Course Description
This course is designed to provide dental hygienists with elevated awareness of the incidence, mortality, and morbidity of
oral and oropharyngeal cancers so that they may effectively transfer this knowledge to their clients.
Dental hygienists play an integral role in early discovery through opportunistic screening, which can significantly reduce
the mortality rate of oral cancer. This course reviews typical risk factors along with the emergence of an atypical profile
that today’s dental hygienists need to consider. Communication strategies regarding client education and self-examination
are highlighted. A systematic approach to assessment, management, and referral will be provided to assist the dental
hygienist in practice.
Successful completion of this course will ensure that dental hygienists possess the necessary level of knowledge, skills,
and clinical judgment to competently perform a comprehensive extraoral and intraoral examination, including the oral
cancer screening examination, and prepare subsequent documentation and referrals for an abnormal finding.
Download the Oral Cancer Screening For Today's Population Booklet
More Course Information
About the Course Developers
Relevance to Practice
As primary oral health care professionals, dental hygienists have the responsibility and opportunity to make a powerful
impact by increasing the early-stage discovery of oral cancer. A comprehensive extraoral and intraoral examination
and appropriate referral can save lives. Upon successful completion of this course, dental hygienists will have
the knowledge, skills, and judgement to integrate these important aspects of dental hygiene care in their day-to-day
practice.
Format for Learning
The course, Oral Cancer Screening for Today’s Population, will take approximately 5‒6 hours to complete.
These times are estimates; with the exception of the final examination, you can take as much time as you need
and you may wish to break your learning into several shorter sessions. You will require a pen/pencil and the
resource manual to complete the course. The resource manual, which is a complement to the course, can be downloaded
and printed. It is a valuable learning tool that includes learning outcomes, pre-tests, learning activities,
post-tests, a reference list, and resources such as links to websites.
A pre-test is presented at the beginning and a post-test at the end of each section. A final 30-item multiple choice
and case study examination is administered upon completion of the course. A certificate of completion issued
by the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association will be available for you to download upon successful completion
of the course.
Course includes:
- Videos
- Introduction: Overview of the Course (0.1 hours)
- Module 1: Incidence, Mortality, and Risk Factors Related to Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancers
(1 hour)
- Module 2: Role of the Dental Hygienist in Early Discovery of Abnormal Mucosal Lesions (1.25
hours)
- Module 3: Performance of the Extraoral and Intraoral Examination (1.0 hour)
- Module 4: Assessment, Management, and Referral of an Abnormal Finding (1 hour)
- Final examination: 1 hour
- Resource Manual
Evaluation
- Pre-tests, post-tests, and learning activities are not graded. They are self-assessment tools to prepare you
for writing the final examination.
- When you feel you are ready, you may take the final multiple choice and case study examination. You have 1 hour
to complete the examination attempt. The results are computer-generated and the passing score is 80%.
- You may attempt the examination a maximum of two times to achieve this passing grade. if you are unsuccessful
after your second attempt, please call the CDHA office to discuss options for completion.
- A certificate of completion issued by the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association will be available for you to
print upon successful completion of the course.
Course Developer
Jo-Anne Jones, DipDH, RDH
Jo-Anne Jones is a well-recognized
international speaker, consultant, author, and successful entrepreneur. She is President of RDH Connection Inc.,
a practice management and clinical training company focused on delivering results-oriented solutions for today’s
dental practice. Jo-Anne has been selected by Dental Products Report as one of the Top 25 Women in Dentistry
and continues to be a Dentistry Today CE Leader in 2015. Jo-Anne is a sought- after writer for leading global
publications and was PennWell’s award recipient for writing “The Most Important Dental Story Published for Dental
Professionals” on the rising rate of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer.