Degree Programme in Dental Hygiene: PSUUNS25

Descriptions

After graduating as a dental hygienist, you will be able to work as an independent expert for different ages and a prevention of oral infectious diseases . You promote and maintain oral health, treat and prevent oral and dental diseases, and guide and advice people of different ages. In addition, you will be able to work as a supervisor and have the research and development skills needed in development work in the field. As a dental hygienist, you are able to act in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, taking into account ecological, economic, social and cultural sustainability and the capital they generate.
The work of graduated dental hygienists focuses on patient-centred clinical activities that promote the oral health of the population and on influencing society.

Your workplace may be in health centres, hospitals, nursing and service institutions or a private dental clinic. Dental hygienists can also work as entrepreneurs or self-employed persons, as well as in sales and product development tasks. Collaborating with other healthcare professionals and health promotion organizations is an essential part of your work.

As a dental hygienist, you need interaction and presentation skills, as well as planning and creative problem-solving skills. As a dental hygienist, you are required to have fine motor manual skills, hand-eye coordination, good eyesight and three-dimensional perception.

Only a licensed professional with a degree can work as a dental hygienist. After completing your degree, you will apply for professional rights from the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health Valvira.

Bachelor’s degree gives you the opportunity for further studies towards a Master's degree or a university degree.

The total extent of the Degree Programme in Dental Hygiene is 210 ECTS. This means 3.5 years of full-time study. Your studies consist of core competence and complementary competence, which include common studies at the University of Applied Sciences, professional studies, simulation and practical training, a thesis with maturity tests and elective studies. Part of the studies are carried out in a foreign language.

There are no specialisation options or areas in dental hygienist education. Growth into the expertise of a dental hygienist is a learning continuum that takes place throughout the studies , which also integrates the language and communication studies required for a university of applied sciences degree.

Turku University of Applied Sciences provides students with a dental hygienist’s professional competence, including the legal and ethical foundation on the basis of which students know how to act according to the values of nursing. In addition to health care values and ethical guidelines, the work of dental hygienists is guided by legislation. Safe and effective oral health care is based on research evidence and usually takes place in the care team. Local management, development tasks, risk management and sustainable development are part of the studies. Patient-centred oral health care work is based on a knowledge base and competence consisting of clinical collection of oral care data and implementation of treatment in accordance with the treatment plan. In addition, dental hygienist students work in various networks in cooperation tasks promoting oral health.

During your professional studies, you will familiarise yourself with the key tasks of the profession. After graduation you will be able to work independently in the area of responsibility of a dental hygienist and as an entrepreneur, participate in the development of the work community and, if necessary, work as a supervisor.

The studies include practical training in classrooms and simulation facilities on campus, in a clinical learning environment and in different health care units. Part of your studies can also be carried out in the internship environment of an international cooperation network.

In your thesis, you demonstrate your readiness to work independently and critically use research-based knowledge. The theses are completed in working life-oriented development projects and in applied research and development projects of the oral health research group.

The competence of a dental hygienist consists of core competence and expanding competence, which include the following competence modules: health promotion, oral health care, safety of oral health care work and the environment and management of oral health care work and development. In elective studies, students expand their competence by working in the social and health care sector and by studying from universities of applied sciences and other higher education institutions.

Objective

The innovation competences of individual, community and network competence defined by Turku University of Applied Sciences and their applications are a central part of the studies.

Individual competence is reflected in the student's creative problem-solving skills, comprehensiveness and goal-orientation during their studies.
Competence at the community level refers to the ability to work in a professional group and take into account the perspectives of the members.
Network competence refers to the ability to network and work in constructive cooperation with representatives of different professional fields, also internationally.

The student is able to operate in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. Students are able to take into account the ecological, economic, social and cultural sustainability and the capital provided by them. With this capital, we leave a lot of opportunities for future generations.

At the end of the studies, the degree includes national skills tests for dental hygienists and additional training in limited prescribing in accordance with the Government Decree. The competence of the graduate includes the core competence areas defined by EDHF (European Dental Hygienist Federation). Those are professionalism and expertise, safe and effective nursing, patient-centered care and oral health in society. The degree corresponds to a jointly defined higher education level in the European Union, which enables the international mobility of the workforce and experts.

Development

The dental hygienist studies are based on the innovation pedagogy defined in the strategy of Turku University of Applied Sciences. This includes innovative teaching methods, various social and digital learning environments, optional ways of taking courses, flexible curricula, international activity and an entrepreneurship-oriented approach. Innovativeness can be, for example, participation in projects and projects that develop working life in one's own field.

Studying in the Degree Programme in Dental Hygiene takes place on the campus, in various social and health care and working life organisations, as well as in digital and virtual environments.

Educational cooperation is carried out in a multidisciplinary and multiprofessional manner with the region's health service organisations and with practical nurse students, dental technician and dental students. The studies include lecture, online and simulation teaching, independent study and practical training. The entrepreneurial and multidisciplinary approach is practiced in Medisiina D as part of private social and health care services.

The region's higher education institutions, organisations and companies form a national centre of expertise in oral health. The purpose is to increase cooperation between organisations in teaching, research, development and innovation activities. Training and education of different oral health care professional groups is concentrated in the Kupittaa campus area and forms a national hub of education.

The operations of Turku University of Applied Sciences are based on the university's quality management model and process descriptions. Students have the right and obligation to participate in the development of the higher education community through various channels .
Students can influence matters by participating in education development days and training working groups.

Further information

The assessment follows the degree regulations of Turku University of Applied Sciences. The starting point for the assessment is the competence requirements of the degree. The assessment is based on competence and its development. The assessment focuses on both the learning process and the output of the student/student group . Diverse and interactive methods are used in the assessment (self-assessment, peer review and teacher/supervisor evaluation, development discussion). Continuous assessment supports the student's development, setting their own goals and identifying their own strengths and areas for development.

The assessment criteria are course-specific and they are prepared for levels satisfactory (1-2), good (3-4) and excellent (5) or pass-fail. The assessment criteria are described in the course implementation plans. The course teacher(s) is responsible for evaluating the course. An assessment framework has been drawn up to support the assessment, which is applied on a course-by-course basis. The assessment takes into account the stages of studies as well as field-specific and general learning outcomes.