Five-Year Program Review Dixie State University Dental Hygiene BS Program Executive Summary Reviewers: External Reviewers: Internal Reviewers:

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1 Five-Year Program Review Dixie State University Dental Hygiene BS Program Executive Summary (Review Date: 2014) Reviewers: External Reviewers: Maribeth Stitt and Monica Nenad, Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) Internal Reviewers: Assunta Hardy, Ph. D, Office of Academic Assessment, Dixie State University Dixie State University Academic Council Dixie State University University Council Other Reviewers: Trustee Liaison Committee Dixie State University Board of Trustees Program Description: The Dental Hygiene Program is housed in the School of Health Sciences, and prepares students to provide patient care with high ethical and professional standards, utilizing evidence-based decision making for best practices in patient care. The Dental Hygiene program at Dixie State University prepares students through interprofessional education, to provide community service, develop community partnerships, participate in interprofessional practice, and promote the Dental Hygiene profession through service to the community. Dental Hygiene program prepares students for regional, state, and national board examinations. The Dental Hygiene program will continually progress in educational and scientific technologies, trends and techniques, which will allow dental hygiene students to best serve the patient and the community. The mission of the Dixie State University Dental Hygiene Program promotes the University mission and goals by producing dental hygienists of the highest ethical and professional standards who are able and competent practitioners with confidence in their abilities to function as an integral part of the dental team. The DSUDH program offers an AAS degree and an online BS degree completion program. No other majors or minors are offered. Comparatively, DSU Dental Hygiene BSDH offers the student an option for online course work to encourage career advancement while being actively employed and working/ living in another area outside of Washington County. In addition, the DSU Dental Hygiene BSDH offers two educational tracks that introduce the student to career opportunities outside of clinical practice. All upper division courses are taught within the dental hygiene department. This allows the dental hygiene AAS/AS graduate mentoring and socialization with dental hygiene faculty; offering insight and experiences valuable to the BSDH graduate.

2 Data Form: R411 Data Table Department or Unit Dental Hygiene** Faculty - *Headcount is for the BSDH degree only Headcount With Doctoral Degrees (Including MFA and other terminal degrees, as specified by the institution) Full-time Tenured Full-time Non-Tenured Part-time Year Year Year Year Year With Master s Degrees * The terminal degree in Dental Hygiene department is the Master s of Science Full-time Tenured Full-time Non-Tenured Part-time With Bachelor s Degrees Full-time Tenured 1 Full-time Non-Tenured Part-time 1 Other Full-time Tenured Full-time Non-Tenured Part-time Total Headcount Faculty *All BS faculty also teach in AAS program Full-time Tenured Full-time Non-Tenured Part-time FTE (A-1/S-11/Cost Study Definition) *BS ** program data only Full-time (Salaried) *Faculty teach in Both BS and AAS Teaching Assistants Part-time (May include TA s)

3 Total Faculty FTE **University status decreased FT workload Number of Graduates Certificates Associate Degrees Bachelor s Degrees Master s Degrees Doctoral Degrees Number of Students (Data Based on Fall Third Week) Semester of Data: Fall, * AAS and BS data combined Total # of Declared Majors Total Department FTE* Total Department SCH* *Per Department Designator Prefix Student FTE per Total Faculty FTE CODA mandates a 5:1 student to instructor ratio for AAS program clinic Cost (Cost Study Definitions) Direct Instructional Expenditures $556,351 $779,175 $717,318 $661,906 $733,864 Cost Per Student FTE $8930 $10,928 $10,835 $10,976 $12,231 Funding Appropriated Fund $375,480 $466,678 $350,613 $391,682 $423,381 Other: Special Legislative Appropriation Grants of Contracts Special Fees/Differential Tuition $180,871 $312,497 $366,705 $270,224 $310,483 Total $556,351 $779,175 $717,318 $661,906 $733,455 **DSU Office of Institutional Research does not separate AAS and BS program expenses. Program Assessment: Student Achievement Indicators, Assessment, and Analysis: The DSUDH BS completion program learning outcomes are each addressed at an Introductory (I) or Developing (D) level throughout the curriculum to ensure students are progressively and appropriately prepared to demonstrate Mastery (M) level in the Senior Project Capstone course in order to qualify for graduation. All DSU Core Themes are supported through the DSUDH BS course work. With the national environment of health care reform, patient/client demographic changes and the desire to provide an inter-professional educational experience for the student, program goals and learning outcomes were modified. The change precipitated a review of the curriculum. It was decided that the education track

