@article {Fleckner26, author = {Lucinda M. Fleckner and Dorothy J. Rowe}, title = {Assuring Dental Hygiene Clinical Competence for Licensure: A National Survey of Dental Hygiene Program Directors}, volume = {89}, number = {1}, pages = {26--33}, year = {2015}, publisher = {American Dental Hygienists{\textquoteright} Association}, abstract = {Purpose: To conduct a national survey of dental hygiene program directors to gain their opinions of alternative assessments of clinical competency, as qualifications for initial dental hygiene licensure. Methods: A 22 question survey, comprised of statements eliciting Likert-scale responses, was developed and distributed electronically to 341 U.S. dental hygiene program directors. Responses were tabulated and analyzed using University of California, San Francisco Qualtrics{\textregistered} computer software. Data were summarized as frequencies of responses to each item on the survey. Results: The response rate was 42\% (n=143). The majority of respondents (65\%) agreed that graduating from a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)-approved dental hygiene program and passing the national board examination was the best measure to assure competence for initial licensure. The addition of {\textquotedblleft}successfully completing all program{\textquoteright}s competency evaluations{\textquotedblright} to the above core qualifications yielded a similar percentage of agreement. Most (73\%) agreed that {\textquotedblleft}the variability of live patients as test subjects is a barrier to standardizing the state and regional examinations,{\textquotedblright} while only 29\% agreed that the {\textquotedblleft}use of live patients as test subjects is essential to assure competence for initial licensure.{\textquotedblright} The statement that the one-time state and regional examinations have {\textquotedblleft}low validity in reflecting the complex responsibilities of the dental hygienist in practice{\textquotedblright} had a high (77\%) level of agreement. Conclusion: Most dental hygiene program directors agree that graduating from a CODA-approved dental hygiene program and passing the national board examination would ensure that a graduate has achieved clinical competence and readiness to provide comprehensive patient-centered care as a licensed dental hygienist.}, issn = {1553-0205}, URL = {https://jdh.adha.org/content/89/1/26}, eprint = {https://jdh.adha.org/content/89/1/26.full.pdf}, journal = {American Dental Hygienists{\textquoteright} Association} }