Dental Hygiene Department

Essential Functions for the Career of Dental Hygiene at Prairie State College

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In order to be admitted to or continue in the Dental Hygiene Program, a student must have skills and abilities essential to perform as a dental hygienist. Reasonable accommodations will be made on an individual basis; however, the candidate must be able to perform in an independent manner.

Functional Abilities Required in the Dental Hygiene Program

Motor Capability

1. Move from room-to-room and maneuver in small spaces.
2. Squat, crawl, bend/stoop, reach above shoulder level, use standing balance, and climb stairs.
3. Lift and carry up to 50 lbs., and exert up to 100 lbs. force or push/pull.
4. Use hands repetitively; use manual dexterity; sufficient fine motor function.
5. Must be able to walk and stand for extended periods of time.
6. Perform CPR.
7. Travel to and from academic and clinical sites.

Sensory Capability

1. Coordinate verbal and manual instruction.
2. Auditory ability sufficient to hear verbal communication from clients and members of the health team; includes ability to respond to emergency signals.
3. Discern soft sounds, such as those associated with taking a blood pressure.
4. Visual acuity to acquire information from documents such as charts.
5. Comfortable working in close physical proximity to patient.

Communication Ability

1. Communicate effectively in English with patients, families, and other health care providers, both verbally and in writing.
2. Effectively adapt communication for intended audience.
3. Interact; establish rapport with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural and intellectual backgrounds.
4. Assume the role of a health care team member.
5. Function effectively under supervision.
6. Sufficient command of the English language in order to retrieve information from lectures, textbooks, as well as understand medical terminology.
7. Skills include computer literacy.

Problem Solving Ability

1. Function effectively under stress.
2. Respond appropriately to emergencies.
3. Adhere to infection control procedures.
4. Demonstrate problem-solving skills in patient care.
(Measure, calculate, reason, prioritize, and synthesize data).
5. Use sound judgement and safety precautions.
6. Address problems or questions to the appropriate persons at the appropriate time.
7. Organize and prioritize job tasks.

Behavioral Skills and Professionalism

1. Follow policies and procedures required by academic and clinical settings (e.g., process of care).
2. Adheres to Prairie State College Honesty Policy (per College catalog).
3. Adheres to Prairie State College Code of Conduct (per College catalog).
4. Abides by the guidelines set forth in the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (e.g., the national privacy act).