Components of the Quality Assurance Program
Through the continuing use of both the
CDHO Dental Hygiene Standards of Practice and the
Self-Assessment Package, dental hygienists will be able to monitor and assess their dental hygiene practice in order to determine the need for continuing quality improvement activities. The CDHO Dental Hygiene Standards of Practice provides a starting point for guidance, self-monitoring and assessment. Dental hygienists as self-regulated professionals are accountable and responsible for the provision of safe, effective and efficient dental hygiene services/programs. The CDHO Dental Hygiene Standards of Practice should be used by dental hygienists to assess their dental hygiene practices and to identify learning goals that will direct continuing quality improvement activities.
1. Self Assessment, Continuing Education and Professional Development
The Professional Portfolio is the major component of the Quality Assurance Program. It serves as a positive focus for continuous quality improvement and will permit the dental hygienist to review their practice through self and peer assessment.
The Professional Portfolio will permit you to reflect on your dental hygiene practice, to identify areas of your practice that require enhancement/improvement and to customize your continuing quality improvement activities in a manner that suits your personal situation and resources. Continuing quality improvement activities may include but are not limited to self-study, study groups, distance education, journal reading, continuing education courses and professional activities.
The primary focus of the Quality Assurance Program will be to ensure that clients receive quality care from all practitioners. Mechanisms will be developed and refined over time to assist dental hygienists to meet this standard and to ensure that it is being met. All registered dental hygienists will be responsible for establishing and maintaining a
Professional Portfolio throughout their dental hygiene careers as a requirement for the annual renewal of their certificate of registration. Dental hygienists will document continuing quality improvement activities sufficient, in accordance with the policies and guidelines published by the College, to demonstrate that they continue to have the knowledge, skills, attitudes and judgment required to practice dental hygiene in a safe and competent manner. The contents of the
Professional Portfolio are confidential. When CDHO requests a Professional Portfolio/Practice Review, only authorized personnel will have access to the Professional Portfolio.
2. Peer and Practice Assessment
Professional Portfolio/Practice Review
The Quality Assurance Committee will review dental hygienists' Professional Portfolios on an annual basis. Selection for the review will be based on criteria determined by the Committee, by stratified random sample using pre-determined demographic criteria or by request, where a member's records do not show that the member has participated in adequate self-assessment, continuing education or professional development activities. If a review of a dental hygienist's Professional Portfolio by the Quality Assurance Committee determines that the assessment criteria/guidelines for a satisfactory portfolio have not been met, or if concerns are identified from other information before it, the panel may direct a review of the dental hygienist's practice at her/his practice location.
After considering the report and the dental hygienist's written submission and any other available information, the Panel may require the dental hygienist to correct any deficiency within a specified period of time, may grant an exemption, or may direct the dental hygienist to complete specified continuing education programs within a specified period of time and/or direct a review of the dental hygienist's practice at her/his practice location.
In circumstances where the Committee determines that the dental hygienist's knowledge, skills, judgment or attitudes are unsatisfactory and believes that any other order available to it is inadequate alone to address the concerns, the Committee may direct the Registrar to impose terms, conditions or limitations on the dental hygienist's certificate of registration.
Changes to the Professional Portfolio/Practice Review policies, forms and assessment guidelines will be published annually by the Quality Assurance Committee.
Practice enhancement/remediation activities are required for dental hygienists found deficient in their knowledge, skills, attitudes and judgment as identified through the portfolio/practice audit. Required courses will be identified by the Quality Assurance Committee to remediate the identified deficiencies. Successful completion of these activities is required as specified in the Quality Assurance Regulations. The dental hygienist is responsible for the costs associated with practice enhancement/remediation activities.
3. Ongoing Support
The CDHO has made available tools and guides to assist dental hygienists in fulfilling their QA requirements. Among others, these include the Portfolio Guide, Professional Portfolio Forms Tutorial, the Guidelines for Continuing Competency, and the Self-Assessment Package. Articles regularly appear in Milestones with suggested areas for learning. Two full-time practice advisors are also available by phone or email to assist registrants. The Quality Assurance Committee also recommends remediation programs and oversees the review and approval of remedial courses as well as facilitating mentoring programs.
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