DH 250 - Oral Health Services V

• Environmental Management: recognize and independently practice and follow accepted infection control policies and procedures as stated in the Senior Competency Skills Packet and the CDC guidelines;
• Assessment: collect data based on patient’s age health history, vital signs and clinical evaluation. Recognize and differentiate normal from abnormal conditions to include treatment parameters of the medically compromised patient which would influence patient care. Recognize the need for radiographs using clinical judgment and the Guidelines for Prescribing Dental Radiographs. Produce and evaluate diagnostically acceptable films utilizing the Radiation Safety Protocol to identify existing oral conditions;
• Management of Client Care: obtain and develop a dental hygiene diagnosis, prognosis and outcomes based on the patient’s age, nutritional, medical and dental needs, communicate findings and proposed treatment to patient;
• Patient Appointment/Records:  record all existing medical, oral conditions, assessment data, and treatment procedures while maintaining patient confidentiality and understand the significance of proper recording both on paper and in the electronic patient record;
• Professional Skills Development: recognize the need for dental hygiene services. Perform the advanced skills for comprehensive patient care at the competency levels indicated in the Senior Spring Competency Skills Packet and day sheet to include advanced instrumentation techniques, periodontal therapy, fabrication of mouth guards and trays for tooth whitening, as well as the application of adjunctive therapies for pain management, and identify treatment modifications, products, homecare adaptations for all patients;
• Time Management: provide treatment in a timely and efficient manner and demonstrate organizational and problem solving skills;
• Self Evaluation: evaluate one’s own clinical performance at midterm to identify strengths and weaknesses;
• Personal Attributes: accepts professional responsibility for behaviors consistent with legal requirements, ethical expectations, and demeanor as defined in Competency Skills Packet and Day Sheet;
• Health Care Provider/ Patient Relationship: identify the legal duties of the hygienist to the patient and the liability issues concerning negligence, technical battery, maligning a patient, breech of contract and the need for professional liability insurance;
• Jurisprudence: apply the laws and regulations pertaining to the practice of dental hygiene in NYS; identify steps to prevent malpractice lawsuits in dental hygiene practice and explain the divisions of law affecting the Dental Hygiene Practice Act;
• Requirements and Licensure: describe the purpose and legal requirements for licensure and the nature of licensure examinations utilizing the NYS document “Laws and Regulations Pertaining to the Practice Of Dental Hygiene” for case study;
• Career Options and Resume Preparation: describe the six major roles for dental hygienists as defined by ADHA. Evaluate the various employment opportunities and develop a formatted resume. Role playing will be used to simulate interviewing techniques;
• Ethics: define, discuss and identify the three areas of ethics; the concept of professional ethics; elements of professional codes and the steps in solving an ethical dilemma. Problem solving for cases in private practice will be explored utilizing the problem solving model; and
• Current Issues: discuss several issues affecting the dental hygiene profession, their implications and possible future solutions.