This course emphasizes the dental hygienist’s role as a clinician-educator who designs, delivers, and evaluates oral health education for individuals and communities. Using health promotion and behavior change theory, students develop culturally responsive communication skills (including motivational interviewing and health literacy strategies) to tailor education across the lifespan and for patients with medically complex conditions and developmental disabilities. Course content includes patient education for oral cancer prevention (including HPV-related risk), dental trauma prevention/first-aid messaging, and host defense concepts for risk counseling, as well as evidence-based selection of oral health products, athletic mouthguards, and emerging technologies. Students apply these competencies through community lesson plan development, tobacco cessation counseling practice, and creation of an adaptive oral health education aid.
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