The student will be able to:

1. Collect dental hygiene assessment data on patients in the clinical setting.
2. Analyze assessment data and develop appropriate treatment plans for patients in the clinical setting.
3. Implement dental hygiene care for patients in the clinical setting.
4. Evaluate results of dental hygiene care on patients in the clinical setting.
5. Develop oral health education strategies and plans for patients in the clinic setting.
6. Maintain standard infection and hazard control protocols during clinic procedures.
7. Understand and apply the principles of law and ethics to the practice of dental hygiene.
8. Perform comprehensive dental hygiene care for patients with special needs, medical or social conditions, recognizing best practices for treatment planning.

1. Collect dental hygiene assessment data on patients in the clinical setting (Lec, Lab)
   1. Assessment data
      1. Relevant medical and dental information
      2. Extraoral and intraoral examination findings
      3. Periodontal status
      4. Caries examination
      5. Risk assessments
      6. Dietary information
      7. Current oral hygiene habits
   2. Consultation with medical/dental professionals
   3. Periodontal risk using evidence-based internet programs, radiographs, periodontal examination, bacterial testing, and patient interview
   4. Caries risk using evidence-based internet programs, radiographs, caries examination findings, patient interview, and saliva testing
2. Analyze assessment data and develop appropriate treatment plans for patients in the clinical setting (Lec, Lab)
   1. Treatment recommendations based on the patient's individual needs
   2. Comprehensive treatment plans
      1. Individualized goals and treatment outcomes
      2. Oral hygiene instructions
      3. Dental hygiene care by appointment
      4. Necessary referrals
   3. Faculty consultation
3. Implement dental hygiene care for patients in the clinical setting (Lab)
   1. Preventive and therapeutic dental hygiene procedures
      1. Complete removal of calculus, soft deposits, plaque biofilm, stains, and the smoothing of unattached surfaces
      2. Pain control procedures
   2. Adjunctive dental hygiene procedures
      1. Ultrasonic scaling
      2. Dentinal desensitization treatments
      3. Pit and fissure sealants
      4. Topical fluoride treatments
   3. Post-operative instructions
   4. Sharpening techniques
   5. Emergency management
   6. Rotation duties
      1. Screener
      2. Screener assistant
      3. Rover
      4. Radiology lab
   7. Time management strategies
4. Evaluate results of dental hygiene care on patients in the clinical setting (Lec, Lab)
   1. Recall intervals for patients
   2. Evaluation of healing following treatment
   3. Re-evaluation appointments
   4. Dental referrals
5. Develop oral health education strategies and plans for patients in the clinic setting (Lec, Lab)
   1. Oral hygiene instructions including:
      1. Patient's dental health knowledge
      2. Patient motivation
      3. Manual dexterity
      4. Gingival condition/periodontal status
   2. Nutritional counseling including dietary analysis
   3. Educational strategies to guide patients in learning specific manual skills
   4. Educational techniques/methodologies, and learning styles/preferences appropriate throughout the lifespan
6. Maintain standard infection and hazard control protocols during clinic procedures (Lab)
   1. Infection control procedure for disinfection of the dental operatory and sterilization of instruments
   2. Prevention of cross contamination
   3. Duties of sterilizer and sterilizer assistant
   4. Equipment maintenance, spore testing, and quality control records
7. Understand and apply the principles of law and ethics to the practice of dental hygiene (Lec, Lab)
   1. Accurate and detailed patient records
   2. Patient confidentiality
   3. Referral to various dental and medical service providers
   4. Professional ethics and conduct when interacting with patients, faculty, and fellow classmates
   5. Acceptable standards of care
   6. Cultural competency
8. Evidence based dental hygiene care (Lec)
   1. Patient case studies
      1. Pediatric patient
      2. Adolescent patient
      3. Geriatric patient
      4. Patient with cardiovascular disease
      5. Patient with kidney disease
      6. Patient with respiratory disease
      7. Medically complex patients
      8. Patient with sensory impairment
         1. Hearing impairment
         2. Visual impairment
      9. Patient with mental health issues
         1. Mood disorders and bipolar
         2. Schizophrenia
         3. Eating disorders
      10. Patients with neurological disorders
          1. Parkinson disease
          2. Stroke
          3. Cerebral palsy
      11. Patient with diabetes
      12. Patient with developmental or physical impairments

Dental hygiene clinical practice: assessing, dental hygiene diagnosis, planning, implementing, and evaluating dental hygiene care on patients in a clinical setting.

Written examinations: students must achieve a grade of 75% or better on all written examinations
1. Weekly patient case study treatment planning evaluations
2. Examinations
Written assignments: students must achieve a grade of 75% or better on all written assignments
1. Complete a patient competency research paper on a pediatric or adolescent patient with a grade of 75% or higher
Class participation: using the lecture/assignment schedule as a guide, students must prepare for all classes as demonstrated by having all necessary supplies and equipment in lecture, laboratory and clinic as well as by participating in class discussions. Students will be evaluated on attendance and punctuality
Clinic proficiencies: students must achieve a grade of 75% or better on all clinic proficiencies
1. Ultrasonic proficiency evaluation on 1 quadrant
2. Two periodontal probing evaluations
3. Instrument sharpening proficiency
4. Oral hygiene instruction proficiency on the patient competency
Clinic requirements:
1. Complete dental hygiene care on a minimum of three patients with a grade of 75% or better
2. Complete a patient competency project on a pediatric or adolescent patient with a grade of 75% or higher
3. Apply pit and fissure sealants on two teeth
4. Two coronal polishing procedures
5. Two topical fluoride applications

Lecture
Case studies
Oral presentations
Community service
Clinic

Bowen, D., and J. Pieren. Darby and Walsh Dental Hygiene Theory and Practice, 5th ed.. 2019.

Nield-Gehrig. Fundamentals of Periodontal Instrumentation, 8th ed.. 2019.

Thomson, E.. Case Studies in Dental Hygiene, 3rd ed.. 2013.

Wynn, R., T. Meiler, and H. Crossley. Drug Information Handbook for Dentistry, 25th ed.. 2019.

Chan, P., J. Leicht, and P. Staana. Foothill College Dental Hygiene Clinic Manual. 2020.

Although the Thomson text is older than the suggested "5 years or newer" standard, it remains a seminal text in this area of study.

1. Reading assignments: weekly reading assignments from text and current evidence based sources ranging from 30-100 pages per week
2. Research report and oral presentation on an assignment topic relating to medically complex patients case studies
3. Patient competency project: written research paper of 7-10 pages on a pediatric or adolescent patient experience with full clinical documentation and research
4. Write reflections in the four DH program competencies in the e-portfolio
5. Write assessment findings, treatment plans, dental hygiene treatment entries, referrals, and in the patient electronic charts for patients seen in the clinic each week