Dental hygiene preceptorship: an issue of risk management

The potential for legal liabilities exists in all aspects of dental hygiene practice. Contemporary malpractice law demands the highest standards for oral healthcare. Formal educational credentials of dental hygiene practitioners contribute to the provision of quality healthcare, an environment that elicits societal trust, and the prevention of legal risks. The purpose of this paper is to explore an alternative to formal dental hygiene education--preceptorship training--as it relates to current theories and practices in risk management. Key issues explored include expectations and rights of society, responsibility of the professional and the profession to society, risk management in the practice setting, and how preceptorship and formal education compare, relative to these key issues. The paper also analyzes whether the preceptorship concept is counterproductive for society, the profession, and the employer; and explains how the malpractice crisis in America is challenging oral health providers to rise to higher levels of education and professional competence.