Action | Continuing education for practice by remote supervision |
Stage | Fast-Track |
Comment Period | Ended on 9/5/2018 |
Many thanks to the Board of Dentistry for this opportunity to comment on the required continuing education course for dental hygienists prior to practicing under remote supervision. I am a retired dental hygienist, having worked both in the private and public sector for over forty years. The last ten years of my professional experience was spent as a program manager with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Dental Health Program, where I had input into the original protocol for the VDH remote supervision dental hygienists pilot program, managed the early child oral health program and supervised multiple hygienists who were practicing under VDH’s successful model of care under the remote supervision of a VDH dentist. Although the VDH model technically requires no Continuing Education course, management provided training specific to the parameters of the new law and the early child and school remote settings. Much of the material covered, e.g. adherence to written protocols, documentation, risk management, etc. was similar in content to the Virginia Dental Hygienists' Remote Supervision CE Course. The VDHA CE course follows the parameters set forth by the Board of Dentistry, and assures that, as hygienists embark on providing care in new settings, they are fully knowledgeable regarding the laws and regulations. The two hour time period allows for sufficient and appropriate coverage of the content required by the BOD.