You May Forget Things You Learned In Hygiene School

There are a lot of things from hygiene school that I have suppressed, purposefully forgotten or just don’t utilize on a daily basis, therefore I have forgotten them. I know that the hygiene students reading this may think that that is unfathomable right now as you have to know and memorize EVERYTHING.  In the case of the G.V. Black classifications, I honestly only remember/use class 5 (V- caries at the gingival margin on the facial or lingual of a tooth.) This is because the dentist, while diagnosing, will have to distinguish caries in the buccal pit vs. the margin for digital charting.

For now though, dear hygiene student, you will see those Black Classifications in several of your courses as well as on boards. Below are several ways to help keep them in your mind until the day you may no longer need them at the tip of your tongue.

G.V. Black Classification

Class I (1) Occlusal areas and buccal/lingual pits (Anterior/Posterior)

Class II (2) Interproximal (Posterior)

Class III (3) Interproximal (Anterior)

Class IV (4) Interproximal including the incisal edge (Anterior)

Class V (5) Gingival margin facial or lingual (Anterior/Posterior)

Class VI (6) Cusp Tips

Mnemonic to Remember

RHYME

Class 1 (1) HOLE IN ONE

Class 11 (2) ALL THE WAY THROUGH

Class 111 (3) NO INCISAL FOR ME

Class IV (4) INCISAL MORE

Class V (5) CERVICAL DIVE

Class VI (6) CUSP TIPS

Visual Learners

Study Tips

Write it down

Say it out loud

Point to is as you say it

Make flash cards

Teach it to someone else

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat