Evaluation and Reflective Practice in Dental Hygiene

Evaluation is a systematic determination of worth, value, or significance.
Ongoing evaluation is important in providing evidence-based dental hygiene care.
Evaluation measures determine whether treatment and oral health education goals are achieved.
There are four types of evaluation design: formative, process, outcome, and impact evaluation.
A plan for evaluation of patient care outcomes includes informal monitoring, feedback, and modifications in patient care.
Methods for evaluating dental hygiene treatment success include collecting new clinical data and assessing disease prevention and health promotion interventions.
Evaluation of clinical outcomes involves visual examination, periodontal examination, and tactile examination.
Evaluation of health behavior outcomes provides evidence of the patient's understanding and compliance with the clinician's counseling and education interventions.
Comparison of pretreatment and outcome evaluation data determines the relative success of the therapy and can help determine the need for retreatment, referral, or maintenance interval.
The dental hygienist is responsible for evaluating personal adherence to a professional standard of care for practice.

Continuous learning and adherence to professional standards are essential in dental hygiene practice.
Self-assessment and reflective practice can enhance skills and assure quality patient care.
Reflective practice includes perceptive self-awareness, critical analysis, and access to new knowledge.
Methods for self-assessment include reflection and discussion with colleagues.
Formal reflective practice methods include developing a professional portfolio or maintaining a written journal.
Evaluation of patient care outcomes is ongoing and documented for future guidance.
Self-assessment and reflection can be documented through written entries or a clinical practice portfolio.
A portfolio may contain artifacts such as case presentations and personal practice philosophy.
Reflective practice can contribute to the development of critical thinking skills.
Self-assessment can assist in identifying areas for skill enhancement and continuing education.

Access to a Library of 520,000+ Quizzes & Flashcards