DENTAL HYGIENE UNIVERSITY OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE

1. Program Goals:
Provide patient-centered, quality care in an efficient clinical model
Prepare dental health professionals for leadership roles in clinical practice, public health,
education, research, administration and advocacy.
Provide patient-centered care that is culturally appropriate and based on current standards
of practice.
Foster an environment that promotes discovery, application and dissemination of
evidence-based research.
Promote a commitment to service through professional association involvement,
community partnerships and interprofessional collaborations.

2. Mission statement: Our mission is to provide an outstanding education for our students,
compassionate care for our patients and exemplary service to the global community and
the profession.

3. Program philosophy: The philosophy of the dental hygiene program is to empower

students to grow into lifelong learners who are competent in providing patient care to a
diverse population in traditional and non-traditional settings.

4. Selected Conceptual Models:

Global health model
Evidence-based dentistry model
Human needs conceptual model

Figure 1: Relationship between themes and threads in the Dental Hygiene university of
cultural competence four-year curriculum. (5)
 5. GENERAL EDUCATION

The following courses are required for the Dental Hygiene Bachelor in Science degree
and must be completed before starting the core dental hygiene courses.

CHEM 21: General chemistry I or equivalent

CHEM 22: General chemistry II or equivalent
CHEM 121: Organic Chemistry or equivalent
BIOL 51: General Biology I or equivalent
BIOL 52: General Biology II or equivalent
BIOL 145: Microbiology or equivalent
BIOL 111: Anatomy and Physiology or equivalent
PSYC 31: Intro to Psychology or equivalent
SOC 51: Intro to Sociology or equivalent
MATH 37: Statistics and Probability or equivalent
ENG 34: English Composition or equivalent
ENG 44: Writing in Academic Community or equivalent
COMM 11: Public Speaking or equivalent
LBST 12: Global Connections or equivalent
LBST 13: Cultural history or equivalent
SEM I: Seminar 1 or equivalent
Total Units = 63

DENTAL HYGIENE CORE CURRICULUM

First Year
Fall Quarter
DH 110 Oral Health Education 1 unit
DH 111 Oral Radiology I 1 unit
DH 112 Head and Neck Anatomy 2 units
DH 113 Dental Anatomy 1 unit
DH 114 Pre-clinical Dental Hygiene 3 units
DH 115 Infection and Hazard Control management 1 unit
Winter Quarter
DH 120 Oral Histology and Embryology 2 units
DH 121 Oral Radiology II 1 unit
DH 122 Patient Management 1 unit
DH 124 Dental Hygiene Practice I 3 units
DH 193 North American Culture and oral health 1 unit
Spring Quarter
DH 130 Oral Pathology 3 units
DH 131 Medical and Dental Emergencies I 1 unit
DH 133 Periodontics I 2 units
DH 134 Dental Hygiene Practice II 3 units
DH 194 South American Culture and oral health 1 unit
Summer Quarter
DH 140 Local Anesthesia/Pain Management 2 units
DH 144 Dental Hygiene Clinic I-Lecture 1 units
DH 145 Dental Hygiene Clinic I-Clinic 5 units
DH 195 European Culture and oral health 1 unit
Second Year
Fall Quarter
DH 250 Pharmacology 3 units
DH 251 Medical and Dental Emergencies II 1 unit
DH 233 Periodontics II 2 units
DH 254 Dental Hygiene Clinic II-Lecture 1 units
DH 255 Dental Hygiene Clinic II-Clinic 5 units
DH 196 African Culture and oral health 1 unit
Winter Quarter
DH 260 Community Oral Health 4 units
DH 261 Patient management for Special Needs 2 units
DH 263 Biochemistry and Nutrition 2 units
DH 264 Dental Hygiene Clinic III-Lecture 2 units
DH 265 Dental Hygiene Clinic III-Clinic 7 units
DH 197 Asian Culture and oral health 1 unit
Spring Quarter
DH 270 Oral Health Care for Clients with Infectious Disease 1 unit
DH 271 Ethics and Jurisprudence 2 units
DH 272 Dental Material 2 units
DH 264 Dental Hygiene Clinic IV-Lecture 2 units
DH 265 Dental Hygiene Clinic IV-Clinic 7 units
DH 198 Australian Culture and oral health 1 unit
Summer Quarter
DH 330 Senior Project 3 units
DH 199 Global Health Promotion 1 unit
DH 274 Dental Hygiene Clinic IV-Lecture 2 units
DH 275 Dental Hygiene Clinic IV-Clinic 7 units
Total units = 95
9. Dental Hygiene Clinical Education
Dental hygiene students are introduced to dental hygiene clinical education in the first
quarter of the dental hygiene core curriculum.
Dental hygiene curriculum extends throughout the quarters in the first and the second
year.
Dental hygiene clinical education is integrated with both clinical and lecture, starting
from the fall quarter of the first year.
Students focuses on providing dental hygiene care with cultural competency. Students get
a background information about global health and cultural competency by taking global
connections and cultural history as pre-requisite courses.
The program incorporates the global health model, evidence-based dentistry model, and
human needs conceptual model throughout its curriculum.
Students learn about different culture and oral health globally.
The Dental Hygiene Program represents a typical lock-step curriculum in that the
Preclinical Dental Hygiene Course must precede Clinic I, Clinic I must precede Clinic II,
Clinic II must precede Clinic III, and must continue on until you reach Clinic VII.
Dental hygiene clinical education is introduced in the first quarter itself with pre-clinical
dental hygiene and continuing to more complex dental hygiene clinic IV in the last
quarter.
10. Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice
1 lecture unit = 1 hour/week
1 clinic unit = 3 hours/week
Pre-clinical = 8 hours/week
1st year of patient care = 12 hours/ week
2nd year of Dental Hygiene Practice = 16 hours a week
1 hour for every hour of clinic or laboratory
11. Patient Care Competencies

