DRC Professional Standards & Competencies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which organization sets the accreditation standards for dental hygiene education programs in the United States?
- American Dental Association (ADA)
- Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) (Correct answer)
- American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA)
- National Board of Dental Hygiene (NBDH)
Correct answer: Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)
CODA is the nationally recognized accrediting agency for dental and dental-related education programs, including dental hygiene.
Question 2: A dental hygienist receives a radiographic referral from a dentist for a new patient. What is the hygienist's primary ethical obligation before exposing films?
- Complete the full series regardless of prior records
- Obtain informed consent from the patient (Correct answer)
- Consult the insurance plan for coverage limits
- Determine the patient's ability to pay
Correct answer: Obtain informed consent from the patient
Informed consent requires the clinician to explain the procedure, risks, benefits, and alternatives before performing any radiographic exposure.
Question 3: Under standard infection control protocols for dental radiography, which item must be discarded after each patient use?
- Lead apron
- Position-indicating device (PID)
- Film-holding instrument handle (reusable)
- Plastic barrier-covered XCP ring (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Plastic barrier-covered XCP ring
Plastic barriers used on reusable instruments are single-use and must be discarded after each patient to prevent cross-contamination.
Question 4: Which federal law requires dental facilities using radiation-producing equipment to comply with state radiation control regulations?
- HIPAA
- OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
- The Atomic Energy Act
- State Radiation Control Acts (enforced federally via EPA/NRC frameworks) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: State Radiation Control Acts (enforced federally via EPA/NRC frameworks)
Radiation control for dental X-ray equipment is primarily regulated at the state level under frameworks informed by EPA and NRC guidance, not a single federal dental-specific law.
Question 5: A dental hygienist notices the dentist's prescription for a full-mouth series on a 6-year-old patient with no clinical findings. What is the most appropriate action?
- Expose the films without question
- Refuse to take any radiographs
- Consult with the dentist regarding the appropriateness using ALARA principles (Correct answer)
- Ask the parent to decide independently
Correct answer: Consult with the dentist regarding the appropriateness using ALARA principles
The dental hygienist should advocate for the patient using ALARA principles and consult with the dentist before exposing a pediatric patient to unnecessary radiation.
Question 6: Which principle of professional ethics refers to the duty to do good and act in the patient's best interest?
- Autonomy
- Non-maleficence
- Beneficence (Correct answer)
- Justice
Correct answer: Beneficence
Beneficence is the ethical principle obligating clinicians to act for the benefit and well-being of the patient.
Question 7: State dental practice acts define the scope of practice for dental hygienists. Regarding radiographic duty, which statement is most accurate?
- All states allow dental hygienists to prescribe radiographs independently
- Scope of radiographic practice for hygienists varies by state law (Correct answer)
- Federal law supersedes all state dental practice acts on radiography
- Dental hygienists are never permitted to expose radiographs without a dentist present in the operatory
Correct answer: Scope of radiographic practice for hygienists varies by state law
The authority to expose, prescribe, and interpret radiographs for dental hygienists is defined differently in each state's dental practice act.
DRC Professional Standards & Competencies 2
Which organization sets the accreditation standards for dental hygiene education programs in the United States?