Dental Hygiene

• Certificate (Not Applicable)

   

• Associate Degree

  Students completing the Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene will demonstrate:

  • Knowledge for comprehensive dental hygiene practice, including patient assessment, education, infection control, legal, professional and ethical responsibilities
  • Technical skills including instrumentation, computerized & contemporary technology to practice dental hygiene, including radiological techniques, protection/safety, and diagnostics
  • Reasoning and judgement skills/problem-solving behavior
  • Research, communication skills for dental hygiene and interprofessional practice
  • Have leadership and initiative to assume rules of responsibility in profession and society
  • Moral habitude, professional ethics for practice within global society 
• Bachelor Degree

  Students completing the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene will demonstrate:

  • Knowledge for comprehensive dental hygiene practice, including patient assessment, education, infection control, legal, professional and ethical responsibilities
  • Technical skills including instrumentation, computerized & contemporary technology to practice dental hygiene, including radiological techniques, protection/safety, and diagnostics
  • Reasoning and judgement skills/problem-solving behavior
  • Research, communication skills for dental hygiene and interprofessional practice
  • Have leadership and initiative to assume rules of responsibility in profession and society
  • Moral habitude, professional ethics for practice within global society
  • Demonstrate evidence-based research skills in the practice of dental hygiene, patient treatment, patient treatment decision making and patient outcomes assessments. 
  • Application of evidence-based research skills in the practice of dental hygiene, outcomes assessments, professional writing assessment and presentation/dissemination of research.
  • Advanced Community Work Experience, interprofessional practice
  • Dental Hygiene Education/Clinical Teaching skills development through practicing clinical supervision of junior students
  • Dental Hygiene Education/Teaching assistant skill development; faculty supervision with junior students

Dental Hygiene Program at Weber State University is three years in length:

• The first year consists of pre-requisite courses which may be completed at any accredited college or university that are acceptable transfer courses recognized by Weber State University.  The next two years (4 semesters) must be taken on a full-time basis and includes professional dental hygiene courses offered on the WSU campus.  A fourth year, leading to a Bachelor's Degree in Dental Hygiene, is optional.  Enrollment in the WSU Dental Hygiene Program is limited to 30 students each fall semester.  After acceptance into the program, students spend 35 to 40 hours each week in lecture and clinical dental hygiene courses.  
• After completing the dental hygiene program and graduating from the university with an associate or baccalaureate degree in dental hygiene, a dental hygienist must become licensed to practice dental hygiene.  Licensure is dependent upon successfully completing a written National Board Examination, a clinical dental hygiene examination, and specific state licensure requirements (i.e., written test on state laws, CPR certification) and evidence of graduation from an accredited dental hygiene program.
• A dental hygienist provides direct patient care to all individuals according to the principle that all people should have access to health care.  Therefore, the dental hygienist will treat individuals with potential blood borne diseases in their education program and in their professional practice.  The dental hygiene student will have the knowledge and skills to safely treat patients regardless of their health status and to respect the confidentiality of all patient information.
   

Dental Hygiene Department Website

We have both course outcome achievement and have added outcome-based assessments (formal competencies). We have implemented the outcome-based assessments or what we refer to as competencies in the four major clinical courses and are working to including this type of assessment in all didactic courses. Faculty have considered the competencies in relation to the educational content and the learning experiences they plan for students. All competencies have a minimum requirement to be considered 'passing or acceptable'. We just transitioned to an annual review of our curriculum and assessment plan (as required by our Accreditation agency) and will meet at the end of Fall and Spring Semesters to complete the annual review. We also plan to survey students to obtain 1) feedback on their perceptions of the curriculum (ie., redundancy, "what's missing?" etc.), 2) where they perceive they need additional learning support as well as 3) their perception of the competencies being used in the Department.
 

• 2021-2022

  The full report is available for viewing.