Graduates much be competent in the following goals and competencies:

Goal One

Possess the skills and knowledge needed to provide optimal dental hygiene patient care while
valuing and adhering to the ethical beliefs as stated by the American Dental Hygienists
Association Code of Ethics.

Competencies:

1.1 Apply the principles of ethical reasoning, ethical decision making, and professional responsibility
(academic environment, research, patient care, and practice management) using critical thinking and
self-assessment skills to prepare for and engage in life-long learning.

1.2 Provide appropriate life support measures for medical emergencies that may be encountered in DH
care settings.

1.3 Promote optimal oral health for all patients through an evidence-based approach.

1.4 Application of legal, regulatory concepts to the provision and/or support of oral health services.

1.5 Advance dental hygiene and the dental profession through service activities and affiliations with
professional organizations.

1.6 Employ quality assurance healthcare mechanisms in order to ensure standard of care.

1.7 Provide care to all patients using a patient centered approach that is humane, empathetic, and
caring.

Goal Two

Promote the values of optimal oral health as related to general health and overall wellness to all
patients.

Competencies:

The dental hygiene graduate will be competent in the performance and delivery of oral health
promotion and disease prevention services in public health, private practice, and/or alternative
settings.

For the individual

2.1 Provide dental hygiene care for all types of classifications of periodontal disease, including patients
with moderate-severe periodontal disease

2.2 Provide educational methods using appropriate communication skills and educational strategies to
promote optimal health.

2.3 Promote preventive health behaviors by personally striving to maintain oral and general health.

2.4 Identify the oral health needs of patients to promote healthy lifestyles and appropriate self-care
regimens.
For the community
2.5 Demonstrate and apply knowledge to provide Dental Hygiene care for the child, adolescent, adult,
geriatric and assessing the treatment needs for patients with special needs.

2.6 Identify individual and population risk factors and develop strategies that promote health related
quality of life.

2.7 Identify interventions that promote oral health while preventing oral disease globally.

2.8 Participate in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation phases of community-based
oral health programs.

2.9 Recognize the importance of public policy processes in order to influence consumer groups,
businesses, and government agencies to support health care issues.

Goal Three

Embrace an interdisciplinary role within the health care system and assess, plan, implement, and
evaluate oral health care programs and activities for diverse population groups while facilitating
access to care and services.

Competencies:
3.1 Develop interpersonal and communication skills to effectively interact with diverse population
groups, and other members of the health care team in delivering dental hygiene care.
3.2 Develop problem-solving strategies related to comprehensive patient (client) care and management
of clients.

3.3 Assess, plan, implement and evaluate community based oral health programs.

3.4 Provide screening, referral and education services that facilitate public access to the health care
system.

3.5 Provide community oral health services in a variety of settings.

3.6 Develop a knowledge base of the health care system (local, state, national and international levels)
and recognize their role within this interdisciplinary construct.

Goal Four

Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate treatment in the promotion of oral and systemic health
using an evidence based approach.

Competencies:
4.1 Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate community-based oral health programs including health
promotion and disease prevention activities.

4.2 Provide the dental hygiene process of care (data collection, analysis of findings, critical thinking to
address the needs, care plan, patient-centered/evidence based care, evaluation of goal achievement,
documentation

4.3 Use critical decision making skills to reach conclusions about the patients dental hygiene needs
based on all available assessment data.

4.4 Collaborate with the patient and/or other health professionals to formulate a comprehensive dental
hygiene care plan that is patient-centered and based on current scientific evidence.

4.5 Provide specialized treatment that includes preventive and therapeutic services designed to achieve
and maintain oral health.

4.6 Evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented clinical, preventive, and educational services and
modify as needed.

Goal Five

Value the dental hygiene profession through career growth and development and commitment to
lifelong learning.

Competencies:
5.1 Application of self-assessment skills to prepare for and engage in life-long learning.

5.2 Evaluation of current scientific literature.

5.3 Illustrate commitment to the dental hygiene profession by active membership, leadership, and/or
service in professional organizations.

5.4 Pursue continuing education courses and/or higher education that demonstrate a commitment to
lifelong learning.

References:

1. Loma Linda University, CA

2. University of the Pacific, CA
3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC
4. Pacific University, WA
5. Conceptual Framework Model Adapted from Spallek H et al. J Dent Educ. 2010; 275-288
6.Commission on Dental Accreditation Accreditation Standards for DH Education Programs,
Effective: 2013