Journal of dental hygiene : JDH
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In response to several publications drawing attention to self-assessment and revised Commission on Dental Accreditation standards that state graduates should possess and demonstrate the ability to self-assess, dental hygiene and pre-doctoral dental programs find themselves searching for ways in which to incorporate self-assessment practices into the curriculum. Research indicates that students are often not familiar with self-assessment strategies nor are they effective at self-assessment upon entering professional programs. Therefore, students must be taught strategies to self-assess and be given opportunities to practice and refine these skills. ⋯ Still University Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health and the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry utilize a capstone portfolio project to incorporate self-assessment throughout the curriculum. By combining artifacts from their dental and dental hygiene school experience with reflective writing essays, students can demonstrate attainment of program competencies. As more faculty members and students become involved and engaged in assessment strategies such as portfolios, they are also gaining a greater appreciation for the value of self-assessment.
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Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most commonly undiagnosed sleep disorder and is gaining more recognition in dentistry. Dental hygienists are at a pivotal position to discuss risks, characteristics, medical referrals and treatment options for OSA, as well as detect if an individual has OSA through questionnaires and other tools that can be done during an examination. Dental hygienists need to receive appropriate education about OSA and should be well versed in their knowledge to educate patients. The purpose of this literature review is to identify the role of the dental hygienist in detecting the risk of OSA and gain knowledge on the topic in order to educate patients.
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The purpose of this article is to present a case study of a patient with chin numbness and to review its relationship, through research, to possible underlying diseases and conditions. Mental nerve neuropathy, better known as numb chin syndrome, is a rare condition. ⋯ Since this syndrome has been associated with serious conditions such as diabetes, multiple scleroses and metastatic disease, patients who present with signs and report unexplained symptoms of numbness should be examined thoroughly. Dental professionals who encounter patients with this symptom should refer them for further medical evaluation can potentially save lives.
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According to the report Healthy People 2010, oral health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate oral health decisions. Studies have linked a patient's health literacy to a variety of significant health behaviors, statuses and outcomes. ⋯ S., the effects of literacy levels on treatment and patient outcomes, literacy assessment in the practice setting and the effects of a patient's literacy on communication with a dental health provider. The implications of inadequate patient oral health literacy on the practice of dental hygienists and communication recommendations are discussed, as is the need for future research specifically on oral health literacy.