Accreditation Standards
Dental Hygiene Education Programs
Commission on Dental Accreditation
American Dental Association
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611
312/440-4653
www.ada.org
As of January 1, 2000 all dental hygiene programs
must comply with the following standards in order to maintain accreditation. To
navigate through the Standards on this web page, click on the headings above. To
see how the QCC Dental Hygiene Program meets a particular standard, click on the
number of the standard. [This portion of the portfolio
is in production. If there is no link it means that the documentation is not
ready as yet.]
STANDARD 1:INSTITUTIONAL
EFFECTIVENESS
1-1 Planning and Assessment
1-2 Financial Support
1-3 Institutional Accreditation
1-4 Affiliates and Sponsors
1-5 Community Resources
1-1
Planning and Assessment:
The program must demonstrate its effectiveness using a formal and ongoing
planning and assessment process that is systematically documented by:
a) developing a plan with goals and/or objectives which are consistent with
the goals of the sponsoring institution and appropriate to dental hygiene
education addressing teaching, patient care, research and service;
b) implementing the plan;
c) assessing the outcomes, including measures of student achievement;
d) using the results for program improvement.
Intent:
Assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of the educational quality
of a dental hygiene education program that is broad-based, systematic,
continuous and designed to promote achievement of program goals will maximize
the academic success of the enrolled students in an accountable and cost
effective manner. The Commission on Dental Accreditation expects each program to
define its own goals and objectives for preparing individuals in the discipline
and that one of the program goals is to comprehensively prepare competent
individuals in the discipline.
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1-2
Financial Support: The institution must have a strategic plan which
identifies stable financial resources sufficient to support the program's stated
mission, goals and objectives. A financial statement document must be submitted
providing revenue and expense data for the dental hygiene program.
Intent:
The institution should have the financial resources required to develop and
sustain the program on a continuing basis. The program should have the ability
to employ an adequate number of full?time faculty, purchase and maintain
equipment, procure supplies, reference material and teaching aids as reflected
in annual budget appropriations. Financial allocations should ensure that the
program will be in a competitive position to recruit and retain qualified
faculty. Annual appropriations should provide for innovations and changes
necessary to reflect current concepts of education in the discipline. The
Commission will assesses the adequacy of financial support on the basis of
current appropriations and the stability of sources of funding for the program.
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1-3.
Institutional Accreditation:
Programs must be sponsored by institutions of higher education that are
accredited by an institutional accrediting agency (i.e., a regional or
appropriate* national accrediting agency) recognized by the United States
Department of Education for offering college-level programs. ( * Agencies whose mission includes the accreditation of institutions offering
allied health education programs.)
Intent:
Dental schools, four-year colleges and universities, community colleges,
technical institutes, vocational schools, and private schools, which offer
appropriate fiscal, facility, faculty and curriculum resources are considered
appropriate settings for the program. The institution should offer appropriate
fiscal, facility, faculty and curriculum resources to sponsor the dental hygiene
educational program.
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1-4 Affiliates and Sponsors:All
arrangements with co-sponsoring or affiliated institutions must be formalized by
means of written agreements which clearly define the roles and responsibilities
of each institution involved.
1-5 Community Resources:
There must be an active liaison mechanism between the program and the dental and
allied dental professions in the community. The authority and final
responsibility for curriculum development and approval, student selection,
faculty selection and administrative matters must rest with the educational
institution.
Intent:
The purpose of an active liaison mechanism is to provide a mutual exchange of
information for improving the program, recruiting qualified students and meeting
employment needs of the community. The responsibilities of the advisory body
should be defined in writing and the program director, faculty, and appropriate
institution personnel should participate in the meetings as non?voting members
to receive advice and assistance.
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STANDARD 2 -
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
2-1 Admissions
2-4 Curriculum Management
2-5 Instruction
2-10 Curriculum Content
2-18 Patient Care Competencies
2-1
Admissions: Admission of students must be based on specific written
criteria, procedures and policies. Previous academic performance and/or
performance on standardized national tests of scholastic aptitude or other
predictors of scholastic aptitude and ability must be utilized as criteria in
selecting students who have the potential for successfully completing the
program. Applicants must be informed of the criteria and procedures for
selection, goals of the program, curricular content, and the scope of practice
of and employment opportunities for dental hygienists.
