Dental Hygiene

The Program in Dental Hygiene is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of "initial accreditation." The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education.

Dental Hygiene Program Learning Objectives

Dental Hygiene Program Competencies

Prerequisites

For more information contact Dental Hygiene Program Coordinator, Rosie Vierra at 808 984-3313 or rivierra@hawaii.edu
Rosie Vierra, RDH, MS

Residency

Admission to the college does not guarantee admission to the dental hygiene program. Admission to our program is by separate program application.

Per the UH Board of Regents policy, priority for admission to the high demand Dental Hygiene program is given first to fully qualified State of Hawaii residents as determined by the registrar for tuition purposes.
Qualified non-residents are considered after qualified Hawaii residents have filled all available openings. Admission to Maui CC does not guarantee admission to the Dental Hygiene program.

All transfer applicants who have taken coursework in Dental Hygiene at another DH program will be evaluated on an individual basis.  The applicant must present a letter from the former DH Program, stating the circumstances necessitating the transfer. Opportunities for transfer applicants to enter DH classes at advanced levels are limited to those instances where space becomes available.

MAUI COMMUNITY COLLEGE
DENTAL HYGIENE

PROGRAM LEARNING OBJECTIVES
I
A.   To accept students into the program who have the potential for achieving the stated competencies.
B.   To provide a curriculum that includes scientific advancements and innovations in dental hygiene and care systems, as well as current information in the behavioral and dental sciences that will enable dental hygiene students to achieve the stated competencies required for the practice of dental hygiene.

1. To prepare each dental hygiene graduate to assume responsibility for ethical dental hygiene care in accordance of the laws of the State of Hawaii, as members of the dental team.
2. To graduate students who will advance the profession through community service activities and affiliations with professional organizations.

II

1. To develop and provide continuing education programs for community dental professionals.
2. To provide quality dental hygiene care to the community within the parameters of the educational requirements of the program.

PROGRAM COMPETENCIES

Upon fulfilling graduation requirements of the dental hygiene program, the student will be able to:

1. Apply a professional code of ethics in all endeavors.
2. Adhere to state and federal laws, recommendations, and regulations in the provision of dental hygiene care.
3. Provide comprehensive dental hygiene care to promote patient/client health and wellness using critical thinking and problem solving in the provision of evidence-based practice.
4. Use evidence-based decision making to evaluate and incorporate emerging treatment modalities.
5. Assume responsibility for dental hygiene actions and care based n accepted scientific theories and research as well as the accepted standard of care.
6. Continuously perform self-assessment for life-long learning and professional growth.
7. Promote the profession through service activities affiliations with professional organizations.
8. Provide quality assurance mechanisms for health services.
9. Communicate effectively with individuals and groups from diverse populations both verbally and in writing.
10. Provide accurate, consistent, and complete documentation for assessment, and evaluation of dental hygiene services.  
11. Provide care to all clients using an individualized approach that is humane, empathetic, and caring.
12. Graduates must be competent in providing appropriate life support measures for medical emergencies that may be encountered in dental hygiene practice.
13. Graduates must be competent in problem solving strategies related to comprehensive patient care and management of patients.