OSCE DENTAL HYGIENE 2026 COMPREHENSIVE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔CAL - ✔✔Clinical Attachment Level or Loss
✔✔CAL accuracy - ✔✔CAL is a more accurate indicator of the periodontal support
around a tooth than probing depth.
✔✔Ankylosis - ✔✔Fusion of enamel, dentin, or root cementum with adjacent alveolar
bone.
✔✔Impaction - ✔✔Tooth is positioned against another striation and fails to erupt.
✔✔Most commonly affected tooth by impaction - ✔✔Third molars
✔✔Impaction - ✔✔Caused by dense bone, tooth malpositioning, or inadequate space
for eruption.
✔✔Periodontal abscess - ✔✔Radiolucency on the lateral side of the tooth.
✔✔Periapical Abscess - ✔✔Radiolucency around the apex of the tooth.
,✔✔Functional shank - ✔✔Portion between the working end and the handle that allows
the working end to be adapted to the tooth surface.
✔✔Terminal (lower) shank - ✔✔Portion of the functional shank closest to the working
end, between the working end and the first bend, normally parallel to the tooth surface.
✔✔Simple shank - ✔✔Has only one bend; with the working end tip facing the clinician,
the shank is straight. Used on anterior teeth and on easily accessible areas.
✔✔Complex shank - ✔✔Has multiple bends; with the working end facing the clinician,
the shank has a zigzag shape. Commonly used on posterior teeth, but may be adapted
for anteriors.
✔✔Working end - ✔✔Part of the instrument that performs the function, such as the
explorer tip, a mirror, and also blades.
✔✔UNC probe black band - ✔✔4-5mm and 9-10mm.
✔✔Plaque removal from implants - ✔✔No single device has been shown to remove
plaque from all surfaces of an implant.
✔✔Ultrasonic instruments contraindication - ✔✔Generally contraindicated with dental
implants.
✔✔Sonic scaler - ✔✔Uses compressed air to create movements.
✔✔Two types of ultrasonic scalers - ✔✔Magnetostrictive scaler and Piezoelectric
scaler.
✔✔Magnetostrictive scaler - ✔✔Uses magnetic oscillations within metal stack to convert
electricity to movement, moving in an elliptical motion.
✔✔Piezoelectric scaler - ✔✔Uses ceramic discs or quartz plates to convert electricity to
movement, with the tip moving in a linear pattern (front and back).
✔✔Most powerful portion of ultrasonic tip - ✔✔The last few millimeters, which should be
placed against the tooth.
✔✔Contraindications to Ultrasonic scalers - ✔✔Respiratory disease (COPD),
communicable diseases (tuberculosis), gag reflex, cerebral palsy, porcelain or
composite restorations (may fracture), demineralized areas, newly erupted teeth, old
pacemakers (new pacemakers are shielded and not contraindicated).
, ✔✔Type I embrasure - ✔✔Interdental papillae fill the entire embrasure space with a
knife-edge point.
✔✔Stage I Periodontitis - ✔✔CAL: 1-2mm, Bone loss: Coronal third (less than 15%), No
tooth loss, Max PD 4mm
✔✔Stage II Periodontitis - ✔✔CAL: 3-4mm, Coronal Third (15-30%), No tooth loss, Max
PD 5mm
✔✔Stage III Periodontitis - ✔✔CAL greater than 5mm, Extending to the middle third of
the root and beyond, 4 or less teeth lost, PD 6mm or greater, Furcation grade II or III
✔✔Stage IV Periodontitis - ✔✔CAL 5 or greater mm
✔✔Primary parameter for gingivitis thresholds - ✔✔BOP
✔✔Description of alveolar bone in gingivitis - ✔✔No changes, infection has not
progressed into the alveolar bone.
✔✔Periodontal remission/control - ✔✔A period in the course of disease when
symptoms become less severe but may not be fully resolved.
✔✔Periodontal disease stability - ✔✔A state in which the periodontitis has been
successfully treated and clinical signs of the disease do not appear to worsen in extent
or severity despite the presence of a reduced periodontium.
✔✔Grade A Periodontitis (Slow Rate) - ✔✔No loss over 5 years, Less than .25 bone
loss/age, Heavy biofilm deposits with low levels of destruction, Non smoker, No
diagnosis of diabetes.
✔✔Grade B Periodontitis (Moderate Rate) - ✔✔Less than 2 mm over 5 years, 25-1.0 %
bone loss/age, Destruction commensurate with biofilm deposits, Smokes less than 10
cigarettes/day, Alc less than 7%.
✔✔Grade C Periodontitis (Rapid Rate) - ✔✔2mm or greater over 5 years, 1.0 or
greater, Destruction exceeds expectations given biofilm deposits, Smokes 10 or more
cigarettes per day, Alc 7% or greater.
✔✔Class I Carious Lesion - ✔✔Pits and fissures of occlusal, buccal, and lingual surface
of posteriors, Lingual of anteriors.
✔✔Class II Carious Lesion - ✔✔Proximal surface of posteriors.
