This course provides information on the principles of perio- dontology pertinent to dental hygiene practice. Topics include tissues of the periodontium, epidemiology of periodontal dis- eases, classification of periodontal diseases, disease prevention, disease treatment and management, drug therapy, immunol- ogy and host defense mechanisms, microorganisms associated with periodontology, surgical and nonsurgical treatment, im- plantology and maintenance, and periodontal endodontic emergencies.