Book excerpt: Back and better than ever, Darby and Walsh's Dental Hygiene: Theory and Practice, 5th Edition offers everything you need to succeed in your coursework, at certification, and in clinical practice. No other dental hygiene text incorporates the clinical skills, theory, and evidence-based practice in such an approachable way. All discussions — from foundational concepts to diagnosis to pain management — are presented within the context of a unique patient-centered model that takes the entire person into consideration. New to this fifth edition is a much more streamlined approach — one that stays focused on need-to-know information, yet also houses expanded content on things like alternative practice settings, pediatric care, risk assessment, and dental hygiene diagnosis to give you added context when needed. This edition is also filled with new modern illustrations and new clinical photos to augment your learning. If you want a better grasp of all the dental hygienist's roles and responsibilities in today's practice, they Darby and Walsh's renowned text is a must-have. - Focus on research and evidence-base practice provide proven findings and practical applications for topics of interest in modern dental hygiene care. - Step-by-step procedure boxes with accompanying illustrations, clinical photos, and rationales outline the equipment required and the steps involved in performing key procedures. - Critical thinking exercises, cases, and scenarios help hone your application and problem-solving skills. - Feature boxes highlight patient education, law, ethics, and safety. - UNIQUE! Discussions of theory provide a solid foundation for practice. - Key terms are called out within chapters and defined in glossary with cross-references to chapters. - Practice quizzes enable you to self-assess your understanding. - NEW! Streamlined approach focuses on the information you need to know along with the practical applications. - NEW! Added content covers alternative practice settings, new infection control guidelines, pediatric care, risk assessment, dental hygiene diagnosis, the electronic health record (EHR), and more. - NEW! Modern illustrations and updated clinical photos give you a better picture of how to perform essential skills and utilize clinical technology. - NEW! Online procedures videos guide you step-by-step through core clinical skills. - NEW! Editorial team brings a fresh perspective and more than 30 years of experience in dental hygiene education, practice, and research.