and a Class II amalgam, listing every instrument and material in order of use
Demonstrate (verbally or in writing) correct operator and assistant ergonomics, including transfer zones and fulcrum placement
Label the parts of a molar band, bracket, tube, and archwire and state the purpose of each
Practice written instrument-identification drills until you can name 30 common hand instruments from descriptions alone
Draft a one-page chairside setup checklist for a routine restorative appointment
Your checkpoint
A written chairside procedure script for one restorative and one orthodontic procedure, each with a numbered instrument/material sequence of at least 15 steps
Chairside Assisting and Orthodontic Procedures & Dental Materials and Instrument Management
Sequence the steps of orthodontic bonding and banding, including isolation, etching, priming, and light-curing times
Compare indications, handling, and set/cure behavior of the main dental cements and restorative materials used chairside
Explain storage, dispensing, and shelf-life rules for composites, cements, and impression materials
Describe instrument classification by use and the correct cleaning/sterilization pathway for each class
Build a materials-selection decision table for at least six clinical scenarios
Your checkpoint
A materials-and-instrument reference table covering 10 materials with indication, handling notes, and storage/care requirement for each
Chairside Assisting and Orthodontic Procedures & Infection Control and Safety
Outline the chain of infection and identify the chairside points where cross-contamination is most likely
Write out the correct donning and doffing order for full PPE and justify each step
Describe hand hygiene indications and the difference between routine handwashing and surgical hand antisepsis
List the required steps for reprocessing a contaminated handpiece and a contaminated bur
Identify the correct response to a sharps injury and to a mercury spill in the operatory
Your checkpoint
A one-page operatory infection-control workflow covering PPE, hand hygiene, surface barriers, and instrument transport, written from memory then checked against a reference
Infection Control and Safety & Radiography and Imaging
Classify sterilization methods and state which items each method is appropriate for
Explain how exposure settings, film/sensor placement, and processing errors each affect image quality
Identify anatomical landmarks on a full-mouth series description and name the technique used for each region
State the selection criteria and safety principles for taking radiographs on a pregnant or pediatric patient
Practice interpreting 20 written descriptions of radiographic errors and name the correction for each
Your checkpoint
A 20-item radiographic error-to-correction log, plus a written summary of sterilization method selection for five item types
Patient Records, Assessment, and Treatment Planning Support & Applied Basic Sciences (Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology)
Assemble a complete new-patient record set and state the purpose of each document
Describe how to record medical history, vital signs, and medications accurately and flag items requiring modification of care
Relate dental anatomy and tooth morphology to charting notation and periodontal probing depths
Explain the microbiology relevant to the oral cavity and how it drives infection-control and antibiotic-prophylaxis decisions
Summarize the physiology of hemostasis and wound healing as it applies to post-extraction instructions
Your checkpoint
A completed mock patient chart with medical history, periodontal charting, and a written treatment-planning support summary of at least 300 words
Patient Education and Communication & Practice Management and Administrative Procedures
Draft teach-back scripts for oral hygiene instruction, post-operative care, and caries prevention for three patient literacy levels
Explain the purpose of informed consent and how to present treatment options without giving clinical advice beyond scope
Describe scheduling workflows, recall systems, and how to handle a broken appointment per typical practice policy
Outline the components of a claim or pre-authorization submission and the common causes of rejection
Practice explaining a treatment estimate and payment options in plain language
Your checkpoint
Three patient-education scripts (one per literacy level) plus a one-page front-office workflow summary covering scheduling, recall, and insurance submission
Professional Ethics, Legal, and Regulatory Standards & Practice Management and Administrative Procedures
Distinguish the scope-of-practice boundaries of the chairside assistant from those of the dentist and hygienist
Explain the legal concepts of duty of care, informed refusal, and confidentiality as they apply to record handling
Describe HIPAA-style privacy rules for patient records, phone calls, and social media
Identify the ethical principles at stake in three short written scenarios and state the correct action
Review record-retention and correction rules and describe how to amend a chart entry properly
Your checkpoint
A written ethics-and-legal response to three scenarios, each with the applicable principle, the correct action, and the record-keeping requirement
Chairside Assisting and Orthodontic Procedures & Infection Control and Safety & Dental Materials and Instrument Management & Radiography and Imaging & Patient Records, Assessment, and Treatment Planning Support & Patient Education and Communication & Practice Management and Administrative Procedures & Professional Ethics, Legal, and Regulatory Standards & Applied Basic Sciences (Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology)
Complete a timed full-length practice set under exam conditions and score it by domain
Rank your weakest three domains and re-drill the underlying facts for each
Re-take your two lowest-scoring week deliverables and correct every error
Build a one-page rapid-review sheet of high-yield numbers, sequences, and definitions
Write a test-day plan covering timing per question, guessing strategy, and breaks
Your checkpoint
A scored full-length practice result with a domain-by-domain error analysis and a one-page high-yield review sheet
Milestones
Week 2: Can recite the instrument and material sequence for a restorative and an orthodontic procedure from memory with fewer than three errors
Week 4: Scores at least 80% on a self-made 30-question mixed set covering domains 1, 2, 3, and 4
Week 6: Can deliver each patient-education script aloud in under three minutes without reading and answer two follow-up questions
Week 8: Full-length practice score meets or exceeds your target passing margin, with no domain below 70%