This review summarizes the available literature for both instruction and evaluation of the novice dental and dental hygiene preclinical student. Effective instruction for dental and dental hygiene instrumentation requires knowledge of motor skills theory and mechanisms of fine motor skills attainment. The novice learner requires small, explicit steps that clearly define production. Prior to any performance, the skill to be performed should be envisioned accurately by the learner. Timely, precise feedback from the instructor to the learner contributes to learning. Novices are unable to judge their performance accurately, so self-assessment skills must be taught. Repetition enhances motor performance. Instruction is supported through well-designed evaluation instruments containing explicit criteria arranged in the correct order of production. Assessment tools should be designed to aid in providing specific, immediate feedback. Well-designed assessments may also aid in calibration of instructors. Examples of evaluation instruments are found in the literature, and several are reviewed in this article. For those responsible for preclinical performance assessment, application of current motor skills theory and development of appropriate instruction and evaluation instruments may result in improved student performance. Studies also indicate the instructional environment in the dental clinical setting may be less stressful if evaluation is based on achievement of target levels rather than multiple daily grades.

This preintervention/postintervention pilot study examined impact of onsite support by a dental hygiene champion (DHC) on oral health and quality of life (QOL) of elderly residents in three long-term care facilities (LTCFs) in Arkansas. Oral health and oral health-related QOL were operationalized using the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT) and Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI), respectively. CNAs in Facility A received standardized oral health education/materials with onsite DHC support. Facility B received education/materials only. Facility C served as control. Data analyses included Wilcoxon-signed rank tests (OHAT) and repeated measures ANOVA (GOHAI) (p ≤ .05). OHAT postintervention data in Facility A showed significant improvements in three measured areas (tongue health, denture status, and oral cleanliness); in Facility B, one area (tongue health); and none in Facility C. No significant differences were found in GOHAI scores across facilities. Findings suggest that the presence of DHCs in LTCFs may positively impact the oral health of CNA-assisted residents.

One challenge facing dental hygiene, as well as dental, education is to identify clinical teaching strategies promoting critical thinking and clinical reasoning. These skills are crucial elements in the practice of dental hygiene. A two-group design (intervention, n=28, and control, n=30) assessed irst-year dental hygiene students using pre-and post-Health Science Reasoning Test (HSRT) scores to evaluate the effect of relective blogging on critical thinking skills. A relective blog rubric, based on Mezirow's levels of relection, determined if relective blogging increased the level of relection for dental hygiene students. The results suggest within this nonprobability sample that relective blogging did not produce a signiicant change in students' HSRT scores (p>0.05). However, analyses of relective blog rubric scores demonstrated statistically signiicant improvements (p<0.05) in students' levels of relection. Furthermore, data analysis revealed a correlation (p<0.05) between HSRT subscale scores and the element of relection scores for the intervention group. This study addressed needs of the dental and dental hygiene education community by examining the use of blogs, an emerging technology, as a tool for relecting on clinical experiences and, in turn, for promoting critical thinking.

This study evaluated the short-and long-term effectiveness of faculty training to enhance clinical evaluation of ethical reasoning and professionalism in a baccalaureate dental hygiene program. Ethics, values, and professionalism are best measured in contexts comparable to practice; therefore, authentic evaluation is desirable for assessing these areas of competence. Methods were the following: 1) a faculty development workshop implementing a core values-based clinical evaluation system for assessing students' professional judgment; 2) subsequent evaluation of the clinical faculty's use of core values for grading and providing written comments related to students' professional judgment during patient care for three academic years; and 3) evaluation of program outcomes assessments regarding clinical learning experiences related to ethics and professionalism domains. Results revealed the clinical faculty's evaluation of professional judgment during patient care was enhanced by training; written comments more frequently related to core values defined in the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) Code of Ethics; and faculty members reported more confidence and comfort evaluating professional judgment after implementation of this evaluation system and receiving training in its application. Students were more positive in outcomes assessments about their competency and learning experiences related to professionalism and ethics. This article shares one approach for enhancing clinical faculty's authentic evaluation of student competence in ethical reasoning and professionalism.Prof. Christie is Associate Professor, and Prof. Bowen and Prof. Paarmann are Professors,

Improving racial and ethnic diversity in the physician assistant (PA) profession is important to providing better care for underserved communities. The recruitment and retention of minority PA faculty is one aspect of helping to attract and retain a more diverse student body. Previous research has indicated that minority status is associated with the increased attrition of PA faculty but has not provided insight into the specific factors involved in the retention or attrition of minority PA faculty. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to describe the experience of minority PA faculty through a critical race theory lens. We used a phenomenological approach using structured interviews of minority PA faculty. Better understanding of the experience of minority PA faculty might lead to improved efforts at recruiting and supporting a more diverse faculty workforce. We conducted 13 interviews of PA faculty representing a variety of underrepresented minorities, geographic regions, types of schools, and stages of their careers. Major themes that emerged across the participants' experiences included opportunities for success in the form of both internal and external support systems and mentorship. As a corollary, barriers to the retention of minority PA faculty including a lack of institutional support, gaps in mentorship, and lack of a solid support network were cited.