CCOAK case studies
CCOAK · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Certified Clinical Orthodontic Assistant (Knowledge-Based) credential, often shortened to CCOAK, is a knowledge-focused certification for chairside orthodontic assistants who want documented evidence of their clinical understanding. It suits assistants already working in orthodontic practices, those transitioning from general dentistry, and students nearing completion of an assistant program who intend to specialize in orthodontics. The CCOAK case studies are 5 cases and about 3,307 words.
1Saliva Contamination While Bonding a Partially Erupted Premolar
An 11-year-old is scheduled for bonding of buccal tubes on the lower first and second molars and brackets on the premolars. The lower right second premolar (tooth 45) is only two-thirds erupted; the distal third is covered by operculum, and the gingival margin bleeds when the cheek retractor is placed.
742 words, about 4 min2Positive Biological Indicator in a Two-Autoclave Office
The office uses two steam autoclaves. The biological indicator from Friday's run in autoclave B is positive; the last negative was Wednesday.
631 words, about 3 min3After-Hours Call: Broken Lingual Retainer and a Possibly Swallowed Wire Fragment
A 14-year-old patient calls the office emergency line. While eating a bagel she felt something snap; she has a fixed lingual retainer bonded from canine to canine in the lower arch.
645 words, about 3 min4Joint Custody, Record Release, and a Request to Debond
A 15-year-old patient is in treatment. His parents are divorced and share joint legal custody; the custody order is not in the chart.
637 words, about 3 min5Digital Scan for a Retainer in a Patient with a Gag Reflex and a Torn Sheath
A 12-year-old is scheduled for a digital intraoral scan for a maxillary retainer after debonding. She has a severe gag reflex, a deep bite, and a fixed lingual retainer on the lower anteriors.
652 words, about 3 min