The Dental Hygiene faculty generated the following list in response to the question, “What characterizes academic and professional communication in this discipline?"

Effective writing in dental hygiene is organized and follows a clear process of recording data, analysis, and reaching conclusions. It should provide evidence of a logical sequence of ideas, follow a step-by-step process in casework, and draw conclusions based on the best available data. In clinical contexts, this implies the creation of detailed SOAP notes (subjective observational data and narrative, objective laboratory, measurement, and research data, assessment based on those data leading to a diagnosis, and a plan to treat underlying conditions, mitigate symptoms, and to refer to dental specialists as is appropriate). Such SOAP notes require depth and specificity and should accurately describe the hygienist's interaction with the patient. In research contexts, the writing should follow standards of effective and thorough research and information seeking, synthesize and draw conclusions from the best available evidence, and be documented precisely using the National Library of Medicine (NLM) documentation. In each case, writers should tell a story with data and provide evidence of critical thinking.

Writing in dental hygiene is audience sensitive and requires attention to tone and detail. Writing to other healthcare professionals should be accurate, detailed, concise, and able to stand up to legal scrutiny. Writing intended for patients should be complete, medically accurate, and accessible to a lay audience. Writing in dental hygiene often requires working with medical informatics tools and technologies, and students should use these technologies effectively and thoroughly. Writing in all cases should be substantially free of grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors.

Finally, reflective writing is an important component of dental hygiene pedagogy. Students should accurately describe their experiences, consider them in light of best practices, and use reflection to propel ongoing professional development and improvement.

The Dental Hygiene faculty generated the following list in response to the question, “With which writing abilities should students in this unit’s major(s) graduate?”

Record and interpret systemic and oral health data and psycho/social factors to identify a patient's oral health status.

Demonstrated by:

• The text includes medical/dental history, social determinants of health, and/or barriers.

Establish an evidence-base for clinical care writing or written research papers.

Demonstrated by:

• The text includes subjective, objective, assessment, and plan details.
• The text identifies problem/population, intervention, comparison, and outcome (PICO).
• The text uses description of observations and/or summary of research to guide conclusions and interventions.

Adapt relevant and effective strategies to gain information and resources.

Demonstrated by:

• The text includes appropriate National Library of Medicine (NLM) format.
• Process Criterion: Use of professional and technical resources, PubMed/other search tools, and citation manager.

Accurately document findings, data, and observations.

Demonstrated by:

• SOAP notes are thorough, relevant, and reflect actual/significant findings and care provided.
• In Axium or other electronic records, findings, data, and observations are recorded in appropriate tabs and fields.
• The text includes figures and tables selected and designed to illustrate data and support conclusions.
• The text incorporates a documentation format appropriate to audience and purpose.

Appraise literature and/or clinical information for purposes of summary and analysis.

Demonstrated by:

• The text includes research that is the most current and relevant to the problem or question.
• The text summarizes relevant points, details, and reaches appropriate conclusions.

Distinguish between strong and weak sources.

Demonstrated by:

• The text is supported by using the levels of evidence pyramid and includes the most relevant available resources.
• Process Criterion: Applies evidence-based research pyramid criteria to evaluate article quality.
• Process Criterion: Applies appraisal tools to analyze and criticize published research.

Apply and create a conventional order of concepts and information.

Demonstrated by:

• The text is organized in a manner that is consistent with professional standards.
• The text follows a logical order to draw conclusions and/or to persuade the audience.
• The text includes transitional sentences, subheadings, and other features to increase comprehension as needed.

Connect/synthesize information to draw sound, evidence-based conclusions.

Demonstrated by:

• The text includes synthesis, summary, and contrast statements.
• The text synthesizes selected literature to draw sound conclusions.
• The text identifies gaps in published research.
• The text demonstrates critical thinking through sufficient depth of the topic.
• Process Criterion: Involve patient in treatment plan based in Evidence Based Dentistry (patient preferences, evidence, and provider scope of practice).

Write efficiently using language reflecting the audience and purpose of communication.

Demonstrated by:

• The text is concise.
• The text includes conventional grammar and usage.
• The text includes professional terminology.
• The text is in third person (professional papers).
• The text is in first person (reflection papers, clinical notes).
• The text employs accepted dental terminology, abbreviations, and acronyms.
• The text avoids jargon and slang.
• The text lists full term initially, then followed by acronym.
• The text includes terminology sensitive to audience and purpose.

Engage in self-assessment, reflect on outcomes, and apply those reflections to professional development and future practice.

Demonstrated by:

• The text describes events using specific examples and situational features to support statements and draw conclusions.
• In clinical self-assessments, accounts for tasks and roles, what one has learned, how one’s thinking has changed over time, and where skills can be improved.
• The text is accurate, balanced, and realistic in its assessment; avoids platitudes, overbroad generalizations, or blanket statements.

The Division of Dental Hygiene participated in the WEC legacy program in the 2024-2025 academic year to review their curricular goals and to assist in integrating many new faculty members into the program. Thirteen of the 15 faculty in the program have been hired since the initial writing plan was ratified in 2017. For this plan, the members of the faculty have identified five key areas for implementation.

1. Implement review and audit activities for clinical contexts and SOAP notes.
2. Modify the program capstone to encourage more consistent synthesis and application of research on comorbidities and complicating conditions to particular clinical cases.
3. Promote critical reading as a core component of effective, current, and ongoing dental hygiene education in research and trade publications.
4. Renew attention to the DH rubrics, re-engage a conversation about writing expectations with our new colleagues, revise rubrics based on personnel and curricular changes, and calibrate our assessments with student documents.
5. Learn more about generative AI and its impacts on instruction and professional practice through a dedicated program and a faculty book study to incorporate AI tools better to augment student performance rather than offload cognitive complexity.