The dental hygienist actively promotes educational and clinical procedures to improve the oral health status of clients. The dental hygienist participates in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of comprehensive programs of oral health care. The scope of a dental hygienist s responsibility should be based on education, and experience, as well as legal considerations of licensure and registration. The dental hygiene student-client relationship must be in keeping with the ethical dental hygiene practice and maintaining the dignity of the client. Dental hygiene educators are obligated to ensure that dental hygiene students are knowledgeable in, and comply with, the provisions of the Code.
Research is necessary for the development of the dental hygiene body of knowledge.
Dental hygienists should be knowledgeable of the advances in research so that established results may be incorporated into practice. Dental hygienists are encouraged to engage in, or to assist and encourage, research designed to enhance the health and welfare of clients. Dental hygiene research must conform to ethical dental hygiene and research practices. The dental hygienist accepts responsibility for working with provincial and national dental hygiene associations to secure quality care for clients. Dental hygienists should engage in continuing education and in the advancement of skills relevant to the practice setting.