✔✔Class III Carious Lesion - ✔✔Proximal surface of anteriors.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔CAL - ✔✔Clinical Attachment Level or Loss
✔✔CAL accuracy - ✔✔CAL is a more accurate indicator of the periodontal support
around a tooth than probing depth.
✔✔Ankylosis - ✔✔Fusion of enamel, dentin, or root cementum with adjacent alveolar
bone.
✔✔Impaction - ✔✔Tooth is positioned against another striation and fails to erupt.
✔✔Most commonly affected tooth by impaction - ✔✔Third molars
✔✔Impaction - ✔✔Caused by dense bone, tooth malpositioning, or inadequate space
for eruption.
✔✔Periodontal abscess - ✔✔Radiolucency on the lateral side of the tooth.
✔✔Periapical Abscess - ✔✔Radiolucency around the apex of the tooth.
,✔✔Functional shank - ✔✔Portion between the working end and the handle that allows
the working end to be adapted to the tooth surface.
✔✔Terminal (lower) shank - ✔✔Portion of the functional shank closest to the working
end, between the working end and the first bend, normally parallel to the tooth surface.
✔✔Simple shank - ✔✔Has only one bend; with the working end tip facing the clinician,
the shank is straight. Used on anterior teeth and on easily accessible areas.
✔✔Complex shank - ✔✔Has multiple bends; with the working end facing the clinician,
the shank has a zigzag shape. Commonly used on posterior teeth, but may be adapted
for anteriors.
✔✔Working end - ✔✔Part of the instrument that performs the function, such as the
explorer tip, a mirror, and also blades.
✔✔UNC probe black band - ✔✔4-5mm and 9-10mm.
✔✔Plaque removal from implants - ✔✔No single device has been shown to remove
plaque from all surfaces of an implant.
✔✔Ultrasonic instruments contraindication - ✔✔Generally contraindicated with dental
implants.
✔✔Sonic scaler - ✔✔Uses compressed air to create movements.
✔✔Two types of ultrasonic scalers - ✔✔Magnetostrictive scaler and Piezoelectric
scaler.
✔✔Magnetostrictive scaler - ✔✔Uses magnetic oscillations within metal stack to convert
electricity to movement, moving in an elliptical motion.
✔✔Piezoelectric scaler - ✔✔Uses ceramic discs or quartz plates to convert electricity to
movement, with the tip moving in a linear pattern (front and back).
✔✔Most powerful portion of ultrasonic tip - ✔✔The last few millimeters, which should be
placed against the tooth.
✔✔Contraindications to Ultrasonic scalers - ✔✔Respiratory disease (COPD),
communicable diseases (tuberculosis), gag reflex, cerebral palsy, porcelain or
composite restorations (may fracture), demineralized areas, newly erupted teeth, old
pacemakers (new pacemakers are shielded and not contraindicated).
, ✔✔Type I embrasure - ✔✔Interdental papillae fill the entire embrasure space with a
knife-edge point.
✔✔Stage I Periodontitis - ✔✔CAL: 1-2mm, Bone loss: Coronal third (less than 15%), No
tooth loss, Max PD 4mm
✔✔Stage II Periodontitis - ✔✔CAL: 3-4mm, Coronal Third (15-30%), No tooth loss, Max
PD 5mm
✔✔Stage III Periodontitis - ✔✔CAL greater than 5mm, Extending to the middle third of
the root and beyond, 4 or less teeth lost, PD 6mm or greater, Furcation grade II or III
✔✔Stage IV Periodontitis - ✔✔CAL 5 or greater mm
✔✔Primary parameter for gingivitis thresholds - ✔✔BOP
✔✔Description of alveolar bone in gingivitis - ✔✔No changes, infection has not
progressed into the alveolar bone.
✔✔Periodontal remission/control - ✔✔A period in the course of disease when
symptoms become less severe but may not be fully resolved.
✔✔Periodontal disease stability - ✔✔A state in which the periodontitis has been
successfully treated and clinical signs of the disease do not appear to worsen in extent
or severity despite the presence of a reduced periodontium.
✔✔Grade A Periodontitis (Slow Rate) - ✔✔No loss over 5 years, Less than .25 bone
loss/age, Heavy biofilm deposits with low levels of destruction, Non smoker, No
diagnosis of diabetes.
✔✔Grade B Periodontitis (Moderate Rate) - ✔✔Less than 2 mm over 5 years, 25-1.0 %
bone loss/age, Destruction commensurate with biofilm deposits, Smokes less than 10
cigarettes/day, Alc less than 7%.
✔✔Grade C Periodontitis (Rapid Rate) - ✔✔2mm or greater over 5 years, 1.0 or
greater, Destruction exceeds expectations given biofilm deposits, Smokes 10 or more
cigarettes per day, Alc 7% or greater.
✔✔Class I Carious Lesion - ✔✔Pits and fissures of occlusal, buccal, and lingual surface
of posteriors, Lingual of anteriors.
✔✔Class II Carious Lesion - ✔✔Proximal surface of posteriors.
✔✔Class III Carious Lesion - ✔✔Proximal surface of anteriors.
