Independent analysis: efficacy of sealants used in a public health program.

Purpose: This short report details part of the findings of a larger, multiphasic research study considering Quality of Care (QoC) and Quality of Life (QoL) for socioeconomic and underserved rural populations accessing dental health care through a Public Health Department. Improving oral health for families that are socioeconomically disadvantaged, with cultural disparities, or lacking access to care was the goal of this project. The purpose of this project was documenting effectiveness of oral health care when dental hygienists working through local area health departments, as an alternative delivery model, provide quality educational and preventive care services.

Direct assessment as a measure of institutional effectiveness in a dental hygiene distance education program.

This ten-year, longitudinal examination of a dental hygiene distance education (DE) program considered student performance on standard benchmark assessments as direct measures of institutional effectiveness. The aim of the study was to determine if students face-to-face in a classroom with an instructor performed differently from their counterparts in a DE program, taking courses through the alternative delivery system of synchronous interactive television (ITV). This study used students' grade point averages and National Board Dental Hygiene Examination scores to assess the impact of ITV on student learning, filling a crucial gap in current evidence.

Public health dental hygiene: an option for improved quality of care and quality of life.

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to document quality of life (QoL) and quality of care (QoC) measures for families receiving care from dental hygienists within public health departments, and to consider if oral health for families with economic disparities and cultural differences was improved.

Methods: A descriptive research study using a retrospective record review was conducted considering QoC. A review of state epid "Do preventive oral health programs based in local health departments provide quality care services, thus impacting QoL for underserved populations?"

Results: A dental hygienist working in public health made significant contributions to improving access to care and QoL in a rural, socioeconomically disadvantaged community.

Application of a conceptual framework for distance learning in dental hygiene education and allied health disciplines.

Distance education (DE) and distance learning (DL) technologies use continues to experience exponential, global growth. Various DE delivery platforms are being used for dental hygiene and allied health programs offered in post-secondary education. However, a need exists to analyze factors of program and student success using DL modalities.

An analysis of student performance benchmarks in dental hygiene via distance education.

Purpose: Three graduate programs, 35 undergraduate programs and 12 dental hygiene degree completion programs in the United States use varying forms of Distance Learning (DL). Relying heavily on DL leaves an unanswered question: Is learner performance on standard benchmark assessments impacted when using technology as a delivery system? A 10 year, longitudinal examination looked for student performance differences in a Distance Education (DE) dental hygiene program. The purpose of this research was to determine if there was a difference in performance between learners taught in a traditional classroom as compared to their counterparts taking classes through an alternative delivery system.

Longitudinal analysis of student performance in a dental hygiene distance education program.

The purpose of the study was to determine if learners who receive face-to-face instruction in an educational program performed statistically better on established benchmark assessments (GPA, course averages, and NBDHE) than learners at a distance from the didactic course instructor. A comparative, quasi-experimental, ex-post facto study was conducted. The treatment variable was program type: face-to-face vs.