Intent: The dental hygiene education
curriculum is a postsecondary scientifically-oriented program which is rigorous
and intensive. Because enrollment is limited by facility capacity, special
program admissions criteria and procedures are necessary to ensure that students
are selected who have the potential for successfully completing the program. The
program administrator and faculty, in cooperation with appropriate institutional
personnel, should establish admissions procedures which are non-discriminatory
and ensure the quality of the program.
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2-2 Admission of students with advanced standing:
must be based on the same standards of achievement required by students
regularly enrolled in the program.
Intent:To ensure that all enrolled students are held to the same achievement criteria,
advanced standing rules and regulations should be applied equitably. If academic
strengthening is needed to meet basic admission criteria or to proceed
satisfactorily through the curriculum, the institution and program should
provide the resources required to assist students.
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2-3 The number of students enrolled: in the program
must be proportionate to the resources available.
Intent:In determining the number of dental hygiene students enrolled in a program,
careful consideration should be given to ensure that the number of students does
not exceed the program's resources, including patient supply, financial support,
scheduling options, facilities and faculty.
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2-4 Curriculum Management:
The dental hygiene program must have a formal, written
curriculum management plan, which includes:
a) an ongoing curriculum review and evaluation process with input from
faculty, students, administration and other appropriate sources;
b) evaluation of all courses related to the defined goals and competencies of
the program;
c) a defined mechanism for coordinating instruction among program faculty as
well as between dental hygiene faculty and other faculty who teach dental
hygiene students.
Intent:
To assure the incorporation of emerging information and achievement of
appropriate sequencing, the elimination of unwarranted repetition, and the
attainment of student competence, a formal curriculum review process should be
conducted on an ongoing and regular basis. Periodic workshops and in-service
sessions should be held for the dissemination of curriculum information and
modifications.
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2-5 Instruction: The
curriculum must include at least two academic years of full-time instruction or
its equivalent at the postsecondary college-level. The scope and depth of the
curriculum must reflect the objectives and philosophy of higher education. A
college catalog must be submitted listing degree awarded, course titles and
descriptions. In a two-year college setting, the graduates of the program, must be awarded
an associate degree. In a four-year college or university, the graduates of the
program must be awarded an associate degree, certificate, or a baccalaureate
degree.
Intent:The time necessary for psychomotor skill development and the number of required
content areas require two academic years of study and is considered the minimum
preparation for a dental hygienist. However, the curriculum may be structured to
allow individual students to meet performance standards specified for graduation
in less than two academic years as well as to provide opportunity for students
who require more time to extend the length of their instructional program.
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Maximum opportunity should be provided for students to
continue their formal education with a minimum loss of time and duplication of
learning experiences. Institutions are strongly encouraged to develop
articulation agreements between associate degree programs and baccalaureate
programs that provide for maximum transfer of clinical and clinically related
course work. General education, social science and biomedical science courses
included in associate degree dental hygiene curricula should parallel those
offered in four-year colleges and universities. In baccalaureate degree
curricula, attention is given to requirements for admission to graduate programs
in establishing the balance between professional and nonprofessional credit
allocations.
2-6: A process must be established to assure students meet the didactic,
behavioral and/or clinical criteria as published and distributed. Academic
standards and institutional due process policies must be followed for
remediation or dismissal.
A college document must be submitted listing institutional due process
procedures.
Intent:If a student does not meet evaluation criteria, provision should be made for
remediation or dismissal. On the basis of designated criteria, both students and
faculty can periodically assess progress in relation to the stated goals and
objectives of the program.
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2-7: Written documentation of the curriculum must be provided at the initiation
of course instruction and include course descriptions, content outlines,
including topics to be presented, specific instructional objectives, learning
experiences, and evaluation procedures.
Intent:The program should identify the dental hygiene fundamental knowledge and
competencies that will be included in the curriculum based on the program goals,
resources, current dental hygiene practice responsibilities and other
influencing factors. Curriculum documentation needs to be periodically reviewed
and revised to accurately reflect instruction being provided as well as new
concepts and techniques taught in the program.
