The course consists of eight sections.
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Section 1: Introduction
Section 1 provides an overview of the course, and establishes the dental hygiene
process of
care and the rationale behind proceeding with dental hygiene treatment.
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Section 2: DH Process of Care—Assessment
Sections 2 to 5 review all components of the dental hygiene process of care,
including health
and personal histories (which includes multicultural influences), information analysis and
synthesis,
and establishing oral care priorities and goals. These sections emphasize evidence-based practice,
and
present the best sources for client education, as well as scientific resources.
-
Section 3: DH Process of Care—Diagnosis & Planning
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Section 4: DH Process of Care—Implementation
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Section 5: DH Process of Care—Evaluation
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Section 6: Clients with Special Needs
Section 6 focuses on clients with special needs, and discusses demographics,
especially of the
aging population and clients who may have some form of sensory deprivation or dementia.
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Section 7: Jurisprudence and Record Keeping
Section 7 reviews the contraindications legislation clause-by-clause to assist
registrants in
making a professional judgment about the necessity to refer or postpone treatment. The requirements
of
informed consent and record keeping are also considered.
-
Section 8: Health and Safety
Section 8 of this course concentrates on the safety and protection of both clients
and caregivers
in the dental hygiene environment by reviewing the prevention and management of medical emergencies
and
pertinent health and safety legislation.
Course Information
Registration for the course is done online and the course is taken online in the comfort of your home, at
your convenience
and your pace. You may pause and restart at any time. It is expected that the entire course
will take about 33 hours to complete; however, you can take as much time as you need, with
the exception
of the final examination. You may wish to break up your learning into several shorter sessions.
A resource manual has been developed for the course. It can be downloaded and printed as a complement to the
course.
It is a valuable learning tool with learning outcomes, pre-tests, learning activities, summaries,
post-tests,
and suggested additional resources such as links to websites, etc. It is important that your participation
includes
these learning activities because they have been designed to contribute to the knowledge required to pass
the
final examination and increase your competency to self-initiate and provide safe dental hygiene care.
The required textbook for this course is one of the following:
- Darby and Walsh, 2020, Dental Hygiene: Theory and Practice 5th edition, St. Louis: Saunders, or
- Darby and Walsh, 2014, Dental Hygiene: Theory and Practice 4th edition, St. Louis: Saunders.
Either may be ordered online at www.elsevier.com or www.amazon.ca. The 5th edition of the textbook may be ordered on the CDHA eBookstore. There is also a list of resources and reference materials (print and electronic) in the resource
manual.
A pre-test is presented at the beginning of each section and a post-test at the end of each section. A final
timed
multiple-choice examination is administered upon completion of the course. Upon successful completion of
the
examination, a certificate of completion issued by CDHA may be printed from your computer.
For those wishing to apply to the CDHO for authorization to self-initiate under section 5 (1) (a) of the
Dental Hygiene
Act 1991, this certificate must be submitted with your completed application.
The development of this continuing education course has been made possible through a financial
contribution from
the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent
the
views of the College
Relevance to Practice
The
Standard of Practice for Self-Initiation for dental hygiene care applies to all CDHO
registrants who
plan to self-initiate the controlled acts of “scaling teeth and root planing, including curetting
surrounding
tissue.” Successful completion of this course provides the evidence required to meet the CDHO best-practice
standards
to obtain the required seal of approval for self-initiation. This confirms a level of knowledge, skill, and
judgment
that ensures safe and effective care for Ontarians.
Sharon Cavanagh
At the time of course development, Sharon Cavanagh provided individualized training for dental hygienists
wishing to
return to practice.
Maria Elena Tigner
At the time of course development, Maria Elena Tigner held the position of professor of dental programs at
Algonquin
College in Ottawa, where she taught oral histopathology, periodontics, and clinical dental hygiene, among
other
courses.
Sandra Lawlor
At the time of course development, Sandra Lawlor had practised clinical dental hygiene for thirty-one years,
and was
also a part-time faculty instructor at the Canadian Institute of Dental Hygiene.
Lisa Taylor
At the time of course development, Lisa Taylor practised clinically in a variety of settings for twenty years
before
joining the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario (CDHO) in the position as practice advisor and quality
assurance
administrator.
Brenda Leggett
At the time of course development, Brenda Leggett had over twenty years of experience as a dental hygiene
educator at
Georgian College and Algonquin College. She had practised in community health as a dental hygiene
administrator and
remained active as a clinical dental hygienist in private practice.
Laura Myers
At the time of course development, Laura Myers was the director of education at CDHA. She had extensive
dental hygiene
experience in education, administration, and restorative and community health, and remained active in
clinical
practice.