Transforming and Supporting Patient Care - Health Professions ...

200Chapter 8 – Profession of Dental HygieneThe CDAC is a national program that accredits educational programs formost dental professions from dentistry to dental assistants. HPRACreviewed the CDAC accreditation requirements for dental hygieneprograms, which now include eleven programs at community colleges andnine programs at career colleges in Ontario. Potential students at two of thecareer colleges have been warned that the offered programs might not meetaccreditation standards as of November 2009. Educational programs mustbe a minimum of two academic years or equivalent at the post-secondarylevel. Foundational knowledge, including professional behaviour, biomedicaland oral health sciences, along with dental hygiene theory and practice,must be integrated through training programs. Elements of dental hygienepractice must include the process of care, including dental hygieneassessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation at an entryto-practicestandard. Biomedical science content to provide background forpractice decisions includes content in anatomy, physiology, chemistry,biochemistry, microbiology, general pathology, nutrition and pharmacology.The biomedical knowledge must emphasize the orofacial complex andinformation on abnormal biological conditions must be provided to supportoral and oral-related disorders and pathologies. 41To HPRAC, it is not evident that there is extensive emphasis onpharmacological or pharmacotherapeutic studies, although curriculumcontent must include pain and anxiety management in sufficient scope anddepth to permit graduates to develop client-centred approaches to oralhealth and wellness. HPRAC concludes from the accreditation requirementsand academic course curriculum review that graduates of a two-year postsecondaryprogram would have high technical competence in dentalhygiene, and that there would be only introductory exposure topharmacotherapeutics.Nitrous Oxide and OxygenThe CDHO has requested the authority to administer substances byinjection and inhalation for the purpose of pain management and to dealwith emergency situations. The use of oxygen/nitrous oxide for conscioussedation has been specified as one of the purposes for the authority.HPRAC understands that nitrous oxide is a valuable agent for the control ofpain and anxiety in dentistry, but also carries risks due to variables relatedto its delivery, including the type of dental procedure, patient movement,mask fit, quality of high-speed evacuation and mouth breathing. 42The RCDSO has issued extensive guidelines for the dental profession on theUse of Sedation and General Anaesthesia in Dental Practice. The guidelinesdefining conscious sedation are:41Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada. Accreditation Requirements for Dental HygienePrograms. November 2008. Available: http://www.cdaadc.ca/cdacweb/_files/dental_hygiene_2008_en.pdf.42Whitcher, C. Control of occupational exposure to [N.sub.2]O in the dental operatory. Cincinnati:National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 1975.HPRAC Critical Links January 2009