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October 2008 | Modern Hygienist Going the distance Creative education options pay off in a big way.
It was one of those day s when whatever can go wrong will go wrong. We all have them—the patient cancels last minute, the computer doesn’t work, and is the air-water leaking again? I was driving home from a very long, hard day and you would think that I felt defeated. However, I was on cloud nine. It was the day my students applied all the skills I taught them to real live patients… and they were fantastic. You couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. Lane Community College (LCC) in Eugene, Ore., received a generous grant from the Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA). This is a federal organization that helps to administer grants and other programs relating to labor issues. For DOLETA, this is the first time they have granted money for distance site education in dental hygiene, in this case, to start three dental hygiene distance education site programs. The first one opened fall of 2007 at Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC) in Albany, Ore., which is about an hour from the main campus at LBCC. The other two, opening in fall of 2008, will be Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., and Lewis and Clark College in Lewiston, Idaho. I am the Site Coordinator and Lead Clinical Instructor for the LBCC site. structural needs
The program is in a location with a tremendous need for dental hygienists. The area dental offices are challenged with finding hygienists and are often forced to go outside the local community to look for help. The new programs will graduate one class every two years, helping to keep the local market from being flooded with new hygienists looking for jobs every year. These students go through the same application process as the main campus students and because they live in the area they have first choice to attend the “distance site.” In the fall of 2007, six students began their journey through dental hygiene school. In the fifth week, one student realized that she really didn’t want to work in the mouth after all. Good thing she figured that out early! Now, five students have completed their first year of dental hygiene education and are looking forward to their second and final year. They will graduate in June 2009 and join the ranks of the professional dental hygiene community as Registered Dental Hygienists. In the fall of 2009, another group of individuals will enter the two-year program. I am the only face-to-face instructor for these five students. They take lecture courses online and come to LBCC—within a 20-minute drive of their homes—for all “hands on” learning. This includes all clinical courses, radiology, and dental materials. We have six operating chairs, three radiology rooms, and a large dental materials lab. Weekly seminar classes are held to review any upcoming concerns for the term and how the lecture material relates to clinical life. Along with these responsibilities, I am charged with the task of running the distance site. This involves such things as ordering supplies, creating the clinical schedule/rotations, overseeing that all the technology is put in place and working properly, as well as hiring staff. Thankfully, I have a wonderful two-person support staff to help accomplish these tasks, plus a team of dedicated hygienists at the main campus who support and encourage me. personal needs
For the students, this provides an opportunity to get a great education without having to sacrifice so much time away from home and family. They really enjoy having more one-on-one time with the instructor and never have to wait too long before their questions are answered. Like any program, the students form tight bonds with each other, and since we are such a small group, that bond is especially strong. Having a small group gives me the opportunity to know my students on a more personal level. Not only am I their instructor but also their advisor. Since they don’t have a set lecture class time, I help them plan their days, reminding them to keep life balanced with school, family, and some down time. I have continual discussions about professionalism and what the American Dental Hygienists’ Association does for hygienists. I work hard to keep them focused on their goals while recognizing small successes along the way. During times of stress and frustration my office turns into a getaway, and a great place to come for soft tissue and chocolate.
The local community also benefits from this new program. We teamed up with the LBCC Dental Assisting program to treat patients from a low-income health clinic in the area, as well as the United Way. We also are involved with the Corvallis Boys & Girls Club. In March 2008, the Boys & Girls Club opened a dental clinic under the leadership of Dr. Ken Johnson, a local retired dentist. We provide preventive care to low-income children from 1st through 12th grade. My students love this project; they are learning what it’s like to give back to the community doing something that only trained hygienists can do. Of course there are challenges. It always takes longer to get things done than I plan for and hiring staff for the clinic hasn’t been an easy job. Fortunately, two area dentists, Dr. Johnson and Dr. Carson Kutsch, have given up their personal time to come and share their knowledge and patient care expertise with the students and patients. But with so many eager and needy patients, even with the doctors’ help, we don’t have time to treat them all. Both the students and I have a hard time accepting that fact. At the end of the day I am completely exhausted and sometimes frustrated, but it is all worth it to work with these students and this program. It’s amazing how in one year this program completed so many good deeds and provided such a wonderful opportunity for the community.
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