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2-8: The dental hygiene program must define and list the competencies needed
for graduation. These competencies must be written and communicated to enrolled
students.
Intent:The educational goals and competencies for the dental hygiene education program
should include the preparation of graduates who possess the knowledge, skills
and values to begin the practice of dental hygiene.
2-9: The dental hygiene program must employ student evaluation methods that
measure all defined program competencies. These evaluation methods must be
written and communicated to the enrolled students.
Intent:The evaluation methods used in the dental hygiene program should include process
and end-product assessments of student performance, as well as a variety of
objective testing measures. These mechanisms will provide student performance
data related to measuring defined program competencies throughout the program
for the students, faculty and college administration.
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2-10 Curriculum Content: The curriculum must
include content in the following four areas: general education, biomedical
sciences, dental sciences and dental hygiene science. This content must be
integrated and of sufficient depth, scope, sequence of instruction, quality and
emphasis to ensure achievement of the curriculum's defined competencies. A
curriculum document must be submitted providing all courses included in the
dental hygiene program for all four content areas.
Intent:Foundational knowledge should be established early in the dental hygiene program
and of appropriate scope and depth to prepare the student to achieve competence
in all components of dental hygiene practice. Content identified in each subject
may not necessarily constitute a separate course, but the subject areas are
included within the curriculum.
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Curriculum content and learning experiences should provide the foundation for
continued formal education and professional growth with a minimal loss of time
and duplication of learning experiences. General education, social science, and
biomedical science courses included in the curriculum should be equivalent to
those offered in four-year colleges and universities.
2-11: General education content must include oral and written communications,
psychology, and sociology.
Intent:
These subjects provide prerequisite background for components of the curriculum,
which prepare the students to communicate effectively, assume responsibility for
individual oral health counseling, and participate in community health programs.
2-12: Biomedical science content must include content in anatomy, physiology,
chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, general pathology, nutrition
and pharmacology.
Intent:
These subjects provide background for dental and dental hygiene sciences. The
subjects are to be of the scope and depth comparable to college transferable
liberal arts course work. The program should ensure that biomedical science
instruction serves as a foundation 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.
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Biomedical science instruction in dental hygiene education ensures an
understanding of basic biological principles consisting of a core of information
on the fundamental structures, functions and interrelationships of the body
systems. The biomedical knowledge base emphasizes the orofacial complex as an
important anatomical area existing in a complex biological interrelationship
with the entire body. Dental hygienists need to understand abnormal conditions to recognize the
parameters of comprehensive dental hygiene care. The program should ensure that
graduates have the level of understanding that assures that the health status of
the patient will not be compromised by the dental hygiene interventions.
2-13: Dental sciences content must include tooth morphology, head, neck and
oral anatomy, oral embryology and histology, oral pathology, radiography, periodontology, pain management, and dental materials.
Intent:These subjects provide the
student with knowledge of oral health and disease as a basis for assuming
responsibility for assessing, planning and
implementing preventive and therapeutic services. Teaching methodologies should
be utilized to assure that the student can assume responsibility for the
assimilation of knowledge requiring judgment, decision making skills and
critical analysis.
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2-14: Dental hygiene science content must include oral health education and
preventive counseling, health promotion, patient management, clinical dental
hygiene, provision of services for and management of patients with special
needs, community dental/oral health, medical and dental emergencies including
basic life support, legal and ethical aspects of dental hygiene practice,
infection and hazard control management, and the provision of oral health care
services to patients with bloodborne infectious diseases.
Intent:
Dental hygiene sciences provide the knowledge base for dental hygiene and
prepares the student to assess, plan, implement and evaluate dental hygiene
services as an integral member of the health team. Content in provision of oral
health care services to patients with bloodborne infectious diseases prepares
the student to assess patients' needs and plan, implement and evaluate
appropriate treatment.
2-15:The basic clinical education aspect of the curriculum must include a
formal course sequence in scientific principles of dental hygiene practice,
which extends throughout the curriculum and is coordinated and integrated with
clinical experience in providing dental hygiene services.
