Not Applicable.

PROGRAM MISSION

The Rio Salado College School of Dental Hygiene provides accessible, innovative, high-quality education, fostering ethically responsible students to improve the oral health of Arizona’s diverse populations while encouraging continued competency through on-going assessment and improvement.

PROGRAM GOALS

The goals of the Rio Salado College dental hygiene program are to:

• Prepare graduates who possess the skills and knowledge to competently, legally, and ethically assess, plan, implement, and evaluate dental hygiene services for diverse populations.
• Provide a curriculum that facilitates instructional strategies that enhance student learning.
• Provide graduates a learning environment that fosters a commitment to scientific inquiry, life-long learning, community service, and professional development.

Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the American Dental Association (ADA)

Formal application and admission to the program is required. Completion of program prerequisites requires a Science GPA of 3.25 and a General Education GPA of 3.00.  Submit current fingerprinting clearance card.  Submit to a drug screening and demonstrate negative results.  Complete and submit the required proof of immunity and health declaration for signed by a licensed health care provider.  Submit current CPR card for Health Care Provider and maintain current status throughout the program.

For more information visit www.dental.maricopa.edu

This is an in-person program.  The majority of the courses are in-person however four courses are offered as online hybrid.  Students are required to attend a mandatory student orientation before starting the program.  Must be able to fully participate in classroom, laboratory and clinical setting program activities.  Students take in-person midterm and final exams depending on the courses in which they are enrolled. 

The total amount of credits required for this certificate is 98-102.5. Students must earn a grade of "C" or better in all courses within the program.  Minimum GPA: 2.00

PROGRAM COMPETENCIES:

• Use effective communication with clients, families, and health-care team members. 
• Practice ethical standards of behavior as accepted by health care professionals.
• Apply the highest standards of infection control and safety to protect the client and operator.
• Operate and maintain all dental equipment.
• Expose and interpret diagnostic radiographs.
• Assess the health of the client by integrating data from the medicodental history, vital signs, oral cancer examination, radiographs, and classification, condition, and function of the teeth and periodontium.
• Plan, present, and receive client consent for an individualized dental hygiene treatment plan, based upon the assessment data, including referral to appropriate health care professionals.
• Practice comprehensive dental hygiene therapy including periodontal debridement, administration of pain control agents, oral irrigation, curettage, root planing, application of sealants, and caries preventive agents to assist the client in achieving optimal health.
• Involve the client in treatment to include dietary choices, oral hygiene techniques, tobacco cessation techniques, home-applied fluorides, and anti-microbial agents.
• Evaluate the outcome of dental hygiene therapy during active and maintenance treatment phases, and refer to appropriate health care providers to attain and maintain optimal health.
• Practice as a team member in all professional settings. 
• Use technology as a learning resource and for information management.
• Provide services addressing the oral health needs of a racially and culturally diverse community.
• Describe the legal and ethical requirements for continued competence in dental hygiene.

For the complete alignment of program competencies visit Center for Curriculum and Transfer Articulation (CCTA).

The program utilizes a variety of assessment tools to measure achievement of learning.  Course assessments include: comprehensive examinations, weekly quizzes, skill competency examinations, Objective Skills Competency Examinations, self-assessment papers, reaction/observation papers, and community/service learning projects.  The program utilizes a minimum passing competency level of 77% during the first and second semesters. The competency level increases to 85% as the student progresses to the third and fourth semester.

In May 2008, 22/28 students competed the program equaling an 79% completion rate.  Of those 22 students, who earned an AAS degree, 100% continued on to complete and pass their boards.  See additional statistics below.

In May 2009, 31/36 students competed the program equaling an 86% completion rate.  Of those 31 students, who earned an AAS degree,  100% continued on to complete and pass their boards.  See additional statistics below.

In May 2010, 29/36 students competed the program equaling an 81% completion rate.  Of those 29 students, who earned an AAS degree, 100% continued on to complete and pass their boards.  See additional statistics below.

Upon graduation student are eligible to sit for the state, regional, and national board examinations. Licensing board examinations are not required for successful graduation from the program.   To become employed, graduates are required by national mandate to earn a 75% on the written National Dental Hygiene Board Examination administered by the American Dental Association, Joint Commission on Dental National Boards. In addition, by Arizona state law, graduates must complete two regional clinical examinations at 75% for the administration of a local anesthetic agent and dental hygiene clinical services as administered by the Western Regional Examining Board.  Finally prior to licensure, the graduate must sit and pass at 75% a state practice act jurisprudence examination administered by the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners. 

Results of the boards for the Class of  2008, 2009 and 2010 are:

·     100% pass rate on the National Dental Hygiene Board Examination

·     100% pass rate on the Western Regional Examining Board Local Anesthesia and Dental Hygiene Clinical Board Examinations, and

·     100% pass rate on the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners Jurisprudence Examination.

Dental Hygiene Employer Survey Report 2010

Respondents (N = 5) were asked to indicate their level of agreement with eleven statements using a scale of 1 – 5 (strongly disagree – strongly agree). In addition, three questions requiring a written response were included in the survey.

Data Analysis

The employers who were surveyed indicated that Rio Salado successfully prepares their Dental Hygiene students to be competent in many dental hygienic areas. Specifically, employers felt that Rio Salado Dental Hygiene graduates were best prepared in “practicing ethics” and "providing professional services that address the oral health needs of a diverse community" as those statements both received the highest average (4.20) of all eleven statements. Three-fifths of the respondents (60.00%1, N = 3) strongly agreed that the Rio graduates were competently prepared in the following three areas: “obtaining patient consent and treatment planning,” “practicing comprehensive dental hygiene therapy,” and “properly evaluating and referring patients.” A majority of respondents (80.00%, N = 4) either agreed or strongly agreed that the Dental Hygiene program prepared the Rio graduates to be competent in "communication skills", "current infection control and patient safety", "exposing and interpreting diagnostic radiographs", "assessing the health of a patient", "involving the patient in his/her treatment", "practicing ethics", "providing professional services that address the oral health needs of a diverse community", and "practicing as a team member in professional settings". When asked what the most important factor when hiring a dental hygienist is 40% (N = 2) responded that it was their experience and 60% (N = 3) responded it was their personality.