Dental Hygiene Process of Care

Dental hygiene process of care

Foundation for clinical decision making and practice

The process of care

Identify risk factors to aid in prevention and management of oral disease through DH interventions

The process is the same for 1 person or for 100 people (true/false)

true

Assessment

Individual:

Exams

Review medical history

Gather information about the patient

Public health:

Surveys

Public health surveillance

Gathers information about the population/group

Goal for both: identify needs

Diagnosis

Individual:

Identify health behaviors of each patient

Decision of “what is going on”

Public health:

Generalization of all the problems and identifying the problems that the group as a whole displays

Addresses the identified needs of the population

Planning

Individual:

Developing a solution to the identified problem

Engage the patient in the discussion of a solution

Develops a treatment plan

Public health:

Develop a solution to the identified problem

Engage the population in the discussion of a solution

Develop a program

Develops policy/law

Implementation

Individual:

Carry out the plan

Provide treatment

Provide education

Provide homecare products

Public health:

Carry out the plan

Can be treatment

Can be education

Can be anything to address the problem

Advocate for a new law to help the population

Evaluation

Individual:

Did the plan work?

If not, why?

What could be changed to make it better?

If yes-How can we keep the plan going?

Public health:

Did the plan work?

If not, why?

What could be changed to make it better?

If yes-How can we keep the plan going?

Documentation

Individual + Public health:

If it’s not written down, it did not happen

Incorporating Code of Ethics

Core Values in Dental Hygiene Practice:

◦ Individual autonomy

◦ Confidentiality

◦ Societal trust

◦ Nonmaleficence

◦ Beneficence

◦ Justice/fairness

◦ Veracity

Ethical issue

A common problem where a solution is grounded in the governing practice act, recognized law, or accepted standards of care based on the standard rule of practice

Ethical dilemma

◦ A problem that may involve 2 morally correct choices or courses of action

◦ The outcome can differ

Professionalism (components)

◦ Competence

◦ Fairness

◦ Integrity

◦ Responsibility

◦ Respect

◦ Service-mindedness

Be a model! (ok)

ok

Health

a state of physical, mental, and social well-being