Literacy In Dental Hygiene Who sponsors the literacy in dental hygiene in communications between clinicians and patients? Paige Dunn

What Is A Discourse Community?  James Paul Gee says that “Discourses are ways of being in the world; they are forms of life which integrate words, acts, values, beliefs, attitudes, and social identities as well as gestures, glances, body positions, and clothes.” (Gee, 526)  There are different types of discourse communities  Primary  Secondary

What is a dental hygienist?  According to Wilkens, “The dental hygienist is a licensed primary healthcare professional, oral health educator, and clinician who provides preventive, educational, and therapeutic services supporting total health for the control of oral diseases and the promotion of oral health”. (Pg. 4)

Roles of Dental Hygiene “Dental hygienists are found serving in several interrelated roles, including clinician, educator, researcher, administrator/manager, and advocate” (Wilkens, pg. 5)

Dental Hygiene Care  Types of services offered  Preventative Services  Educational Services  Therapeutic Services

Preventative Services  “Preventative services are the methods employed by the clinician and/or patient to promote and maintain oral health” (Wilkens, pg. 6).  There are three stages of preventative services:  1.) Primary-primary services prevent the disease from actually happening.  2.) Secondary- secondary services treat early diseases, and prevent the disease from progressing further.  3.) Tertiary- tertiary services are services that repair the oral cavity back to a level of function.

Educational Services  “Educational services are the strategies developed for an individual or a group to elicit behaviors directed toward health” (Wilkens, pg. 6).  Patient’s understanding is key to the success of dental hygiene treatment!!!!

Therapeutic Services  “Therapeutic services are clinical treatments designed to arrest or control disease and maintain oral tissues in health” (Wilkens, pg. 6).

Now that you understand what a dental hygienist is, and the functions of a dental hygienist….Let’s talk about the sponsors of literacy in the dental hygiene discourse.

Sponsors of Literacy Literacy between clinicians and patients…

Different Types of Patients Call For Different Communications!  Types of patients that a hygienist might see:  A patient in Orthodontic appliances (braces)  A patient wearing prosthetics (dentures or partials)  Patients with special needs  Patients with mental disabilities

The Orthodontic Patient  “An individualized preventive program that includes a specific plan of instruction, motivation, and supervision is essential for the patient with orthodontic appliances” (Wilkens, pg. 458)  Factors to teach the patient with orthodontic appliances:  “The significance of dental biofilm around orthodontic appliances and teeth” (Wilkens, pg. 469)  “How to apply the toothbrush (power or manual) and adjunctive devices to remove dental biofilm from the bracket, the arch wire, and the teeth” (Wilkens, pg. 469)  “The frequency of professional follow-up during and after orthodontic therapy” (Wilkens, pg. 469)

Field Research of Patients With Orthodontic Appliances  Gingivitis is very common!  Most patients with braces do not floss, making a very high plaque score!  Stress the importance of oral hygiene!

A Patient Wearing Dental Prostheses  “Awareness of the types and characteristics of prostheses, supporting tissues, and the common issues a patient may experience with prostheses is needed to provide information, comprehensive oral hygiene instruction, and treatment for the patient who has prostheses” (Wilkens, pg. 473)  Factors to teach the patient:  “Significance of regular maintenance appointments: intraoral/extraoral screening for pathology, especially oral cancer screening; and adjustments if needed” (Wilkens, pg. 487)

Field Research  Teach the patient the importance of caring for the prostheses just as they would for their regular teeth.  Conduct at home screenings of oral tissues  Stress importance of oral hygiene even with a prostheses

Treatment of Patient’s With Mental Disabilities  “More people with developmental disabilities are seeking dental care in private and community settings as the trend towards deinstitutionalization grows and emphasis on special training and education in local agencies and schools increases” (Wilkens, pg. 969)  Factors to teach the patient:  “Why assistance from others is an important supplement to the patient’s own efforts” (Wilkens, pg. 979)  “How to use and show their cooperation skills” (Wilkens, pg. 979)

Field Research  Listen to the patient’s needs and wants.  Be understanding, yet stern.  Provide the best possible care, with maintaining patient comfort.

Patients With Special Needs (Spinal Cord Injuries)  “The oral cavity has added significance for those who have lost sensation in other areas of the body” (Wilkens, pg. 912)  Four-handed dentistry:  “Four handed dentistry is a necessity” (Wilkens, pg. 912)  “Assist with all procedures to make the total treatment time as brief and efficiently used as possible without sacrificing patient comfort” (Wilkens, pg. 912)  For treating wheelchair bound patients:  “Allow frequent changes of the patient’s body position by lifting and turning at intervals to prevent pressure sores and pain in muscles and joints” (Wilkens, pg. 912).

Field Research  Monitor the patient very closely  Assistant should provide suction  Always listen to the patient, they know their body and their condition better than the hygienist does.  Be prepared to work with caregivers.

The End(:

Works Cited  Dickinson, Ann, and Esther Wilkens. "The Patient With a Mental Disability." Clinical Practice Of The Dental Hygienist. Ed. Barret Koger and Ed. Kevin Dietz. 10th. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkens, a Wolters Kluwer business, Print.  Gee, James P. “Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics: Introduction and What is Literacy?” Literacy: A Crtitical Sourcebook. Ed. Ellen Cushman, et all. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, Print.  Guttman, Marylou, and Esther Wilkens. "The Patient With Orthodontic Appliances." Clinical Practice Of The Dental Hygienist. Ed. Barret Koger and Ed. Kevin Dietz. 10th. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkens, a Wolters Kluwer business, Print.  Mueller-Joseph, Laura, Donna Homenko, Esther Wilkens, and Charlotte Wyche. "The Professional Dental Hygienist." Clinical Practice Of The Dental Hygienist. Ed. Barret Koger and Ed. Kevin Dietz. 10th. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkens, a Wolters Kluwer business, Print.  Ragalis, Kathryn. "Care of Dental Prostheses." Clinical Practice Of The Dental Hygienist. Ed. Barret Koger and Ed. Kevin Dietz. 10th. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkens, a Wolters Kluwer business, Print.  Ragalis, Kathryn, and Esther Wilkens. "The Patient With a Physical Impairment." Clinical Practice Of The Dental Hygienist. Ed. Barret Koger and Ed. Kevin Dietz. 10th. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkens, a Wolters Kluwer business, Print.