Quality assurance and dental hygiene

Dental hygiene in Canada has experienced significant growth. It has shifted from an emerging occupation to a regulated health profession in several jurisdictions. Many achievements may be attributed to this growth, including self-regulation and a national code of ethics. However, the majority of Canadian dental hygienists are relying on traditional, outdated and ineffective quality assurance mechanisms, such as mandatory continuing education requirements. In the interests of public protection, dental hygiene needs to ensure that the quality assurance activities required from its members are effective, valid and reliable. Quality assurance in health care continues to undergo modifications that better reflect the public's need for competent, ethical, safe and appropriate health care. Dental hygienists and dental hygiene regulatory bodies are challenged to find valid, reliable and effective methods of quality assurance. This paper discusses some of the developments in quality assurance in health care as well as some of the key and significant achievements of dental hygiene in Canada. The use of quality assurance mechanisms currently used in dental hygiene in Canada is also discussed. The paper concludes with a discussion on the potential barriers and issues that the profession may face when attempting to incorporate suitable quality assurance activities into daily dental hygiene practice.