Competencies for the Dental
Hygienist identifies and organizes the knowledge and
skills the graduate must acquire to become a competent
practitioner in the delivery of dental hygiene services
in clinical and alternative practice settings. The document
also reflects a curriculum that is patient driven, competency
based and criterion referenced.
These competencies serve to define
the core content of the curriculum. The document provides
a method of stating graduate knowledge and skills after
completing the dental hygiene program, thus, establishing
a basis for the content of all courses. The competencies
set standards for identifying relevant content and provides
guidance in making decisions related to pedagogy and
course sequencing.
The document also sets forth individual
measurable competencies which a student must demonstrate
to qualify for graduation and entry into the profession.
These competencies assess the degree to which a student
can provide the defined standard of dental hygiene care
to patients.
Competencies for the Dental
Hygienist should be viewed as dynamic standards
which must be responsive to the professional environment.
It is recognized that this educational plan will require
regular review for continual improvement.
This document has been organized using the concept of
"competencies". The term competent is described
as the repeated demonstration of the student's independent
performance of a skill to a defined standard as measured
against relevant, valid and reliable criteria.
Domains
The organization of this document is structured to list
competencies from the general to the more specific.
The model depicts six domains centered around the patient:
Professionalism and Ethics, Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion, Examination and Assessment, Dental Hygiene
Diagnosis, Planning and Implementation. These represent
broad categories of the dental hygiene care process.
The concept of domains is intended to encourage an interdisciplinary
structure and process in the dental hygiene curriculum.
Encompassing all aspects of dental
hygiene care is Professionalism and Ethics. This domain
includes self evaluation, ethics, values, skills and
knowledge integral to all aspects of the dental hygiene
profession. Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
competencies focus on disease prevention and evaluation
measures to ensure effective health care delivery. These
domains thread throughout the entire dental hygiene
care process and are strategically placed as outer circles
in the Competency Model.
The domain of Examination and Assessment
involves the systematic collection and integration of
data on the general and oral health status of the patient.
Dental Hygiene Diagnosis refers to an analysis of the
patient's general and oral health status, congruent
with the diagnoses of dentists and other health professionals,
to assess its relationship to oral health status and
dental hygiene care. The domain of Planning addresses
strategies including goals, priorities, dental hygiene
procedures and patient interaction to facilitate optimal
oral health. Implementation includes the provision of
treatment and education to assist the patient in achieving
oral health goals.
Within each domain, "Major Competencies" are
involved. A Major Competency is defined as the ability
to perform or provide a particular, complex service
or task. The complexity of the service suggests that
multiple and more specific abilities are required to
support the performance of any Major Competency.
The more specific abilities are considered subdivisions
of the "Major Competency" and are termed "Supporting
Competencies". The acquisition and demonstration
of a "Major Competency" requires a level of
mastery of all Supporting Competencies related to that
particular service or task. While less complex than
a Major Competency, a Supporting Competency also requires
foundational knowledge.
Foundational knowledge is the product of didactic and
laboratory instruction which imparts the information
and experience that are prerequisite for satisfactory
mastery of Supporting Competencies.
The biomedical, dental, behavioral,
and clinical sciences all provide instruction at the
foundational level. The Competency Model depicts these
sciences as the foundation matrix for the entire dental
hygiene care process. This education ensures an understanding
of basic biological principles for student analysis
and synthesis of the interrelationships of the body
systems when making decisions regarding oral health
services within the context of total body health. These
sciences provide the student with knowledge of oral
health and disease as a basis for assuming responsibility
for assessing, analyzing, planning, implementing and
evaluating dental hygiene care. Didactic, small group
discussion, seminar, and laboratory instruction provide
information and psychomotor experiences that enable
students to acquire and demonstrate competence in the
clinical setting.
1. THE GRADUATE DEMONSTRATES
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO FUNCTION SUCCESSFULLY
IN A MULTICULTURAL WORK ENVIRONMENT WITH DIVERSE POPULATIONS:
The graduate...
1a. Demonstrates cultural
sensitivity.
1b. Provides humane and compassionate care to all
patients.
2. THE GRADUATE MAKES PROFESSIONAL
DECISIONS AFFECTING THE PRACTICE OF DENTAL HYGIENE THAT
SATISFY LEGAL, SOCIETAL AND ETHICAL PRINCIPLES:
The graduate...
2a. Practices within the
context of legal obligations.
2b. Practices within the context of professional obligations
and jurisdictional Code of Ethics.
2c. Demonstrates personal/professional responsibility
to the welfare of society through service activities.
2d. Participates in professional organizations at
the local, state, and/or national level.
3. THE GRADUATE PERFORMS
ROUTINE EVALUATION OF SELF AND STAFF MEMBERS AND TAKES
CORRECTIVE ACTION TO ADDRESS PERCEIVED DEFICIENCIES:
The graduate...
3a. Routinely evaluates
personal well being.
3b. Routinely evaluates professional skills, knowledge,
and outcomes of clinical practice.
3c. Plans and implements corrective measures to address
personal and professional deficiencies of self.
4. THE GRADUATE CRITICALLY EVALUATES THE VALIDITY OF
NEW INFORMATION, NEW PRODUCTS, AND/OR TECHNIQUES AND
THEIR RELEVANCE TO THE PRACTICE OF DENTAL HYGIENE:
The graduate...
4a. Uses current information
systems to access medical/dental databases/information.
4b. Critically evaluates research, sales and continuing
education presentations, and journal articles and
determines their value in dental hygiene practice.
4c. Plans for professional development including utilization
of continuing education resources.
5. THE GRADUATE APPLIES BUSINESS AND PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
SKILLS:
The graduate...
