Allied Dental Programs

Dental Hygiene

Associate of Science Student Learning Outcomes

The curriculum supports attainment of the following list of competencies expected of a dental hygienist entering the profession. The graduate will be prepared to:

1. apply a professional code of ethics in all endeavors;
2. adhere to state and federal laws, recommendations, regulations, and safety practices in the provision of dental hygiene care;
3. provide dental hygiene care to promote patient/client health and wellness using critical thinking and problem solving in the provision of evidence-based practice;
4. assume responsibility for dental hygiene actions and care based on accepted scientific theories and research as well as the accepted standard of care;
5. continuously perform self-assessment for lifelong learning and professional growth;
6. advance the profession through service activities and affiliations with professional organizations;
7. provide quality assurance mechanisms for health services;
8. communicate effectively with individuals and groups from diverse populations both orally and in writing;
9. provide accurate, consistent, and complete documentation for assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation of dental hygiene services;
10. provide care to all clients using an individualized approach that is humane, empathetic, and caring;
11. provide planned educational services using appropriate interpersonal communication skills and educational strategies to promote optimal oral health;
12. initiate and assume responsibility for health promotion, health education, and disease prevention activities for diverse populations;
13. systematically collect, analyze, and record data on the general, oral, and psychosocial health status of a variety of patients/clients using methods consistent with medico-legal principles;
14. use critical decision-making skills to reach conclusions about the patients’/clients’ dental hygiene needs based on all available assessment data;
15. collaborate with the patient/client and/or other health professionals to formulate a comprehensive dental hygiene care plan that is patient/client-centered and based on current scientific evidence;
16. provide specialized treatment that includes preventive and therapeutic services designed to achieve and maintain oral health; and
17. evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented clinical, preventive, and educational services and modify as needed.