Dental Council Ireland Exam flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Eruption of first permanent molar

The first permanent molar erupts at approximately 6 years of age, often before any primary tooth is lost, and is frequently mistaken for a primary tooth.

BPE code 4

A BPE score of 4 indicates a probing depth of 5.5 mm or more in that sextant and requires full periodontal charting and treatment planning.

Reversible pulpitis

Inflammation of the pulp that resolves when the irritant is removed; characterised by sharp, transient pain provoked by stimuli and no spontaneous pain.

Maximum lidocaine dose

Lidocaine 2% with adrenaline has a maximum dose of about 4.4 mg/kg, up to roughly 300 mg in a healthy adult, equivalent to about eight 1.8 mL cartridges.

Avulsed tooth storage

An avulsed permanent tooth should be stored in milk, saline, or saliva and replanted as soon as possible; dry time under 60 minutes improves prognosis.

ICDAS caries scoring

The International Caries Detection and Assessment System scores caries visually from 0 (sound) to 6 (extensive dentine involvement), guiding preventive or restorative decisions.

Four ethical principles

Autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice underpin dental ethics; veracity and confidentiality are supporting duties in clinical decision-making.

Valid consent

Consent is valid when the patient has capacity, receives adequate information about risks and alternatives, and decides voluntarily without coercion.

Patient confidentiality limits

Confidentiality may be breached only where required by law, court order, or serious public-health risk; disclose the minimum necessary information.

Duty to report colleagues

Dentists must report concerns about impaired or unfit colleagues to the regulator; patient safety takes priority over professional loyalty.

Record retention

Clinical records must be contemporaneous, legible, signed, and retained for the statutory period; patients have a right of access under data protection law.

WHO five moments

Hand hygiene is performed before patient contact, before aseptic tasks, after body fluid exposure, after patient contact, and after contact with surroundings.

Autoclave cycle

Sterilisation typically uses 134-137 °C for 3 minutes or 121 °C for 15 minutes; each cycle is logged and validated with indicators and spore testing.

Sharps disposal

Needles are never recapped by hand; use a single-handed scoop or device and dispose into a sharps container filled to no more than three-quarters.

Needlestick injury first aid

Encourage bleeding, wash with soap and water, do not suck the wound, report immediately, and assess the need for post-exposure prophylaxis within hours.

Single-use items

Needles, local anaesthetic cartridges, and matrix bands are single-use and must never be reused; handpieces are sterilised between patients.

Radiation protection principles

Justification, optimisation (ALARA/ALADA), and dose limitation govern all exposures; every radiograph must have a clinical indication.

Panoramic radiograph dose

A panoramic radiograph delivers approximately 10-25 µSv effective dose, compared with about 1-8 µSv for an intraoral periapical radiograph.

Radiography in pregnancy

Radiographs are justified if clinically necessary; use lead apron and thyroid collar, and defer elective imaging where possible.

Operator position during radiography

The operator stands behind a protective barrier or at least 2 m from the tube head at 90° to the beam; never hold the film for a patient.

Anaphylaxis adrenaline dose

Adrenaline 0.5 mg intramuscularly (0.5 mL of 1:1,000) into the anterolateral thigh for an adult, repeated every 5 minutes if needed.

Hypoglycaemia management

A conscious patient receives 15-20 g oral glucose; an unconscious patient needs glucagon 1 mg IM or IV glucose and emergency services must be called.

Conscious sedation definition

A drug-induced depression of consciousness in which verbal contact is maintained; it requires trained staff, monitoring, oxygen, suction, and reversal agents.

Flumazenil reversal

Flumazenil reverses benzodiazepine sedation such as midazolam; it is given in titrated doses with monitoring for re-sedation and respiratory depression.

Asthma emergency treatment

Sit the patient upright, give oxygen and up to 10 puffs of salbutamol via a spacer; if no response, call emergency services and consider steroids.

First-line odontogenic antibiotic

Amoxicillin 500 mg three times daily for 5 days in adults is first-line for odontogenic infection with systemic involvement; it is not indicated for pulpitis alone.

Penicillin allergy alternative

Metronidazole 400 mg three times daily or clindamycin 300 mg four times daily are alternatives; clindamycin is avoided as first-line due to C. difficile risk.

Paracetamol adult dose

Paracetamol 1 g four times daily, up to a maximum of 4 g per day, is used for dental pain; check for combination products containing paracetamol.

Ibuprofen precautions

Ibuprofen is avoided in renal impairment, peptic ulcer disease, and the third trimester of pregnancy; the OTC maximum is 1.2 g per day.

Antibiotic prophylaxis indication

Prophylaxis is considered for patients with prosthetic heart valves or previous infective endocarditis undergoing invasive dental procedures, per national guidance.

Scope of practice rule

Dentists provide only treatment for which they are trained, competent, and indemnified, and refer when the clinical situation exceeds their competence.

Written treatment plan

A written plan and estimate is provided before treatment, explaining NHS or private options and obtaining consent for any change in cost.