4 has need of additional content in diversity and inclusion course objectives and content. This will be implemented during the academic year. The average time-to-degree for students in the BS program is one year. The graduates from the DSU Dental Hygiene program have experienced a 100% employment in their field of study over the last five years. Faculty assessment and student self-assessment indicates the BS program graduates are mastering Program Learning Outcomes. DSU BS program graduates are successfully accomplishing the prescribed goals and learning outcomes. Following program review meetings, student learning outcomes were changed last year to reflect department goals and student needs. The assessment measurement instrument (Capstone Senior Project) was revised at the time and a new rubric implemented. Program Strengths and Challenges Self-Evaluation: The strengths of the program are as follows: All courses are online and can be completed by working professionals locally and at a distance. All courses are taught by terminally-degreed faculty with online instructional training. Students may choose from two educational tracks to accommodate different professional interests. The program provides enough institutional residency credits for non-dixie AAS graduates. The weaknesses of the program are as follows: Out of state tuition for online courses deters students who have degree opportunities at other institutions that do not charge out of state tuition for online courses. DSU general education requirements may deter students from coming to DSU. The necessity of teaching two tracks to accommodate institutional residency for non-dixie students makes it difficult to achieve minimum enrollment goals for individual track specific courses. The greatest challenge to expanded enrollment in the DSU DH program is the out of state tuition. This makes it very difficult to recruit non-utah residents since other Dental Hygiene BS completion programs charge in state tuition. External Review Summary: Only those standards that warrant comment are included; in all other cases, the visiting committee found that the program met or exceeded the minimum standards. At the time of the site visit, the accreditation status for the dental hygiene education program was approval without reporting requirements.

5 At the time of the Commission s last evaluation of the program in November 2007, one recommendation was cited in the area of Administration, Faculty and Staff. During this evaluation, the visiting committee reviewed this area and found that the program has maintained compliance with the previously cited recommendation. Standard 1. Institutional Commitment and Program Effectiveness Based on a review of the formal and ongoing outcomes assessment process and student achievement measures, the visiting committee found the program has demonstrated positive student achievement outcomes through Dental Hygiene National Board Exam and Western Region Examining Board pass rates. Program administration noted that although the state of Utah does not permit dental hygiene expanded functions, the program teaches this curriculum in order to prepare graduates to take the WREB Restorative examination. Up to this point, the program has not achieved the desired pass rate for this exam. Program administration made a change in course instructors and provided them training via the WREB educator s forum. This change has resulted in improved student satisfaction levels with the related curriculum as well as a greater pass rate. Program assessment results are reviewed on an annual basis during faculty, curriculum review, and advisory board meetings. Standard 2. Educational Program The Dental Hygiene Associate of Applied Science curriculum must include content in the following four areas: general education, biomedical sciences, dental sciences and dental hygiene science. This content must be integrated and of sufficient depth, scope, sequence of instruction, quality and emphasis to ensure achievement of the curriculum's defined competencies. A curriculum document must be submitted for each course included in the dental hygiene program for all four content areas. Foundational knowledge should be established early in the dental hygiene program and of sufficient scope and depth to prepare the student to achieve competence in all components of dental hygiene practice. Content identified in each subject may not necessarily constitute a separate course, but the subject areas are included within the curriculum. Curriculum content and learning experiences should provide the foundation for continued formal education and professional growth with a minimal loss of time and duplication of learning experiences. General education, social science, and biomedical science courses included in the curriculum should be equivalent to those offered in four-year colleges and universities. General education content must include oral and written communications, psychology, and sociology. Through review of the self-study document, documents provided on-site and on-site interviews, the visiting committee identified the program requires applicants to complete a course in either psychology or sociology, but not both. The visiting committee noted some courses in the curriculum contain competencies related to psychology and sociology, however the visiting committee determined the content is not taught to an appropriate level, scope and depth for post- secondary education. Additionally, the visiting committee identified the program requires two courses in written communications, but does not require an oral communications course. The visiting committee noted that several courses in the curriculum incorporate aspects of oral communications instruction. It is suggested the program review the program curriculum as