Intent:Learning experiences and practice time in clinical procedures is necessary to
assure adequate opportunity to develop competence in all clinical procedures
included in the curriculum. Didactic material on clinical dental hygiene should
be presented throughout the curriculum.
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2-16: The number of hours of clinical practice scheduled must be based on the
clinical services included in the curriculum. To ensure that students attain
clinical competence and develop appropriate judgment, clinical practice must be
distributed throughout the curriculum.
Intent:Sufficient practice time and learning experiences should be provided during
preclinical and clinical courses to ensure that students attain clinical
competence. The number of hours devoted to clinical practice time should
increase as the students progress toward the attainment of clinical competence.
The preclinical course should have at least six hours of clinical practice
per week.As the first-year students begin providing dental hygiene services for patients,
each student should be scheduled for at least eight to twelve hours of clinical
practice time per week. In the final prelicensure year of the curriculum, each
second-year student should be scheduled for at least twelve to sixteen hours of
practice with patients per week in the dental hygiene clinic.
2-17: The dental hygiene program must have established mechanisms to ensure an
adequate number of patient experiences that afford all students the opportunity
to achieve stated competencies within a reasonable time.
Intent:A system should be developed and implemented to categorize patients according to
difficulty level and oral health/disease status. This system should be used to
monitor students' patient care experiences. Patient assignments should include
maintenance appointments to monitor and evaluate the outcome of dental hygiene
care.
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2-18 Patient Care
Competencies: Graduates must be competent in providing dental hygiene care for the
child, adolescent, adult, geriatric and medically compromised patient.
Intent:
An appropriate patient pool should be available to provide a wide scope of
patient experiences that include children, adults, geriatric and special
populations. These experiences should be monitored to ensure equal opportunities
for each enrolled student.
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2-19: Graduates must be competent in providing the dental hygiene process of
care which includes:
Assessment
The systematic collection and analysis of the following data to identify patient
needs and oral health problems.
a) medical and dental histories
b) vital signs
c) extra/intra-oral examination
d) periodontal and dental examination
e) radiographs
f) indices
g) risk assessments (i.e., tobacco, systemic, caries)
Planning
The establishment of realistic goals and treatment strategies to facilitate
optimal oral health.
a) dental hygiene diagnosis
b) dental hygiene treatment plan
c) informed consent
d) dental hygiene case presentation
Implementation
Provision of treatment as identified in the assessment and planning phase.
a) infection control
b) periodontal debridement and scaling
c) pain management
d) application of chemotherapeutic agents
e) fluoride therapy
f) application of pit and fissure sealants
g) coronal polishing
h) care of oral prostheses
i) care and maintenance of restorations
j) health education and preventive counseling
k) nutritional counseling
Evaluation
Measurement of the extent to which goals identified in the treatment plan were
achieved.
a) indices
b) reevaluation of oral and periodontal health status
c) subsequent treatment needs
d) continuing care (recall)
e) referral
f) patient satisfaction
2-20: 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.
Intent:The total number and type of patients for whom each student provides dental
hygiene care should be adequate to ensure competency in all components of dental
hygiene practice. An appropriate patient pool should be available to provide
patient experiences in all classifications of periodontal patients, including
both maintenance and those newly diagnosed. These experiences should be
monitored to ensure equal opportunity for each enrolled student.
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2-21: Graduates must be competent in interpersonal and communication skills to
effectively interact with diverse population groups.
Intent:Dental hygienists should be able to effectively communicate with individuals,
both one-on-one and small group interactions. The ability to communicate
verbally and in written form is basic to the provision of oral health services
in a safe and effective manner.
2-22: Graduates must be competent in assessing, planning, implementing and
evaluating community-based oral health programs including, health promotion and
disease prevention activities.
Intent:
Dental hygienists should experience a series of broad-based activities dealing
with diverse populations to ensure competence in oral health education and
preventive counseling for individuals and groups. Population based activities
will allow students to apply community dental health principles to prevent
disease and promote health.
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2-23: Graduates must be competent in providing appropriate life support
measures for medical emergencies that may be encountered in dental hygiene
practice.
Intent:
Dental hygienists should be able to provide appropriate basic life support as
providers of direct patient care.
