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DENTAL HYGIENE STANDARDS OF PRACTICE
There are six components to the dental hygiene process of care:
1. Assessment
2. Dental hygiene diagnosis
3. Planning
4. Implementation
5. Evaluation
6. Documentation
The dental hygiene diagnosis is a key component of the process and involves assessment of the data collected, consultation with the dentist and other health care providers, and informed decision-making.
The dental hygiene diagnosis and care plan are incorporated into the comprehensive plan that includes:
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Restorative
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Cosmetic,
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And oral health needs that the patient values
All components of the process of care are interrelated and depend upon ongoing assessments and evaluation of treatment outcomes to determine the need for change in the care plan. These Standards follow the dental hygiene process of care to provide a structure for clinical practice that focuses on the provision of patient-centered comprehensive care.
More information may be found at the American Dental Hygienists' Association STANDARDS FOR CLINICAL DENTAL HYGIENE PRACTICE
The purpose of the dental hygiene process of care is to provide a framework where the individualized needs of the patient can be met; and to identify the causative or influencing factors of a condition that can be reduced, eliminated, or prevented by the dental hygienist.
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