History of Dental Hygiene

1. History of Dental Hygiene Tiffany Baggs, RDH, BASDH Joy Davis, RDH, BASDH

2. Founder of Dental Hygiene Profession Dr. Alfred C. Fones- the “father of dental hygiene” 1913 Opened the first dental hygiene school in Bridgeport, CT

3. First Dental Hygienist 1917- First licensed Hygienist - Irene Newman in CT

4. Hygiene Care Process • Assessment- 1st Component of care • Collecting subjective, and objective data • Dental hygiene diagnosis • Data from assessment phase is analyzed and a diagnosis is formulated. See Table 1-1 Pg. 7 • Planning • Interventions needed in order to achieve whole oral health • Implementation • Activation of the care plan • Evaluation • Determine need for retreat, referral, or maintenance

5. American Dental Hygiene Association 150,000 RDH - 40,000 members Advance the art and science of dental hygiene by increasing public’s awareness of quality oral care Promote highest standard of dental hygiene education, licensure, and practice Represent and promote the interests of dental hygienists

6. Goals of ADHA Continue consumer advocacy in the healthcare system Promote DH as a primary care provider of preventive and therapeutic services Promote self regulation of DH education, licensure, and practice Serve as authoritative resource on issues related to DH Promote research relevant to DH Increase membership and participation Provide financial base

7. Tri-level Structure of the ADHA Individual members are part of local (component) GODHA, SADHA State (constituent) FDHA, FSADHA National Level

8. Standards of Practice • Standards of practice should be based on current scientific findings • Define what DH can do • Provides guidelines to what is quality hygiene care to consumers, employers and colleagues • Establishes goals for DH education • Assurance of competent professional development • Evidence-based decision –making process (EBDM)

9. Ethics • A sense of moral obligation (right and wrong behavior) • Box 1-3 Ethical Key Words • A system of principles that governs the conduct of a professional group • Principles of morality-Core values

10. Code of Ethics Describes professional conduct Responsibilities and duties of each member toward patients, colleagues and society Purpose: Aware and sensitive to situations in practice

11. Core Values • Autonomy • The act of self-determination by persons with the ability to make a choice or a decision • Confidentiality • Patient privacy, protect privileged communication • Societal trust • Trust in relationships- DH and patients, other professional persons, and the public • Beneficence • Doing good for a benefit • Nonmaleficence • Avoiding harm to others • Justice and fairness • Fair treatment, impartiality • Veracity • Telling the truth to patients about treatment

12. Ethical Applications • Ethical Issue • Clearly defined • A solution is seen by the laws, standards of care, standard rules • Ethical Dilemma • Two morally correct choices • May have more than one answer or solution to an issue • Steps to Resolution • Gather facts • Ethical theories and principles applied • Options are explored Steps are broken down in detail Pg. 10 and 11

13. Final Decision Is the final action/decision morally defensible on the standards of practice for the DH profession? Can the choice be defended to solve the dilemma? Patient, the dentist, peers, state board, court of law A frequent review of the practice acts and regulations will keep your license happy! Know your laws and abide by them.

14. The End