2-24: Graduates must be competent in applying ethical, legal and regulatory
concepts to the provision and/or support of oral health care services.
Intent:
Dental hygienists should understand and practice the ethical and legal
requirements, which members of all health care professions are expected to
maintain in the provision of health care to the public.
2-25: Graduates must be competent in the application of self-assessment skills
to prepare them for life-long learning.
Intent:
Dental hygienists should possess self-assessment skills as a foundation for
maintaining competency and quality assurance.
2-26: Graduates must be competent in the evaluation of current scientific
literature.
Intent:
Dental hygienists should have the ability to evaluate scientific literature as a
foundation for life-long learning and adapting to changes in healthcare.
2-27: Graduates must be competent in problem solving strategies related to
comprehensive patient care and management of patients.
Intent:
Critical thinking and decision making skills are necessary to provide effective
and efficient dental hygiene services.
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STANDARD 3 - ADMINISTRATION, FACULTY AND STAFF
3-2 Program Administrator 24
3-5 Faculty 25
3-11 Support Staff
3-1: The program must be a recognized entity within the institution's
administrative structure which supports the attainment of program goals.
Intent:
The position of the program in the institution's administrative structure should
permit direct communication between the program administrator and institutional
administrators who are responsible for decisions that directly affect the
program. The administration of the program should include formal provisions for
program planning, staffing, management, coordination and evaluation.
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3-2 Program Administrator: The dental hygiene
program administrator must have a full-time appointment as defined by the
institution, which provides time for operation, supervision, evaluation and
revision of the program.
Intent:To allow sufficient time to fulfill administrative responsibilities, teaching
contact hours should be less than that of a full-time faculty member who does
not have administrative responsibilities.
3-3: The program administrator must be a dental hygienist or dentist who has
the educational background and professional experience necessary to understand
and fulfill the program goals.
Intent:The program administrator's background should include management experience,
instructional experience, and professional experience in clinical practice
either as a dental hygienist or working with a dental hygienist.
3-4: The program administrator must have the
authority and responsibility necessary to fulfill program goals including the
responsibility for:
a) curriculum development, evaluation and revision;
b) faculty recruitment, assignments, supervision and evaluation;
c) initiation of program or department in-service and faculty development;
d) assessing, planning and operating program facilities;
e) budget preparation and fiscal administration;
f) coordination, evaluation and participation in determining admission criteria
and procedures as well as student promotion and retention criteria.
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3-5 Faculty: The number and distribution of faculty and staff must be sufficient to
meet the dental hygiene program's stated purpose, goals and objectives.
Intent: Student contact loads should
allow the faculty sufficient time for class preparation, student evaluation and
counseling, development of subject content and
appropriate evaluation criteria and methods, program development and review, and
professional development.
3-6: The faculty to student ratios must be adequate to ensure the development
of competence and ensure the health and safety of the public. The faculty to
student ratios in clinical and radiographic practice must allow for
individualized instruction and evaluation of the process as well as the end
result and allow students to progress at an individual pace.
Intent:
The adequacy of numbers of faculty should be determined by faculty to student
ratios during laboratory, radiography and clinical practice sessions rather than
by the number of full-time equivalent positions for the program. Faculty are
responsible for both ensuring that the clinical and radiographic services
delivered by students meet current standards for dental hygiene care and for the
instruction and evaluation of students during their performance of those
services.
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The faculty to student ratios for preclinical, clinical and radiographic
sessions should not exceed one to six, and laboratory sessions in the dental
science courses should not exceed one to fifteen to ensure development of
clinical competence and to ensure maximum protection of the patient.
3-7: The dental hygiene program must be staffed by a core of well-qualified
full-time faculty who possess a baccalaureate or higher degree. All dental
hygiene program faculty members must have current knowledge of the specific
subjects they are teaching and background in appropriate educational
methodology.
Intent:
Faculty should have some background in education theory and practice, current
concepts relative to the specific subjects they are teaching, and current
clinical practice experience. Dentists and dental hygienists who supervise
students' clinical procedures should have qualifications which comply with the
state dental or dental hygiene practice act. Personnel who teach and supervise
dental hygiene students in clinical enrichment experiences should have
qualifications comparable to faculty who teach in the dental hygiene clinic and
are familiar with the program's objectives, content, instructional methods and
evaluation procedures.