• 2019-2020

  1) First year student success is critical to WSU’s retention and graduation efforts. We are interested in finding out how departments support their first-year students. Do you have mechanisms and processes in place to identify, meet with, and support first-year students? Please provide a brief narrative focusing on your program’s support of new students:

  • Any first-year students taking courses in your program(s).
    • Not applicable, students in our Department are not first-years students

   

  • Students declared in your program(s), whether or not they are taking courses in your program(s):
    • Once admitted, students’ cattracks progress is updated, and student meet at least twice a semester for formal review/feedback with a faculty advisor. If they are declared, but not taking courses, they are mostly likely taking pre-requisites and meet with admission’s advisors in the E.R. Dumke College of Health Professions who work closely with us for admissions.

  
  
  2) A key component of sound assessment practice is the process of ‘closing the loop’ – that is, following up on changes implemented as a response to your assessment findings, to determine the impact of those changes/innovations. It is also an aspect of assessment on which we need to improve, as suggested in our NWCCU mid-cycle report. Please describe the processes your program has in place to ‘close the loop’.

  • Faculty meet for regular curriculum reviews; we must adhere to accreditation guidelines and are formally reviewed by an outside agency every 7 years. We also receive feedback via outside testing agencies and monitor the success rates on both written and clinical examinations (we have highly successful pass rates); employers are also highly satisfied with the caliber of our student’s education. “Closing the loop” for individual courses is included on the curriculum learning outcome grid.
  • We update “the loop” regularly as each faculty monitors progress of students, curriculum and student success in their courses as well as written and clinical examinations.

   

  The full report is available for viewing.

• 2017

  The Dental Hygiene Department underwent a program review for the 2016/17 academic year. Please reference those documents for data that relates to the 2016/17 academic year.

• 2016

  1) Based on your program’s assessment findings, what subsequent action will your program take?

  • The assessment findings are derived from several sources.  
  • The program’s advisory committee provides information and feedback to the faculty, as well as, surveys of past graduates and recently graduating seniors and employers of recent graduates.  
  • The assessment findings guide our curriculum changes and updates. For example, we have sought out sources of funding for increasing the technologies that are taught and learned by the students as they treat clinical patients. These include the use of the diode laser in periodontal treatment, Cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT) and 3-D imaging; taking the image and interpreting its findings, and advanced computerized patient assessment, treatment and financial information to assure that our graduates will have the skills to be successful.  
  • Inter-professional education is at the forefront in healthcare and we are working toward that learning and practice environment.  
  • The CBCT project has established learning opportunities for our students where radiologic science faculty and dental hygiene faculty co-teach classes and labs.  
  • The department is planning to expand our student clinical experiences to parallel the dental hygienists’ supervisory law that has recently changed.  Within the public health sector, dental hygienists can provide treatment to patients without a dentists’ supervision as long as the treatment is within the scope of dental hygiene practice. 
  • Curriculum changes/updates include information on dental billing and dental insurance coding for payment, increased focus on employment processes; resumes, portfolios, interviewing and how employment benefits factor into their success. 
     

  2) We are interested in better understanding how departments/programs assess their graduating seniors. Please provide a short narrative describing the practices/curriculum in place for your department/program. Please include both direct and indirect measures employed.
   

  • The Dental Hygiene program curriculum is lock-step with each course building on the last semester’s coursework.  
  • Every semester of the program there are didactic and clinical courses that outcomes are assessed in each course, using both formative and summative methods.Three of the didactic courses include the ‘flipped classroom’ design in their methods of facilitating learning. Other courses are using pieces of this course design, but in lesser quantity.  
  • The formative assessments include the readiness assessments of pre-class quizzes, reading – overall readiness for the class content and discussion.  
  • Summative evaluation includes the final projects (oral and written class presentations, written papers, computer-based format of final examinations.
  • Clinic courses are lock-step in nature and are continuous through the 4 semester program. The initial course, semester 1, is a lab course that introduces the clinical work of a dental hygienist, step by step. The students practice their processes on mannequins and on their peer-lab partner. For each skill, there is a Process Evaluation (PE) that the student is responsible for ‘passing’ through demonstration and verbalizing the steps involved in the process. The process evaluations continue to increase in number as the student learns more skills and their competency is tested by demonstrating processes during patient treatment (semesters 2,3,4). Semesters 3 and 4 have mock board examinations three separate clinic days where students follow the procedures for their licensing board examination for their patient treatment and are evaluated using the rubric that follows the licensing exam. 

