Shawnee State University
Dental Hygiene Program

DENTAL HYGIENE SCOPE OF CARE

Shawnee State University’s Dental Hygiene Program provides dental hygiene care to all interested individuals and groups.   In an educational setting, students perform all dental hygiene services allowed by Ohio law.  These services include: scaling and polishing of teeth, administration of appropriate pain control, dental x-rays (full-mouth surveys, individual periapicals, bitewing-surveys, panographs), application of fluoride, application of pit and fissure sealants, patient education, nutritional counseling, and study models. 

Each patient will be examined by an Ohio licensed dental hygienist or dentist.  At that time, the faculty member may refer you for the possible need of additional dental or medical treatment, such as restorations (fillings), orthodontic treatment, periodontal treatment, or medical history concerns.  Our clinic only provides dental hygiene services.  If you do not have a family dentist, we can provide you with a list of area dentists who are members of the American Dental Association.   Please ask your student hygienist or the receptionist for the listing. 

Patient cooperation is a valuable and essential part of the treatment regimen.  Therefore, we want you to know the following information concerning patient treatment in our Dental Hygiene Clinic. 

1.  It may require more than one appointment to complete your treatment.  
This will depend on the difficulty of your treatment, the condition of your gum tissues, and the type of oral home care you have followed. If you feel you will not be able to return for necessary visits,
please inform the student at the beginning of the first appointment or during the telephone contact. 

2.  Because students are involved in a learning situation, they work more slowly than a graduate dental hygienist.   All procedures performed by the student are completely checked and evaluated by an Ohio licensed dental hygienist or dentist who is a member of the University faculty.

3.  Students must complete a specific number of patient treatments within a limited time span.  Broken or canceled appointments, or patients who cannot return for a second appointment can jeopardize a student’s graduation requirements. For this reason, patients who cancel the day of their appointment or do not show up for their appointment two or more times may be asked to seek treatment elsewhere and may not be permitted to schedule any future appointments.

4.  Our bloodborne infectious disease policy can be accessed on the university’s website:     www.shawnee.edu/acad/hs/dh/clinic_info.html or patients may request a paper copy.

5.  We feel the minimal fees and high level of care provided will offset the extra time required for patient treatment.  We have found that patients who can only stay for one short appointment are better served by private dental care.

6. Payments for treatments are required on the initial appointment.   Due to budgetary considerations, we cannot send bills to patients or third party payers.  
Please make personal checks payable to: Shawnee State University.

We do not accept credit or debit cards, dental insurance, Medicaid or bill for services.

Dental Hygiene Fees: 

Adult Patients …………………..….............$15.00   (regardless of number of visits to complete treatment)Children (Under 15) and SSU Students…... $10.00
Fluoride treatment…………………..............no charge
Pit and Fissure Sealants………….1 tooth)… $7.00         (3 or more teeth)…$20.00
Bitewing x-rays……………………...............  $5.00
Full-mouth x-rays…………………............... $10.00
Panograph x-ray……………………............. $10.00
Duplicate or Referral radiographs …............ $10.00
Selected periapicals…………………..............$3.00

If you have any comments or would like to speak to a faculty member, please call our secretary at
740- 351-3236 who will direct your call appropriately.

STANDARDS OF PATIENT CARE

1.  Patients will be informed of the clinical services provided at the SSU Dental Hygiene Clinic and informed of patients’ rights to the same standards of care provided by dental offices in the tri-state area. 

2.  Faculty and students will hold professional patient relationships confidential. 

3.  Patients will be provided care utilizing the highest level of infection control procedures to prevent disease transmission and treated in an environment that minimizes the risk of harm.  

4.  Patients will be provided with information necessary to make informed decisions concerning their oral health and encouraged to participate in their treatment decisions and goals. 

5.  Patients will be instructed on both the prevention of disease and maintenance of oral health.   

6.  Patients will be offered recall appointment notifications based on their oral health needs. 

7.  Patients will be referred to other healthcare providers when their needs are beyond the scope of practice of the Shawnee State University Dental Hygiene Clinic. 

8.  Individual treatment plans will be based on the assessment of patient needs determined by data gathered from the health history, intra/extra oral exam, dental and periodontal charting, and appropriate radiographs and will be approved by a faculty member prior to implementation.  

9.  Patients will be provided with preventive and therapeutic dental hygiene services utilizing appropriate pain control, preventive and chemotherapeutic agents.

10. Patients will be examined by a faculty member at each appointment to ensure that the patient’s treatment meets the standard of care. 

11.  Upon completion of care, patients will be thoroughly evaluated by a faculty member to verify that the treatment plan has been completed and the standards of care have been met.

Bill of Rights for Patients
Shawnee State University does not discriminate in admission, access or treatment in programs and activities or employment practices on the basis of race, creed, sex, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, marital status, age, sexual orientation, Vietnam-era or qualified disabled veteran status, or qualified handicap.

1.  The patient has the right to considerate and respectful care.

2.  The patient has the right to an explanation of recommended treatment or treatment alternatives concerning current oral condition in terms the patient can reasonably be expected to understand.

3.  The patient has the right to receive information necessary to give informed consent prior to the start of any
procedure and /or treatment.

4.  The patient has the right to refuse treatment and to be informed of the possible consequences of this action.

5.  The patient has the right to every consideration of his privacy concerning his own dental care.

6.  The patient has the right to expect that all communications and records pertaining to his care will be treated as confidential. 

7.  The patient has the right to be advised if Shawnee State University Dental Hygiene Clinic proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation affecting his care of treatment. 

8.  The patient has the right to expect reasonable continuity and completion of care.

9.  The patient has the right to receive an explanation of all fees prior to treatment. 

10. The patient has the right to treatment that meets the standard of care in the dental hygiene profession.  

SHAWNEE STATE UNIVERSITY DENTAL HYGIENE CLINIC
PRIVACY POLICY NOTICE 
This notice describes how the personal and medical information you provide for our dental hygiene records may be used and how you can gain access to this information.  We may use your personal and health care information for the following purposes:

1.  Dental Hygiene Treatment – We may disclose your health care information to the student dental hygienist who is providing or assisting in providing dental hygiene treatment for you.  In addition, the Dental Hygiene faculty members who are supervising the student dental hygienists may have access to your healthcare information.  We may disclose you health care information to your physician of record or your dentist of record if required for your care. 

2.  Dental Hygiene Business and Academic Operations -  We may disclose your health care information to an agency who is evaluating the Dental Hygiene Clinical program such as the American Dental Association who accredits all Dental Hygiene Programs or the Ohio State Dental Board who inspects dental offices and university programs for compliance with State of Ohio Dental Laws. 

3.  Upon Your Authorization – We may disclose your health care information to members of your family, friend, or person involved in your healthcare ONLY if authorized by you to do so.

4.  Appointment Reminders - We may access your health care information in order to remind you of your next dental hygiene appointment.

5.  Required By Law -We may disclose your healthcare information when we are required to do so by law. 

Patient’s Rights:  

1.  You have a right to look at or obtain a copy of your health care records.  If you want copies of your records a nominal charge for photocopying and staff time will be made.               

2.  You have a right to correct or amend your healthcare records as long as those changes do not cause the records to become inaccurate.

3.  You have a right to expect that your healthcare information will be recorded and stored in a confidential manner.  If you think this right has been violated and you would like to express a concern or file a complaint, please contact the SSU Clinic Privacy Office listed below.

Privacy Director: James Kadel, D.D.S.    740-351-3236

                                                                                                                                                                        SSU Revised 2012