6 needed to ensure coordination of all content in oral communication and achievement of the curriculum s defined competencies. 1. It is recommended that general education content include psychology, and sociology. (DH Standard 2-8a) Biomedical science content must include content in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, general pathology and/or pathophysiology, nutrition and pharmacology. Through review of the self-study, documents provided on-site, and on-site interviews, the visiting committee determined the program does not require a course in biochemistry although several courses in the curriculum incorporate aspects of biochemistry principles. It is suggested the program ensure that instruction of appropriate scope and depth comparable to college transferable liberal arts course work be incorporated in the curriculum to ensure achievement of the curriculum s defined competencies. Recommendations, Plans and Improvements: The Commission on Dental Accreditation site visit resulted in one recommendation which was to make both sociology and psychology mandatory program prerequisite courses. In the past, students were allowed to choose one or the other. A request for changing the program prerequisite requirement to include both sociology and psychology has been made to the University Curriculum Committee. Options for increasing biochemistry and oral communications content have been discussed. It is proposed that additional teaching modules on biochemistry be added to the oral microbiology course in order to include more instruction in biochemistry. It is proposed that additional teaching modules on oral communications be added to the second semester of the community oral health course in order to include more instruction in oral communications. Both of those course instructors are redesigning course content to include the suggested material. Institution s Response: DSU s administration congratulates the Dental Hygiene department for its efforts in preparing DSU Dental Hygiene students to meet their educational goals, especially in helping students prepare for their National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE). DSU students have consistently scored above the national average, and this past year, DSU students overall NBDHE score ranked in the 95 th percentile (15 out of 300). All program graduates are licensed to practice, and although the job market for dental hygenists is currently tight, all DSU graduates have jobs in their field. The adminstration also thanks the Dental Hygiene faculty for addressing the one recommendation and two suggestions highlighted by their external evaluator, Commission on Dental Accreditation Site Reviewers for the AAS Dental Hygiene Program. According to the external evaluators, it was recommended that general education content include a psychology course and a sociology course, rather than giving students the option to complete one course or the other. The Dental Hygiene department proposed to incorporate both sociology and psychology courses as prerequisite courses as the minimum degree requirements for the AAS degree in Dental Hygiene. The proposed changes were approved by the School of Health Sciences

7 Curriculum Committee and the University Curriculum Committee, and will be reflected in the Fall 2015 catalog. One of the external evaluators suggestions was to increase oral communication content across the curriculum. Although several courses in the curriculum currently incorporate aspects of oral communications instruction, the Dental Hygiene faculty decided to add teaching modules on oral communications to the second semester of the community oral health course in order to include more instruction in oral communications. Course instructors are currently redesigning course content and revising the syllabi accordingly. A second suggestion was to increase biochemistry content across the curriculum. Following an exhaustive review of courses, the faculty decided to add teaching modules on biochemistry to the oral microbiology course in order to include more instruction in biochemistry. Course instructors are currently redesigning course content and revising the syllabi accordingly. In reviewing the five-year plan set forth by the Dental Hygiene faculty, the administration agrees that the primary focus should be to propose a restructure of the AAS curriculum that would enable AAS students to complete the BS degree concurrently. This type of restructuring would enable students to complete their degree in a shorter period of time (5 semesters, after prerequisites) while increasing their qualifications. Given changes in laws and the national trend to increase the minimum qualifications for dental hygenists (in that they may become mid-level providers), a restructure of the DSU Dental Hygiene program will attract students throughtout the state and region, thereby increasing diversity and impact of the program. The administration congratulates the department on its leadership and forward thinking in better servicing DSU students by already teaching expanded functions. One recommendation is to make certain that the faculty is adequately qualified and trained to teach the higher level qualifications. Adminstration advises the faculty to slowly continue to build the program, monitor it closely, and find ways to scale the program. For the short term, given the change in the number of faculty members available to teach in the program and the potential program restructure, it is recommended that student enrollment remain capped at 20 students, and eventually increase to capacity (24 students). Given that resources in higher education are always scare, the administration appreciates the efforts on the part of the Dental Hygiene leadership to form alliances with others in the state (e.g., Utah health coalitions) to encourage donations to the program. The administration advises the Dental Hygiene department to apply other creative ways to find funding to overcome financial challenges (e.g., tuition cost differentials and enrollment for the online degree completion program, support staff salaries and special equipment needs). For example, student fees can be increased to meet the needs for special equipment. The administration suggests that the faculty do a comparative study and see what the tuition and fees are like at other institutions, and consider charging differential tuition. DSU is a low cost institution, which can be an advantage. Tuition can be increased and still be competitively priced. Overall, the adminstration commends DSU s Dental Hygiene Department for its hard work. The administration would like to especially recognize the Dental Hygiene Department for its efforts to serve the community with the mobile clinic. DSU is pleased with the competent leadership and the progress the department is making, and the administration looks forward to the future of the program