Administrative decisions about the future of dental hygiene programs are often based on inadequate information about employment trends and about the importance of the dental hygienist in dental practices. Studies indicate that demand for dental hygiene services will remain high in the 1980s. (Author/MLW)

Five issues that are likely to shape health care delivery and allied health occupations education in the near future are discussed, including (1) access to health care and reform of care; (2) development of new technology; (3) changing demographics in the United States; (4) competition among professions; and (5) a growing multidisciplinary…

Describes the three-step process used to develop a competency-based curriculum at the Caruth School of Dental Hygiene (Texas A&M University). The process involved development of a competency document (detailing three domains, nine major competencies, and 54 supporting competencies), an evaluation plan, and a curriculum inventory which defined…

A program for training dental nurses in Surinam is described whose objective is to alleviate a serious labor shortage. Its unique characteristics include an extra year of training for advanced techniques, absence of direct supervision, and acceptance by the national professional association for dentists. (MSE)

Models for associate and bachelors degree programs training dental hygienists are proposed as a step in eliminating technical training for dental hygiene education and in delineating roles for the graduates of two- and four-year programs. They outline clinical and professional skills, practice settings, and supervision levels for each group. (MSE)

A workshop on female dentists in management is summarized. Topics included female dentists' experience in a predominantly male profession, rejection of feminism as a political movement, need to improve female dentists' opportunities, and gender differences in management style. An evolution in women's issues since the 1960s is seen. (MSE)

Within academic health centers there exists a well-established "pecking order" influencing daily life and reflecting fundamental relationships between medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, and allied health. Relationships between individual professionals and between schools within a center are examined for clues to possible change. (MSE)

The competency assessment and remediation sequence used to ensure student readiness to progress through the curriculum at the University of North Carolina's Dental Auxiliary Teacher Education program is described. The frequency of need for remediation was analyzed. (Author/MLW)

Inherent in the meaning of baccalaureate dental hygiene education is the offering of upper-division courses in the theory and practice of dental hygiene itself. Restructuring the associate programs as strictly two-year, lower-division programs would require standardization of baccalaureate programs as strictly upper-division curricula. (MLW)

At its inception the Health Professions Capitation Grant program was intended to be an incentive program for various health professions schools, dental schools among them, to increase the output of peoplepower. Developments and legislative actions that led to the termination of the capitation program are reviewed. (Author/MLW)

The current state of research involving dental schools is examined, and institutional and administrative factors fostering an interdisciplinary approach to health science research are outlined and discussed, including communication, participation, financial support, and management. Cooperation is seen as a growing necessity. (MSE)

If dental schools are to be competitive in the current economic environment, they will need to collaborate with and become active participants in their academic health centers. The dental school can strengthen the center's competitive edge in the managed care market, strengthening the dental school's position in the center and generating new…

Georgia piloted an externship program for dental hygienists that paired selected local dentists with senior dental hygiene students who had passed the national board examination and taken one state board examination. Dentists became mentors, and students learned about professional practice and were enthusiastic participants. (MSE)

In response to declining dental hygiene education enrollments, the only dental school in Virginia plans to increase recruitment and expand use of existing programs. Strategies include hiring a statewide recruitment officer, establishing a forgivable loan program, increasing program capacity, and starting new programs when funding is available.…

The federal general dentistry grant program supports development of new programs and first-year positions in postdoctoral general dentistry education. Since inception, 115 institutions have participated, establishing 59 new programs (88% remain in operation) and 560 new positions (69% of which are still being filled), representing 72% and 77%,…