3-8: Opportunities must be provided for full-time faculty to continue their
professional development.
Intent:To assure competency in the discipline and educational theory, opportunities to
attend professional development activities should be provided regularly for
full-time faculty. Workshops should be offered to new faculty to provide an
orientation to program policies, goals, objectives and student evaluation. This
can be demonstrated through activities such as professional association
involvement, research, publishing and clinical/practice experience.
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3-9: A defined faculty evaluation process must exist that ensures objective
measurement of the performance of each faculty member.
Intent:
An objective evaluation system including student, administration and peer
evaluation can identify strengths and weaknesses for each faculty member
including the program administrator. The results of evaluations should be
communicated to faculty members on a regular basis to ensure continued
improvement.
3-10: Opportunities for promotion, tenure, and development must be the same
for dental hygiene faculty as for other institutional faculty.
Intent:The dental hygiene program faculty should be granted privileges and
responsibilities as afforded all other institutional faculty.
3-11 Support Staff: Sufficient qualified
institutional support personnel must be assigned to the program to support both
the instructional program and the clinical facilities providing a safe
environment for the provision of instruction and patient care.
Intent:
Maintenance and custodial staff should be sufficient to meet the unique needs of
the academic and clinical program facilities. Faculty should have access to
instructional specialists, such as those in the areas of curriculum, testing,
counseling, computer usage, instructional resources and educational psychology.
Secretarial and clerical staff should be assigned to assist the administrator
and faculty in preparing course materials, correspondence, maintaining student
records, and providing supportive services for student recruitment and
admissions activities. Appropriate support staff should be assigned to assist
with the operation of the clinic facility including the management of
appointments, records, billing, insurance, inventory, hazardous waste, and
infection control.
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3-12: Student assignments to clerical and dental assisting responsibilities
during clinic sessions must be minimal and must not be used solely to compensate
for limitations of the clinical capacity or to replace secretarial or dental
assisting staff.
Intent:Secretarial and clerical staff should be assigned to assist the administrator
and faculty in preparing course materials, correspondence, maintaining student
records, and providing supportive services for student recruitment and
admissions activities. Appropriate support staff should be assigned to assist
with the operation of the clinic facility including the management of
appointments, records, billing, insurance, inventory, hazardous waste, and
infection control.
STANDARD 4 -
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES
4-1 Facilities
4-1 Clinical Facilities
4-2 Radiography Facilities
4-3 Laboratory Facilities
4-4 Extended Campus Facilities
4-5 Classroom Space
4-6 Office Space
4-7 Learning Resources
4-8 Student Services
4-1 Facilities: The program must provide adequate
and appropriately maintained facilities to support the academic and clinical
purposes of the program that are in conformance with applicable regulations.
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Clinical Facilities
The dental hygiene facilities must contain the following:
a) an adequate clinical facility with clinical stations for students
including conveniently located hand washing sinks and view boxes; a working
space for the patient's record adjacent to units; functional, modern equipment;
an area that accommodates a full range of operator movement and opportunity for
proper instructor supervision;
b) a number of clinical stations based on the number of students admitted to a
class (If the number of stations is less than the number of students in the
class, one clinical station is available for every student scheduled for each
clinical session.);
c) a capacity of the clinic that accommodates individual student practice on a
regularly scheduled basis throughout all phases of preclinical technique and
clinical instruction;
d) a sterilizing area that includes sufficient space for preparing, sterilizing
and storing instruments;
e) sterilizing equipment and personal protective equipment/supplies that follow
current infection and hazard control protocol;
f) facilities and materials for students, faculty and staff that provide
compliance with accepted infection and hazard control protocols;
g) space and furnishings for patient reception and waiting provided adjacent to
the clinic;
h) patient records kept in an area assuring safety and confidentiality.
Intent:
The facilities should permit the attainment of program goals and objectives. To
ensure health and safety for patients, students, faculty and staff, the physical
facilities and equipment should effectively accommodate the clinic and/or
laboratory schedule.