   

  The full report is available for viewing. 

• 2015

  1)Based on your program’s assessment findings, what subsequent action will your program take?

  • The program’s assessment findings have continued to be positive.  However, with the changes in the dental hygienists’ practice supervision and their role in the delivery of preventive dental hygiene services, the dental hygiene program will adjust curriculum topics and delivery to integrate additional technologies in the classroom and clinics.  The traditional role of the hygienist is to be employed in a dental office and provide treatment in that setting.  With additional access to care structures being implemented into the health care system, dental hygienists need to have the skills, knowledge and confidence to function in that workplace.  The faculty have and are completing extensive curriculum review to assure that appropriate topics and information is included in each course and integrated throughout the program.

   

  2)Are there assessment strategies within your department or program that you feel are particularly effective and/or innovative? If so, what are those strategies and what do you learn about your students by using them?

  • A particularly effective assessment strategy has been the implementation of reflective writing within several of our courses.  As students experience dental hygiene patient interaction in a variety of settings, it has been interesting to review their comments through weekly journal writing.  Further, as the semester closes, a structured reflection of their weekly writing culminates in a term paper, demonstrating their assessment of their own learning.  Department faculty have been able to discuss the growth of a student’s skills and maturation within dental hygiene.  The students are so busy from week to week, they seem to forget how they’ve learned and how they’ve grown.  Students demonstrate that they have experienced, learned and are more ready for graduation and independent critical thinking than they and the faculty could imagine.

   

  The full report is available for viewing.

• 2014

  1) Reflecting on this year's assessment(s), how does the evidence of student learning impact your faculty's confidence in the program being reviewed; how does that analysis change when compared with previous assessment evidence?

  • (2013-2014) The program continues to have a strong presence in the community being part of the larger healthcare arena providing public health services.The students are eager to use new technologies (diode laser) for clinical patient treatment.  There are plans in place to partner with Radiologic Sciences Department and create a 3D Cone Beam Computerized Tomography lab that will be housed in Dental Hygiene and shared by both department.  Courses will be developed and laboratory practice will be incorporated.  It is the belief of the faculty that our advances in teaching and learning, with both community learning and technology enhancement, will strengthen our confidence toward a positive review.
  • (2012-2013) With the current analysis, it is evident that the program has its strengths in basic dental hygiene knowledge dissemination, dental hygiene skills student attainment and the community interactions.  Entry-level dental hygiene education is in place with plans for additional technologies to be introduced and used in the clinical dental hygiene courses.  Comparing to previous assessments, it is apparent that the structure of the program is appropriate and faculty are confident that our graduates are prepared to enter the workforce as dental hygienists and participate as engaged citizens.
  • (2011-2012) The program continues to evolve and is challenged by technologies that are becoming available at the forefront of dental hygiene education and practice.  After the review of courses and outcomes, it is evident that faculty have increased confidence in the program’s ability to move forward with advancements and have assurance that the knowledge and skills of the currently educated, graduated dental hygienist is in high demand.  The WSU Dental Hygiene Program continues to focus efforts on improving the health of others by providing dental hygiene health care workers that will be skilled, highly qualified and committed professionals.  Comparing this year to previous years analysis, the program is working diligently at keeping pace with current and advancing knowledge in health care.

   

  2) With whom did you share the results of the year's assessment efforts?

  • (2013-2014) Assessment outcomes are consistently shared with our Program Advisory group that meets two times annually.  They are instrumental in providing feedback and direction as the department considers additional projects and technologies in our program.  The University Development office (our representative) stays current with our program needs and the outcomes that support our efforts.
  • (2012-2013) Assessment outcomes are shared with aforementioned groups as well as the University Development representative for the Dumke College of Health Professions.  It is important for the program to disseminate information to all stakeholders, on and off-campus.
  • (2011-2012) Assessment efforts are shared with all communities of interest, including the American Dental Association Accreditation Annual Report, the Dental Hygiene Program Advisory Committee, faculty (full time and adjunct) and staff members, in printed information for students pursuing dental hygiene as their educational goal.

