Dental Hygiene Mission and Competencies

Mission Statement

The mission of the Dental Hygiene program is to provide an educational program of physical, social, dental sciences as prerequisites for competence in dental hygiene skills. In addition, the program provides exposure to those procedures, which are required to fulfill the expanding needs of the public and the dental profession.

A graduate of this educational program will be skilled in the profession and practice of Dental Hygiene, exhibit appropriate scientific knowledge, accept personal and professional responsibility, and be concerned about the health and welfare of all those encountered.

The Dental Hygiene Department promotes an environment of diversity, equity and respect to all students, faculty, staff and patient groups.

Competencies

• Ethics and Professionalism
  The dental hygiene graduate must be competent in applying the principles of ethical reasoning, ethical decision making and professional responsibility as they pertain to the academic environment, research, patient care, practice management, and legal and regulatory concepts to the provision and/or support of oral health care services.
• Assessment
  The dental hygiene graduate must be competent in systematically collecting, synthesizing and documenting comprehensive patient assessment data for a child, adolescent, adult, geriatric and a person living with a special need.
• Diagnosis
  The dental hygiene graduate must be competent in formulating a dental hygiene diagnosis that can be addressed by dental hygiene services for child, adolescent, adult, geriatric and a person with a special need.
• Planning
  The dental hygiene graduate must be competent in formulating a comprehensive dental hygiene care plan that is patient centered and based on scientific evidence.
• Implementation
  The dental hygiene graduate must be competent in providing patient centered preventive and therapeutic services and evidence based care in a manner minimizing risk and optimizing oral health.
• Evaluation
  The dental hygiene graduate must be competent in evaluating effectiveness of planned preventive, therapeutic, oral self-care services in achieving planned oral health outcomes.
• Community Involvement
  The dental hygiene graduate must be competent in initiating and assuming responsibility for health promotion and disease prevention activities for diverse populations.
• Information Management and Critical Thinking
  The dental hygiene graduate must be competent in acquiring and synthesizing information in a critical, scientific and effective manner.