STANDARD COMPETENCIES

 

 1. Develop an understanding of the scientific method, its purpose, process and application for solving oral health problems

        and the advancement of dental hygiene knowledge.

 2. Compare and contrast research designs to determine the appropriate research method to obtain valid and reliable results for a given hypothesis.

 3. Discuss the ethical considerations in research and the role of government agencies, health care institutions, and private entities.

 4. Examine research hypotheses and using electronic databases, professional journals, government publications, product literature,

        video and other publication formats conduct a literature search to develop a research paper in support of the hypothesis.

 5. Evaluate oral health publications applying the concepts of research design and methodology to determine their value and application toward

        oral health and dental hygiene knowledge.

 6. Utilize statistical principles and tests, interpret data presented in allied health, oral health, and medical publications.

 7. Develop an appreciation for the role of the Internet and electronic resources in research and practice and describe how these sources relate to

        dental hygiene education, practice and theory.

 8. Demonstrate how evidence-based decision-making has been used in dental hygiene practice and explain how this process enhances critical thinking

        and decision-making in the dental hygiene profession.

 

 

 

 TOPICAL OUTLINE

 

 I. Research, Science and the Scientific Method

      a. Define and analyze the Scientific Method and other relevant terminology

      b. Examine the impact of research on science and its evolution

      c. Identify ways oral health research is applied in dentistry and dental hygiene

 II. Compare and contrast research methods

      a. Empirical

      b. Causal-Comparative Study

      c. Longitudinal Study

      d. Historical Study

      e. Experimental versus Non-Experimental Studies

      f. Qualitative versus Quantitative Studies

 III. Assess ethical behavior and the protection of the public in research

      a. Define and discuss the various roles

              i. Role of the researcher

             ii. Role of the Institutional Review Board

      b. Compare and contrast strategies to protect participants from potential harm during a research study

      c. Discuss examples of past research that has not focused on the participants’ protection

 IV. Identify a research problem/question and formulate an appropriate hypothesis

      a. Differentiate between a directional, non-directional and null hypothesis

      b. Conduct a literature search and value of information gathered

      c. Distinguish among different types of information available:

              i. Peer-reviewed literature

             ii. Marketing or professional publications

            iii. Case reports

             iv. Opinions

              v. Public data vs. professional

 V. Analyze research reports for their validity and application to a specific research question or problem

      a. Determine the validity of the research

              i. Identify threats to internal/external validity and their control

             ii. Identify confounding/extraneous variables

      b. Evaluate the sample used in the study

              i. Identify the type and purpose of the sample

             ii. Discuss the appropriateness and relationship of the sample and its size to the research question

      c. Evaluate the research for potential bias in its design

 VI. Differentiate between various presentation methods for presenting research findings and how to determine the appropriate presentation outlet

      a. Research paper

      b. Oral presentation

      c. Poster presentation

      d. Table clinic

 VII. Assess oral health research to the profession of dental hygiene and its practice

      a. Discuss the responsibility of the oral health professional to stay current on trends and advances in oral health literature

      b. Provide examples of how social media, the Internet, blogs and other media sources can impact patients’ decisions regarding their oral

         health care and oral health treatment

      c. Discuss the relationship of research to dental hygiene practice, education, community and public health programs