Dental Hygiene Mission Statement, Philosophy & Program Goals
Department's Mission Statement:
To provide a "learner" centered environment for the dental hygiene students, incorporating lectures, labs and clinical components into valuable experiences that will enable students to practice and master the services written in the NYS Dental Hygiene Practice Act; and prepare graduates to enter the workforce as competent entry level dental hygienists.
Department's Philosophy Statement
The philosophy of the Dental Hygiene Program is to utilize a comprehensive, team approach to educate future dental hygienists, who as members of the health care profession, will not only become critical thinkers but will also demonstrate cultural sensitivity when providing quality, comprehensive, evidence based care to a diverse population of patients utilizing the highest level of knowledge, skill, and judgment.
Dental Hygiene Program Goals
- Provide comprehensive and patient centered dental hygiene care to a diverse population of patients.
- Foster health promotion and community involvement.
- Promote professional growth and development through participation in professional organizations.
- Foster high ethical and moral standards, and encourage students to practice these standards on a daily basis.
- Utilize sound judgment and critical thinking skills when providing dental hygiene care in the college's teaching clinic, at off campus affiliations, and during all service-learning activities within the community.
- Develop interpersonal and communication skills that will foster cultural sensitivity with patients and open communication with faculty, fellow students and other health professionals.
- Encourage students to make professional judgments utilizing state of the art technology and evidence based research.
- Encourage self assessment and life long learning, and a commitment to the advancement of dental hygiene as a profession.
- Provide quality instruction to prepare students for success on the National Dental Hygiene Examination and the Northeast Regional Board (NERB).
- Adequately prepare students for employment.