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4-2 Radiography Facilities: Radiography facilities
must be adequate for student practice and the development of clinical
competence.
The radiography facilities must contain the following:
a) an appropriate number of radiography exposure rooms which include: dental
radiography units; teaching manikin(s); and conveniently located hand-washing
sinks;
b) processing equipment;
c) an area for mounting and viewing radiographs.
Irrespective of the number of machines provided, it must be demonstrated that
time is available for all students to obtain required experience with faculty
supervision and that acceptable faculty teaching loads are maintained.
Intent:
The radiography facilities should allow the attainment of program goals and
objectives. Radiography facilities and equipment should effectively accommodate
the clinic and/or laboratory schedules, the number of students, faculty and
staff, and comply with applicable regulations to ensure effective instruction in
a safe environment.
4-3 Laboratory Facilities: An adequate multipurpose
laboratory facility must be provided for effective instruction and allow for
required laboratory activities. If the laboratory capacity requires that two or
more sections be scheduled, time for all students to obtain required laboratory
experience must be provided.
Laboratory facilities must contain the following:
a) placement and location of equipment that is conducive to efficient and
safe utilization;
b) student stations that are designed and equipped for students to work while
seated including adequate ventilation (exhaust) and lighting, necessary
utilities, dust collection equipment, storage space, and an adjustable,
comfortable chair;
c) documentation of compliance with applicable local, state and federal
regulations.
Intent:
The laboratory facilities should include an appropriate number of student
stations with equipment and space for individual student performance of
laboratory procedures with instructor supervision.
4-4 Extended Campus Facilities: It is preferable and therefore recommended that the educational
institution provide physical facilities and equipment which are adequate to
permit achievement of program objectives. If the institution finds it necessary
to contract for use of an existing facility for basic clinical education, then
the following conditions must be met in addition to all existing Standards:
a) a formal contract between the educational institution and the facility;
b) a two-year notice for termination of the contract stipulated to ensure that
instruction will not be interrupted;
c) a contingency plan developed by the institution should the contract be
terminated;
d) a location and time available for use of the facility compatible with the
instructional needs of the dental hygiene program;
e) the dental hygiene program administrator retains authority and responsibility
for instruction and scheduling of student assignments;
f) clinical instruction is provided and evaluated by dental hygiene program
faculty;
g) all dental hygiene students receive comparable instruction in the facility;
h) the policies and procedures of the facility are compatible with the
philosophy and goals of the educational program.
Intent:
If off-campus clinical sites are used for basic clinical education, they should
meet accreditation standards.
4-5 Classroom Space: Classroom space which is
designed and appropriately equipped for effective instruction must be provided
for and readily accessible to the program.
Intent:
The classroom facilities should include an appropriate number of student
stations with equipment and space for individual student performance in a safe
environment.
4-6 Office Space: Office space which allows for
privacy must be provided for the program administrator and faculty. Student and
program records must be stored to ensure confidentiality and safety.
Intent:
Office space for full- and part-time faculty should be allocated to allow for
class preparation, student counseling and supportive academic activities.
4-7 Learning Resources: Instructional aids and equipment, and institutional library holdings must
include or provide access to a diversified collection of current dental, dental
hygiene and multidisciplinary literature and references necessary to support
teaching, student learning needs, service, research and development. There must
be a mechanism for program faculty to periodically review and select current
titles and instructional aids for acquisition.
Intent:
The acquisition of knowledge, skill and values for dental hygiene students
requires the use of current instructional methods and materials to support
learning needs and development. When electronic access is relied on to
supplement the basic collection, the institution should provide access to
interlibrary loan services and prepare students to identify and evaluate online
resources.
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4-8 Student Services: There must be specific
written due process policies and procedures for adjudication of academic and
disciplinary complaints that parallel those established by the sponsoring
institution.
Intent:
All policies and procedures should protect the students as consumers and provide
avenues for appeal and due process. Policies should ensure that student records
accurately reflect work accomplished and are maintained in a secure manner.
