Competencies of Professional Practice

The Fones School of Dental Hygiene ascribes to the American Dental Education Association Competencies for Entry into the Profession of Dental Hygiene (2011).

Students will demonstrate professionalism, ethical behavior, evidenced-based decision making, competent client care, health promotion, and disease prevention. A set of competencies has been developed to verify ability to perform total client care and develop professionally. Students must demonstrate successful completion of these competencies in order to graduate. Completion of competencies confirm that the student has the ability to safely provide dental hygiene care at an entry level, or what is minimally expected in performance as a new graduate. As a licensed professional who continues in his/her career, experience and continued learning leads one in becoming proficient, or eventually, even an expert in the delivery of care.


Fones School of Dental Hygiene curriculum in accordance with Connecticut Dental Hygiene Practice Act

To practice dental hygiene, a dental hygienist must obtain a license from the state in which they are employed. The legal duties of a dental hygienist are spelled out in the respective states’ dental practice act.

Chapter 379a, Connecticut General Statutes, addresses the general laws pertaining to the practice of dental hygiene. As a student enrolled in DH 228, Clinic Practice IV, you will be required to access the www.dph.state.ct.us website and print a copy of the Practice Act – to be discussed in class. If you will be practicing dental hygiene in another state, you will want to access individual states information.

As you begin your studies in dental hygiene, it is important that you know the content of Chapter 379a, sec 20-1261. Administration of local anesthesia is effective as of October 1, 2005.


Procedures that are taught to clinical competency

  • Clinical Infection Control Procedures
  • Medical and Dental Histories
  • Vital Signs
  • Intraoral Inspection (including charting carious lesions, periodontal diseases, existing and missing teeth)
  • Extraoral Inspection
  • Dental Hygiene Assessment/ Dental Hygiene Treatment Planning
  • Evaluation of Dental Hygiene Services
  • Radiographs (digital and film based)
  • Impressions for Study Casts
  • Oral Health Education including Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Behavior Modification
  • Intra-Oral Imaging
  • Desensitization
  • Care for Removable Appliances and Prostheses
  • Dental-Related Nutritional Counseling
  • Supragingival Scaling
  • Subgingival Scaling
  • Root Planing
  • Coronal Polishing
  • Application of Chemotherapeutic Agents
  • Application of Anticariogenic Agents
  • Polish Restoration
  • Pit and Fissure Sealants
  • Application of Topical/Non-Injectable Anesthetic Agents
  • Application of Locally Applied Antibiotics
  • Assessment Using Caries Diagnostic Scan
  • Pulp Vitality Testing
  • Administration of Local Anesthetic: Infiltration
  • Administration of Local Anesthetic: Mandibular Block

Procedures that are taught to laboratory competency

  • Administration of Nitrous Oxide/Analgesia
  • Periodontal and Surgical Dressing: Place
  • Periodontal and Surgical Dressing: Remove
  • Suture: Place
  • Suture: Remove
  • Rubber Dam: Place
  • Rubber Dam: Remove
  • Matrix: Place
  • Matrix: Remove
  • Temporary Restorations: Place
  • Temporary Restorations: Remove
  • Temporary Crown: Fabrication
  • Temporary Crown: Placement
  • Temporary Crown: Removal
  • Amalgam Restorations: Place
  • Amalgam Restorations: Carve
  • Amalgam Restorations: Finish
  • Composite Resin Restorations: Place
  • Composite Resin Restorations: Finish
  • Application of Cavity Liners and Bases
  • Removal of Excess Restorative Materials
  • Fabrication of Custom Impression Tray
  • Mouth Protector Fabrication

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