   

  3) Based on your program's assessment findings, what subsequent action will your program take?

  • (2013-2014) As the technologies available increase and the many strategies for teaching delivery systems, the program has committed to a routine course review.  The goal of this review process is the collaboration of faculty in planning for change and reflecting on past course teaching methodologies that could be enhanced.  On-third of the courses will be reviewed each year through planned faculty meetings that focus on curriculum review only.  Seven courses will have an in-depth review, while all courses will receive an overview of their course topics, methodologies in teaching and receive feedback from program faculty.
  • (2012-2013) Continue to review curriculum content and sequencing for goal attainment.  Evaluation for technologies to be incorporated into the curriculum at all levels in a timely way.  Service Learning continues to evolve in depth and breadth.  The community activities will be enhanced in their direct and indirect outcome measures.  Maintain and expand artifact collections to demonstrate student learning.
  • (2011-2012) Review the new Standards for Accreditation of a Dental Hygiene Program in an effort to ensure that all standards are being met or exceeded.Continue to review curriculum sequencing and content to assure program goal attainment.Plan for several measurable outcomes for Service Learning to include both direct and indirect measures.  Carry on with collecting artifacts to demonstrate students’ learning and activity in the program.

   

  Select this link to view the full report.

• 2013

  1) Reflecting on this year's assessment(s), how does the evidence of student learning impact your faculty's confidence in the program being reviewed; how does that analysis change when compared with previous assessment evidence?

  • (2012-2013) With the current analysis, it is evident that the program has its strengths in basic dental hygiene knowledge dissemination, dental hygiene skills student attainment and the community interactions.  Entry-level dental hygiene education is in place with plans for additional technologies to be introduced and used in the clinical dental hygiene courses.  Comparing to previous assessments, it is apparent that the structure of the program is appropriate and faculty are confident that our graduates are prepared to enter the workforce as dental hygienists and participate as engaged citizens.
  • (2011-2012)The program continues to evolve and is challenged by technologies that are becoming available at the forefront of dental hygiene education and practice.  After the review of courses and outcomes, it is evident that faculty have increased confidence in the program’s ability to move forward with advancements and have assurance that the knowledge and skills of the currently educated, graduated dental hygienist is in high demand.  The WSU Dental Hygiene Program continues to focus efforts on improving the health of others by providing dental hygiene health care workers that will be skilled, highly qualified and committed professionals.  Comparing this year to previous years analysis, the program is working diligently at keeping pace with current and advancing knowledge in health care.

   

  2) With whom did you share the results of the year's assessment efforts?

  • (2012-2013) Assessment outcomes are shared with aforementioned groups as well as the University Development representative for the Dumke College of Health Professions.  It is important for the program to disseminate information to all stakeholders, on and off-campus.
  • (2011-2012) Assessment efforts are shared with all communities of interest, including the American Dental Association Accreditation Annual Report, the Dental Hygiene Program Advisory Committee, faculty (full time and adjunct) and staff members, in printed information for students pursuing dental hygiene as their educational goal.

   

  3) Based on your program's assessment findings, what subsequent action will your program take?

  • (2012-2013) Continue to review curriculum content and sequencing for goal attainment.  Evaluation for technologies to be incorporated into the curriculum at all levels in a timely way.  Service Learning continues to evolve in depth and breadth.  The community activities will be enhanced in their direct and indirect outcome measures.  Maintain and expand artifact collections to demonstrate student learning.
  • (2011-2012) Review the new Standards for Accreditation of a Dental Hygiene Program in an effort to ensure that all standards are being met or exceeded.
  • Continue to review curriculum sequencing and content to assure program goal attainment.
  • Plan for several measureable outcomes for Service Learning to include both direct and indirect measures. 
  • Carry on with collecting artifacts to demonstrate students’ learning and activity in the program.

   

  To see the complete report, select this link: Dental Hygiene 2013 Annual Assessment of Learning Report

2017-18