The American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) has formulated eight competency statements found at https://www.aaphd.org/dph-curriculum. They were developed to address the insufficient utilization of dental professionals in advocacy/prevention initiatives and prepare the latter for meeting U.S. citizens’ needs. The statements aim to achieve these goals by emphasizing critical thinking, risk assessment, communication/advocacy, and interprofessional collaboration skills.
Strong connections exist between the eight competencies and the four outcomes of the unit. The first unit 1 outcome refers to understanding program development’s great importance due to its critical role in reducing harmful oral habits by the dissemination of knowledge. This objective can be related to competencies one and seven. The second outcome deals with drawing comparisons between community programs and individual care. Both program development and caring for individuals should involve the use of evidence-based and updated information. In programs, such information is generalized and comprehensive, whereas individual care is based on targeting dental hygiene practice/education to the patient’s unique needs. AAPHD competencies three and four are relevant to this educational goal. The third outcome involves listing the criteria for effective program development, such as cost-effectiveness, positive reception from the public, and proper use of community resources. AAPHD competencies four and five might be aligned with this educational purpose. The fourth outcome is centered on exploring the role of community partners in developing oral health programs. AAPHD competencies six and eight are related to a similar goal due to being focused on interprofessional and interprofessional collaboration.
Finally, the association’s website offers a number of helpful resources for dental hygiene professionals. One course that I find especially interesting is Evidence-Based Dentistry. This course is appealing since it improves students’ knowledge of the research process as it pertains to question formulation and decision-making in oral healthcare. Another useful resource that I have discovered when exploring the website is a video titled “Starting a Student-Run Dental Clinic.” This short documentary covers the rewards and challenges of establishing dental care facilities without substantial experience in the healthcare business.