By design, these categories have not been related to specific courses within the Caruth School of Dental Hygiene-Baylor College of Dentistry because that structure does not reflect the scope of a practicing dental hygienist. The concept of Domains is intended to encourage an eventual structure and process in the curriculum which is more interdisciplinary. A Major Competency is the ability to perform or provide a particular, but complex, service or task. The complexity of this service suggests that multiple and more specific abilities are required to support the performance of any Major Competency. Foundational Ability Foundational ability is the product of didactic and laboratory instruction which imparts the information and experience that are prerequisite for satisfactory mastery of Supporting Competencies.
Foundational ability encompasses knowledge, skill and attitudes.
Foundational knowledge is the ability to use information and correctly answer specific questions when asked, for example, on an examination. Foundational skill is the ability to follow specific rules to produce acceptable results in standardized situations, for example, charting periodontal readings and bleeding points. Foundational attitudes are positive intellectual and behavioral actions, such as scheduling appointments in the patient's best interest and not the student's convenience. The basic medical and dental sciences, behavioral sciences, and clinical sciences all provide instruction at the foundational level. Didactic, small group, seminar, and laboratory instruction provide information and psychomotor experiences that enable students to acquire and demonstrate competence in the clinical setting or context.