I.                    Dental Hygiene Program Information

The Dental Hygiene Program is a career transfer program leading to an Associate in Science Degree. It is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation American Dental Association, 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611.

A.            Program Mission

The program’s mission is to prepare its graduates with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to meet the professional responsibilities of the entry-level dental hygienist. The program operates within the mission of Quinsigamond Community College prepare to students for the Dental Hygiene National Board and the Northeast Regional Board Examinations, and assume a position in Dental Hygiene Practice.

B.            Program Philosophy

The students of the Quinsigamond Community College Dental Hygiene Program are encouraged to be self-directed in their learning and to establish high standards of professional and personal excellence. Creative, critical and analytical thinking is encouraged throughout the academic and clinic experiences of the program.

Effective learning requires a comfortable, enjoyable learning environment in which students, clients, and faculty are respected as individuals. The patient as a client must be informed and involved as a co-therapist in dental hygiene treatment. Textbook information is translated into a customized, relevant plan of treatment for the individual client.

The role of the student is to take responsibility for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient/client dental hygiene treatment. The faculty role is to provide guidance, feedback, information and indication of caution when necessary. The faculty will evaluate the process involved in performing clinical skills, as well as the final outcome of dental hygiene therapy.

Continuous life-long learning is encouraged among students, clients, and faculty.

C.            Program Goals

  1. To accept students into the program who have the potential for achieving the stated competencies.
  1. To provide a curriculum that includes scientific advancements and innovations in dental hygiene practice and health care systems, as well as current information in the behavioral and dental sciences that will enable dental hygiene students to achieve the stated competencies required for the practice of dental hygiene.
  2. To prepare each dental hygiene graduate to assume responsibility for ethical dental hygiene care in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as member of the dental health team.
  3. To graduate students who will advance the profession through community service activities and affiliations with professional organizations.
  4. To develop and provide ongoing continuing education programs for community dental professionals.

 D.            Competencies:

The following knowledge and skills are those necessary for the competent practice of dental hygiene. Achievement of these competencies will require general education background in: oral and written communications, psychology, and sociology.  Also required will be foundation knowledge in the biomedical sciences of anatomy, physiology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, general pathology, nutrition and pharmacology.    

1.

Graduates must be competent in providing dental hygiene care for the child, adolescent, adult, 
geriatric and medically compromised patient.

2.

Graduates must be competent in providing the Dental Hygiene Process of Care 
that includes:
2.1 Assessment: The systematic collection and analysis of the following data to identify patient needs and oral health problems
2.1.1 medical and dental histories
2.1.2 vital signs
2.1.3 extra/intra-oral examination
2.1.4 periodontal and dental examination
2.1.5 radiographs
2.1.6 intraoral photographs
2.1.7 study models
2.1.8 indices
2.1.9 risk assessments (i.e., tobacco, systemic, caries)
2.1.10 assessment of psycho-social and environmental factors
2.2 Diagnosis:  Determination of  dental hygiene treatment needs.  
Dental hygiene diagnosis.
2.3 Planning:  The establishment of realistic goals and treatment strategies to 
facilitate optimal oral health
2.3.1 dental hygiene treatment and education plan
2.3.2 informed consent
2.3.3 dental hygiene case presentation
2.4 Implementation:  Provision of treatment as identified in the assessment 
and planning phase. 
2.4.1 infection control
2.4.2 periodontal debridement and scaling
2.4.3 pain management
2.4.4 application of chemotherapeutic agents
2.4.5 fluoride therapy
2.4.6 application of pit and fissure sealants
2.4.7 coronal polishing
2.4.8 care of oral prostheses
2.4.9 care and maintenance of restorations
2.4.10 health promotion and preventive counseling
2.4.11 nutritional counseling
2.5 Evaluation:  Measurement of the extent to which goals identified in the treatment 
plan were achieved. 
2.5.1 indices
2.5.2  reevaluation of oral and periodontal health status  
2.5.3 subsequent treatment needs
2.5.4 continuing care (recall)
2.5.6  referral
2.5.7 patient satisfaction
3. Graduates must be competent in providing dental hygiene care for all types of 
classifications of periodontal disease including patients who exhibit moderate to severe 
periodontal disease.
4. Graduates must be competent in interpersonal and communication skills to 
effectively interact with diverse population groups
5. Graduates must be competent in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating 
community-based oral health programs including, health promotion and disease 
prevention activities.
6. Graduates must be competent in providing appropriate life support measures for 
medical emergencies that may be encountered in dental hygiene practice.       
7. Graduates must be competent in applying ethical, legal and regulatory concepts 
to the provision and/or support of oral health care services
8. Graduates must be competent in the evaluation of current scientific literature.
9. Graduates must be competent in problem solving strategies related to comprehensive 
patient care and management of patients.

 

 

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March 26, 2002