STANDARD 5 -
HEALTH AND SAFETY PROVISIONS
5-1 Infectious Disease/Radiation
Management
5-3 Emergency Management
5-1 Infectious Disease/Radiation Management: The program must document its compliance with institutional policy and
applicable regulations of local, state and federal agencies including, but not
limited to, radiation hygiene and protection, ionizing radiation, hazardous
materials, and bloodborne and infectious diseases. Policies must be provided to
all students, faculty, and appropriate support staff, and continuously monitored
for compliance. Additionally, policies on bloodborne and infectious diseases
must be made available to applicants for admission and patients.
Intent:
The dental hygiene program should establish and enforce a mechanism to ensure
adequate preclinical/clinical/laboratory asepsis, infection and biohazard
control and disposal of hazardous waste.
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Policies and procedures on the use of ionizing radiation should include
criteria for patient selection, frequency of exposing radiographs on patients,
and retaking radiographs consistent with current, accepted dental practice. All
radiographs exposed on patients should occur while patient care is being
provided for integration of radiography with clinical procedures.
Policies and procedures should be in place to provide for a safe environment
for students, patients, faculty and staff. The confidentiality of information
pertaining to the health status of each infected individual should be strictly
maintained.
5-2: Students, faculty and appropriate support staff must be encouraged to be
immunized against and/or tested for infectious diseases, such as mumps, measles,
rubella, tuberculosis and hepatitis B prior to contact with patients and/or
infectious objects or materials in an effort to minimize the risk to patients
and dental personnel.
Intent:
All individuals who provide patient care or have contact with patients should
follow all standards of risk management thus ensuring a safe and healthy
environment.
5-3
Emergency Management: The program must establish, enforce, and instruct
students in preclinical/ clinical/laboratory protocols and mechanisms to ensure
the management of emergencies. These protocols must be provided to all students,
faculty and appropriate staff. Faculty, staff and students must be prepared to
assist with the management of emergencies.
STANDARD 6 -
PATIENT CARE SERVICES
6-1: The program must have policies and mechanisms in place that educate
patients about their comprehensive treatment needs. Patients accepted for dental
hygiene care must be advised of the scope of dental hygiene care available at
the dental hygiene facilities.
Intent:
All dental hygiene patients should receive appropriate care that assures their
right as a patient is protected. Patients should be advised of their treatment
needs and the scope of care available at the training facility and appropriately
referred for procedures that cannot be provided by the program.
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6-2: The program must conduct a formal system of quality assurance for the
patient care program that demonstrates evidence of:
a) standards of care that are patient-centered, focused on comprehensive
care, and written in a format that facilitates assessment with measurable
criteria;
b) an ongoing review of a representative sample of patients and patient records
to assess the appropriateness, necessity and quality of the care provided;
c) mechanisms to determine the cause of treatment deficiencies;
d) patient review policies, procedure, outcomes and corrective measures.
Intent:
The program should have a system in place for continuous review of established
standards of patient care.
6-3: The use of quantitative criteria for student advancement and graduation must
not compromise the delivery of comprehensive dental hygiene patient care.
Intent:The need for students to satisfactorily complete specific clinical requirements
prior to advancement and graduation should not adversely affect the health and
care of patients.
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6-4: The program must develop and distribute a written statement of patients'
rights to all patients, appropriate students, faculty, and staff.
Intent:The primacy of care for the patient
should be well established in the management of the program and clinical
facility assuring that the rights of the patient are protected.
A written statement of patient rights should include:
a) considerate, respectful and confidential treatment;
b) continuity and completion of treatment;
c) access to complete and current information about his/her condition;
d) advance knowledge of the cost of treatment;
e) informed consent;
f) explanation of recommended treatment, treatment alternatives, the option to
refuse treatment, the risk of no treatment, and expected outcomes of various
treatments;
g) treatment that meets the standard of care in the profession.
6-5: All students, faculty and support staff involved with the direct
provision of patient care must be continuously recognized/certified in basic
life support procedures, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Intent:
The need for students to be able to provide basic life support procedures is
essential in the delivery of health care.
6-6: The program's policies must ensure that the confidentiality of
information pertaining to the health status of each individual patient is
strictly maintained.
Intent:
The program should have a system in place to ensure patient confidentiality. The
use of student employees as secretarial staff does not preclude the essential
need for patient confidentiality.
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