Service-learning and dental hygiene: a literature review.

Dental hygienists should be aware of the concept of service-learning and how it can enhance dental hygiene education. A look at national documents and other relevant historical literature will be reviewed, in addition to more recent books and articles to define service-learning. Although perceived as a new teaching strategy, service-learning has its roots in experiential education. Several definitions of service-learning have emerged, which take into consideration the reciprocal needs of the student and community, bridging academic theory with community service, and instilling civic responsibility through a reflective component. Considering the advantages and disadvantages, service-learning seems to be a good methodology for dental hygiene education. Recommendations include the expansion of the ADA Accreditation Standards to include service-learning, and incorporation of an operational definition of community-based oral health programs, as well as the term service-learning in its Definition of Terms.

Towards the professional status of dental hygiene in Alberta.

Presently, despite formal advances toward professional status and the acquisition of some professional attributes, dental hygiene may or may not be recognized as a profession. While dental hygienists in Alberta have a professional association that regulates the practice of dental hygiene, other professional attributes have yet to be attained. As the province's dental hygiene leaders begin to prepare recommendations to the Alberta government for the practice and direction of dental hygiene in Alberta, it is valuable for them to understand the different perceptions held by those affected. The study reported in this paper investigated the perceptions of Alberta dental hygienists and dentists regarding the professional status of dental hygiene in the province. Dental hygienists were selected to participate according to employment setting, while dentists were randomly selected. The questionnaire consisted of both open and closed ended questions, including Likert Scale items. Data were collected from questionnaires returned by 111 dental hygienists and 109 dentists. Two main points emerged from this study. The first is that although all dental hygienists recognize dental hygiene as an emerging profession, perceptions held by dental hygienists employed in private practice settings vary from those held by dental hygienists employed in traditional community care or alternative practice settings. The second recurrent theme is that dentists, while recognizing the expertise of dental hygienists, wish to retain economic control of dental hygiene. The article concludes by offering recommendations designed to increase the development of dental hygiene as a profession.

A focus group study: overview of the methodology.

The intent of this paper is to present an overview of focus group research methodology. The purpose of the exploratory and qualitative focus study was to investigate the status of dental hygiene as a profession. Information was gathered from four self-facilitating focus groups: first year dental hygiene students comprised the first group and the other three focus groups were comprised of practising dental hygienists. Criteria for defining a profession was established by the first focus group; further discussion from the other three focus groups was categorized, and if needed, a new category was designated.

Is dental hygiene a profession? A literature review.

From a literature review of theories of professionalism, the historical development of the attributes of a profession are discussed. This paper then discusses various theories of professionalism and specifically examines the extent to which the criteria developed by Greenwood are fulfilled by dental hygiene. Greenwood's model, which discusses certain attributes that a profession should possess, is selected to provide a broader model to analyze the current professional status of dental hygiene. Greenwood's model states that a profession has acquired: 1) systemic theory, 2) authority, 3) community sanction, 4) ethical codes, and 5) a culture. The author will conclude by suggesting possible steps the dental hygiene profession could continue to take to acquire these attributes and thereby recognition as a profession by other professions, governments and the public.

Effects of adjunctive treatment of periodontitis with tetracycline and spiramycin.

The present study was undertaken to compare the efficacy of two antibiotics, spiramycin and tetracycline, with a placebo when used adjunctively with scaling and root planing in the treatment of advanced adult chronic periodontitis. This was a double-blind, parallel, randomized trial with one factor (drug) at three levels. Ninety-six patients (mean age 46 +/- 1) were randomly assigned into one of three groups. All groups were scaled and root planed with each respective group receiving either spiramycin, tetracycline, or a placebo for 2 weeks. Two sites with probing depth of at least 7 mm were evaluated and the following clinical parameters were measured at baseline, 2, 8, 12, and 24 weeks: plaque index, bleeding on probing, crevicular fluid, probing depth, and change in the attachment level. The changes in the subgingival bacteria were monitored also using a differential staining technique. Seventy-nine patients completed the study. At the end of 24 weeks, although all three groups had shown clinical improvement when compared to the baseline data, there were no significant intergroup differences in any of the clinical parameters measured. While the proportion of spirochetes were significantly decreased (P less than 0.05) at 2- and 8-week intervals in both tetracycline and spiramycin groups (26% to 0.04% and 28% to 0.04%, respectively), compared to the placebo group (30% to 7%), only in the spiramycin group was the proportion of spirochetes significantly lower than the placebo group at the 24-week interval (3% and 11%, respectively). At week 24, the proportion of spirochetes in the tetracycline group had rebounded to 7%, which was not significantly different from the placebo group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)