Bilawka E, Craig B J
Faculty of Dentistry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Int J Dent Hyg. 2003 Nov;1(4):218-22. doi: 10.1034/j.1601-5037.2003.00049.x.
Dental hygiene in Canada has experienced significant growth. It has shifted from an emerging occupation to a regulated health profession in several jurisdictions. Many achievements may be attributed to this growth, including self-regulation and a national code of ethics. However, the majority of Canadian dental hygienists are relying on traditional, outdated and ineffective quality assurance mechanisms, such as mandatory continuing education requirements. In the interests of public protection, dental hygiene needs to ensure that the quality assurance activities required from its members are effective, valid and reliable. Quality assurance in health care continues to undergo modifications that better reflect the public's need for competent, ethical, safe and appropriate health care. Dental hygienists and dental hygiene regulatory bodies are challenged to find valid, reliable and effective methods of quality assurance. This paper discusses some of the developments in quality assurance in health care as well as some of the key and significant achievements of dental hygiene in Canada. The use of quality assurance mechanisms currently used in dental hygiene in Canada is also discussed. The paper concludes with a discussion on the potential barriers and issues that the profession may face when attempting to incorporate suitable quality assurance activities into daily dental hygiene practice.
加拿大的口腔卫生保健行业经历了显著的发展。在多个司法管辖区，它已从一个新兴职业转变为一个受监管的健康专业。这一发展带来了许多成就，包括自我监管和全国性的道德准则。然而，大多数加拿大口腔卫生保健员仍依赖传统、过时且无效的质量保证机制，比如强制性继续教育要求。为了公众的安全，口腔卫生保健行业需要确保其成员所需的质量保证活动是有效、合理且可靠的。医疗保健领域的质量保证一直在不断改进，以更好地反映公众对专业、合乎道德、安全且适当的医疗保健的需求。口腔卫生保健员和口腔卫生保健监管机构面临着寻找有效、可靠且合理的质量保证方法的挑战。本文讨论了医疗保健领域质量保证的一些发展情况，以及加拿大口腔卫生保健行业的一些关键且重大的成就。同时也讨论了加拿大目前在口腔卫生保健中使用的质量保证机制。本文最后讨论了该行业在试图将合适的质量保证活动纳入日常口腔卫生保健实践时可能面临的潜在障碍和问题。
