A discourse on dental hygiene education in Canada.

Over the past decade, the discourse on dental hygiene education has gained momentum in Canada. This review provides insights into the evolution of dental hygiene education in Canada, briefly exploring the history and professional influences for diploma and baccalaureate education within the profession. The profession in Canada has yet to implement a national standardized entry-to-practice educational model, but the recent development of national educational competencies may prove to be a promising beginning. The review also discusses efforts to advance dental hygiene education in recent years, while exploring the political and professional pressures and challenges that remain. Further discourse on education and outcomes-related research can be effective in positively influencing governmental, professional and public opinions of higher entry-level education for dental hygiene which may ultimately result in regulatory change and improved client outcomes.

Quality assurance and dental hygiene.

Dental hygiene in Canada has experienced significant growth. It has shifted from an emerging occupation to a regulated health profession in several jurisdictions. Many achievements may be attributed to this growth, including self-regulation and a national code of ethics. However, the majority of Canadian dental hygienists are relying on traditional, outdated and ineffective quality assurance mechanisms, such as mandatory continuing education requirements. In the interests of public protection, dental hygiene needs to ensure that the quality assurance activities required from its members are effective, valid and reliable. Quality assurance in health care continues to undergo modifications that better reflect the public's need for competent, ethical, safe and appropriate health care. Dental hygienists and dental hygiene regulatory bodies are challenged to find valid, reliable and effective methods of quality assurance. This paper discusses some of the developments in quality assurance in health care as well as some of the key and significant achievements of dental hygiene in Canada. The use of quality assurance mechanisms currently used in dental hygiene in Canada is also discussed. The paper concludes with a discussion on the potential barriers and issues that the profession may face when attempting to incorporate suitable quality assurance activities into daily dental hygiene practice.

Quality assurance in health care: past, present and future.

Quality of health care delivery is a growing concern globally given current budget restraints and increasing demands on health care providers. The variety of quality assurance and quality management activities equals the numerous ways health care practitioners of all genres provide health care. Dental hygienists around the world must be knowledgeable about quality assurance and management in health care as it is a significant factor in the evolution of the dental hygiene profession and the quality of oral health care provided by dental hygienists. The objective of this research was to conduct a literature review on quality assurance and quality management. A MEDLINE search from 1966 to 2002 was conducted. The search resulted in approximately 145 articles. Additional references from works generated by the search were also obtained. The literature revealed information on the background and history of quality assurance and quality management. Much of the literature was devoted to discussions of the validity, reliability and effectiveness of most prominent quality management activities being utilised in health care today. The investigation revealed numerous issues and barriers surrounding quality management. This article concludes with suggestions for future directions of quality assurance and quality management.

Increasing diagnosis of nicotine dependence in adolescent mental health patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the routine recording patterns of patients' smoking by clinical staff of an adolescent mental health service over a 3-year period. METHOD: A systematic examination of the clinical files of all patients who underwent an initial assessment or reassessment at the Youth Specialty Service (Mental Health; YSS) over a 2-month period (1 April-31 May) was carried out in 1996, 1997 and 1998. A range of data were collected including: demographics; diagnoses; amount of total information recorded and history of nicotine dependence. RESULTS: A stable historical record of cigarette smoking in the region of 30-40% across the 3 years sampled was found, but the rate of formal diagnosis of nicotine dependence rose from 3.6% in 1996 to 26.3% in 1998. This rise was in the context of relative stability over this time period of: size of reports and relevant sections (alcohol and drug history, cigarette smoking history); three other key diagnoses, major depression, conduct disorder and alcohol dependence; and demographic data. The rise in rate of diagnosis proceeded specific discussion within the clinical team about nicotine dependence. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent mental health settings are a key venue to address heavy and potentially chronic cigarette smoking, but nicotine dependence has been traditionally a neglected diagnosis in mental health patients. The rate of diagnosis is likely to rise when specific discussion is undertaken within clinical teams.

Survey of the information-seeking patterns of dental hygienists.

This descriptive study explored the methods that dental hygienists in northern British Columbia have utilized to access information. A self-administered questionnaire sent to 130 dental hygienists registered in that geographic experienced a response rate of 81.5 percent. The respondents preferred and utilized traditional information sources such as discussions with colleagues, journal articles, and mailings from professional associations and licensing bodies. The least utilized information sources were the indices to the literature and electronic information sources. Geographic isolation, lack of electronic information sources, and costs were identified as the top three barriers to information access. Dental hygienists may need to acquire or improve computer literacy skills while in school and through continuing education to enable them to use the newer methods of electronic information retrieval and communications because dental hygienists need to access a variety of information sources to provide quality care.

Attitudes of general practitioners in New Zealand to pharmaceutical representatives.

BACKGROUND: Pharmaceutical representatives are a vital component of the marketing of pharmaceutical products and an important source of prescribing information for general practitioners. AIM: A study was undertaken to explore the attitudes of New Zealand general practitioners to pharmaceutical representatives. METHOD: A questionnaire survey of 100 general practitioners was undertaken to which 67 general practitioners responded. RESULTS: The provision of practical prescribing advice by representatives and gifts relevant to medicine were seen as desirable activities by many respondents. However, gifts of value considerably greater than suggested acceptable in recent guidelines for general practitioners were also highly favoured by some practitioners. CONCLUSION: Current ethical guidelines setting out the relationship between pharmaceutical representatives and medical practitioners are inadequate and should be based on the need for the general practitioner to become an unbiased promoter of patient health.