Objectives
This two-year program prepares students to practise as primary oral health care providers. Dental hygienists are preventive specialists. The program focuses on developing a high level of interpersonal communication skills and applying the dental hygiene process of care in a professional manner. As members of a self-regulated profession, dental hygienists are responsible to the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario for their treatment decisions, and for the quality of care provided. Program emphasis is on preparing graduates to function effectively within a collaborative relationship which includes the client, the community, and other health care providers. Seminars, case presentations, community health practicums, and the clinical setting all provide valuable learning opportunities for the future professional. The program is divided into four levels. During the first and second levels, students spend approximately one-quarter of their time in pre-clinical practice working on mannequins. The clinical component increases in the second level and involves client treatment. Students spend approximately nine hours per week on practical training in the third and fourth levels, in addition to community health practicums.