5a. Identifies career options.
5b. Develops effective communication skills.
5c. Demonstrates effective time management skills.
5d. Assesses patient satisfaction and responds appropriately.
6. THE GRADUATE PROMOTES
HEALTH MAINTENANCE AND DISEASE PREVENTION:
The graduate...
6a. Educates patients concerning
their risk factors and assists in developing self-care
regimens.
6b. Utilizes the principles of learning and instruction
in patient education.
6c. Supports patient wellness and quality of life.
6d. Evaluates the outcomes of dental hygiene care
and determines an individualized maintenance schedule,
or additional treatment needs or referral to the appropriate
health care provider.
6e. Applies the dental hygiene care process (assessment,
planning, implementation and evaluation) to community
oral health education.
7. THE GRADUATE APPLIES THE PRINCIPLES OF INFECTION
CONTROL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY:
The graduate...
7a. Establishes and maintains
an environment that protects against transmission
of disease.
7b. Implements protocols that establish and maintain
an environment which protects against environmental
hazards.
7c. Utilizes ergonomic principles to promote health
and comfort of self, staff, and patients.
8. THE GRADUATE OBTAINS,
RECORDS, UPDATES AND ORGANIZES ACCURATE AND COMPLETE
MEDICAL/DENTAL HISTORIES INCLUDING PERTINENT PSYCHOLOGICAL
AND SOCIOECONOMIC INFORMATION:
The graduate...
8a. Establishes a patient
dialogue to obtain demographic, medical, family and
dental histories, psychological and socioeconomic
information relevant to dental care; and patient expectations
and goals for dental care.
8b. Establishes a patient dialogue to obtain and record
the chief complaint of the patient and the history
of the present illness.
8c. Establishes and maintains the patient record as
an accurate and consistent legal document of patient
encounters.
8d. Identifies and records patient's medication(s),
potential effect(s) on dental and systemic health,
and impact on dental treatment.
8e. Initiates necessary medical and/or dental consultation
or referral in legal media to clarify questions related
to the patient's dental and systemic health.
9. THE GRADUATE PERFORMS, RECORDS
AND ORGANIZES A PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT APPROPRIATE FOR
DENTAL CARE:
The graduate...
9a. With the cooperation
of the patient, performs and records an appropriate
physical examination not limited to the head and neck.
9b. Performs and records the findings of intraoral
examinations including but not limited to dental charting,
periodontal examination and indices.
9c. Identifies the need and/or performs and records
results of other diagnostic procedures and tests.
9d. Identifies the signs and symptoms of medical emergencies.
9e. Identifies the signs and symptoms of physical,
psychological, and verbal abuse.
9f. Performs risk assessments.
10. THE GRADUATE DETERMINES
DIFFERENTIAL, PROVISIONAL OR DEFINITIVE DENTAL HYGIENE
DIAGNOSES RELATED TO AND CONGRUENT WITH THE DIAGNOSIS
OF THE DENTIST AND OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS:
The graduate...
10a. Correlates and interprets
examination and assessment findings.
10b. Differentiates between health and disease.
10c. Determines the existence of medical emergencies.
11. THE GRADUATE DEVELOPS ALTERNATIVE
DENTAL HYGIENE CARE PLANS WHICH ARE SEQUENCED TO ADDRESS
PATIENT NEEDS, CONSISTENT WITH ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSES:
The graduate...
11a. Determines priorities
and establishes oral health goals with the patient
and/or family and/or guardian as an active participant.
11b. Plans treatments that reflect the impact of behavioral,
social and cultural differences in the provision of
dental health care.
11c. Develops dental hygiene care plans that reflect
the impact of systemic disease and its management
on the provision of dental care.
11d. Develops dental hygiene care plans consistent
with and supportive of the patient's overall dental
treatment plan.
11e. Establishes a planned sequence of educational
and clinical services that include health promotion
and maintenance care.
11f. Communicates the plan for dental hygiene care
to interdisciplinary health team members to determine
its congruence with the overall plan for oral health
care.
12. THE GRADUATE ESTABLISHES
WITH THE PATIENT A MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE DENTAL HYGIENE
CARE PLAN:
The graduate...
12a. Presents findings
and/or diagnoses to the patient.
12b. Explains dental hygiene care plan options to
patients using understandable and professional terminology.
12c. Responds to patient's questions and concerns.
12d. Agrees on and records the final dental hygiene
care plan.
12e. Obtains written informed consent.
13. THE GRADUATE MONITORS AND
PROVIDES FOR PATIENT COMFORT ASSOCIATED WITH DENTAL
HYGIENE CARE:
The graduate...
13a. Utilizes psychological
and/or behavioral techniques to assure patient comfort.
13b. Utilizes accepted clinical techniques to provide
for control of pain and anxiety.
13c. Temporarily manages medical emergencies and maintains
basic life support.
14. THE GRADUATE DELIVERS AND/OR
MANAGES THE PLANNED DENTAL HYGIENE TREATMENT AND EDUCATION
IN SEQUENCE AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH ACCEPTED STANDARDS
OF CARE:
The graduate...
14a. Delivers and/or manages
dental hygiene treatment considering the impact of
behavioral, social, and cultural manifestations contributing
to difficulty.
14b. Delivers and/or manages periodontal therapy utilizing
basic and advanced principles of instrumentation.
14c. Recognizes the need to modify dental hygiene
care based on changing patient needs.
14d. Delivers and/or manages oral health maintenance
care.
14e. Provides adjunct dental hygiene services.
14f. Identifies the need for chemotherapeutic agents,
selects and administers them as appropriate and provides
pre- and post-treatment instructions.
|
