With my new title of Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH), I consider what it means to be a primary health care professional and the standards I am held to. My experience being in the DHDP program at UBC, I have seen my values change throughout the years. In second year of the DHDP, we have a white-coat ceremony to signify our transition into clinical practice. Below is the UBC Dental Hygiene Oath we recited upon providing client care:

“I will represent the values and ethics of the profession of dental hygiene, will hold paramount the health and welfare of the clients in my care, and will act professionally in order to maintain the trust placed in myself and the profession as a whole.” – UBC Dental Hygiene Oath

Since, seeing my first client in the UBC DHDP three years ago I have utilized practice standards, protocols, policies, and quality assurance to guide my care, ensuring client safety. Moreover, becoming familiar and up-to-date with practice resources which support decision-making to determine appropriate care safely to the public. However, it also reinforces referring inter-professionally and allows myself the freedom to decline care if I suspect risk. The most valuable lesson in practicing as a primary health care professional is to see the person as a whole, by connecting social determinants of health with oral and overall health. With more experience and knowledge of how general health is linked to oral health, I noticed changes in my approach to the dental hygiene process of care model and client or community satisfaction. In regard to ADPIE, I began asking more thorough assessment questions, gaining insight on subjective perspective, and carrying information into the diagnostic phase of care. Creating an individualized or community care plan and implementation involves including the client/community to gain consent and feedback to provide the appropriate care and success at evaluation of care. Success is determined by making an impact on the client/community, which can be measured through improvements which may not be limited to oral health. Within my practice, seeing the client/community as a whole allows me to involve competencies and code of ethics within care to address an array of issues, and effective ADPIE.

References

1. Canadian competencies for baccalaureate dental hygiene programs. Ottawa, ON, Canada: Canadian Dental Hygienists Association; 2015. 41p.
2. CDHBC. Code of ethics [Internet]. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada: College of Dental Hygienists of British Columbia [Updated 2019; cited 2019 Apr 5]. Available from: http://www.cdhbc.com/Practice-Resources/Code-of-Ethics.aspx