MERIT BADGES

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Note: Eagle Required          are in Italics

"A"
American Business
American Culture
American Heritage
American Labor
Animal Science
Archaeology
Archery
Architecture
Art
Astronomy
Athletics
Atomic Energy
Auto Mechanics
Aviation

"B"
Backpacking
Basketry
Bird Study
Bugling

"C"
Camping
Canoeing
Chemistry
Cinematography
Citizenship Community*
Citizenship Nation*
Citizenship World*
Climbing
Coin Collecting
Collections
Communications*
Computers
Cooking
Crime Prevention
Cycling*

"D"
Dentistry
Disability Awareness
Dog Care
Drafting

"E"
Electricity
Electronics
Emergency Preparedness**
Energy
Engineering
Entrepreneurship
Environmental Science*

"F"
Family Life*
Farm Mechanics
Fingerprinting
Fire Safety
First Aid*
Fish & Wildlife Mgmt.
Fishing
Fly Fishing
Forestry

"G"
Gardening
Genealogy
Geology
Golf
Graphic Arts

"H"
Hiking
Home Repairs
Horsemanship

"I"
Indian Lore
Insect Studies

"J"
Journalism

"K"

"L"
Landscape Architecture
Law
Leatherwork
Lifesaving**

"M"
Mammal Study
Medicine
Metalwork
Model Design & Building
Motorboating
Music

"N"
Nature

"O"
Oceanography
Orienteering

"P"
Painting
Personal Fitness**
Personal Management*
Pets
Photography
Pioneering
Plant Science
Plumbing
Pottery
Public Health
Public Speaking
Pulp and Paper

"Q"

"R"
Radio
Railroading
Reading
Reptile & Amphibian Study
Rifle Shooting
Rowing

"S"
Safety
Salesmanship
Scholarship
Sculpture
Shotgun Shooting
Skating
Skiing
Small Boat Sailing
Soil & Water Conservation
Space Exploration
Sports**
Stamp Collecting
Surveying
Swimming**

"T"
Textile
Theatre
Traffic Safety
Truck Transportation

"U"

"V"
Veterinary Medicine

"W"
Water Skiing
Weather
Whitewater
Wilderness Survival
Wood Carving
Woodwork

"X"
"Y"
"Z"

Dentistry Requirements 2002

1. Using x-ray (radiographic) films and with your counselor's guidance, study the tooth structure and look for decay. Then do the following:

   1. Using the radiographs as a guide, draw a lower molar. Label its parts and surfaces. Show surrounding structures such as bone and gum tissues.

   2. Show on your drawing where the nerves and blood vessels enter the tooth.

   3. Show on your drawing where bacterial plaque is most likely to be found.

2. Do the following:

   1. Tell or write about what causes dental decay and gum disease. Tell how each of the following contributes to dental decay and gum disease: bacterial plaque, sugars, and acid.

   2. Tell the possible causes for traumatic tooth loss, describe the types of mouth guards used to prevent tooth trauma, and list the athletic activities during which a person should wear a mouth guard.

   3. Explain the first-aid procedure for saving a tooth that has been knocked out.

3. Arrange for a visit with a dentist. Before you go, ask whether your visit can include a dental examination and a plaque-control demonstration. Afterward, ask questions about things you want to know. Then tell your counselor what the dentist does in a checkup examination.

4. Do TWO of the following:

   1. Name at least five instruments and five pieces of equipment a dentist uses.

   2. With the help of a dentist, prepare a dental stone cast using a vibrator, a mixing bowl, a water measure, a plastic measure, model stone, and a spatula.

   3. Keep a record of everything you eat for three days. Circle those that could provide the sugars that bacterial plaque needs to make acid. List snacks that you should avoid to maintain the best oral health.

5. Discuss with your merit badge counselor the following

   1. How fluorides help prevent tooth decay and the ways fluorides can be provided to the teeth.

   2. How the mouth is related to the rest of the body. Topics might include chewing, saliva, enzymes, nutrition, and speech.

6. Do TWO of the following:

   1. Make a model tooth of soap, clay, papier-mâché, or wax. Using a string and a large hand brush, show your troop or a school class proper toothbrushing and flossing procedures.

   2. Make a poster on prevention of dental disease. Show the importance of good oral health.

   3. Collect at least five advertisements for different toothpastes. List the claims that each one makes. Tell about the accuracy of the advertisements.

   4. Write a feature story for your school newspaper on the proper care of teeth and gums.

   5. Make drawings and write about the progress of dental decay. Describe the types of dental filling and treatments a dentist can use to repair dental decay problems.

7. Do the following:

   1. Report on careers in dentistry. Tell about the different specialties of dentistry and briefly tell what each specialist does.

   2. Prepare a four-part summary of jobs in dentistry. Under the headings "Dentist," "Dental Hygienist," "Dental Assistant," and "Dental Laboratory Technician," list for each job the duties, education, costs of education, length of training required, and other information to describe these jobs.

Last Update May 15, 2023