Patient evaluation measures are a major part of the hygiene appointment.

Evaluation
begins when the hygienist meets the patient in the waiting room and doesnt end until the patient
leaves the operatory. It is important to perform preventive services, but it is equally important to
perform patient evaluation measures such as medical and health history updates and extra-oral
and intraoral exams to prevent any potential systemic disease as well. As hygienists, it is
imperative that we look at the patient at a whole, not just as a mouth to clean. Each patient has
different needs that require different services and it is our job to note this and provide treatment
accordingly. It is important to be competent in these evaluation measures because they alert the
hygienist to any potential problems or disease that may be occurring.
The treatment plan I included was on a patient where I evaluated intraoral and extra-oral
exams and well as his social history and his nutritional status. I included a clinic proficiency
showing my competency in performing an intraoral and extra-oral exam on a patient at 93%.
During this proficiency I learned how to correctly use my fingers to inspect the
temporomandibular joint as well as learned what geographic tongue looked like. The journal
article review I included was about how to expand risk assessment protocol when screening for
oral cancer. This article discusses the importance of including an alcohol screening along with
medical and health history questionnaires because alcohol is a large risk factor in developing oral
cancer. I included a clinic daily grade sheet at 96% for a patient because I completed blood
pressure, extra-oral and intraoral exam and medical and health history proficiencies.
Patient evaluation measures are essential to a successful dental hygiene appointment.
These tools help the dental hygienist determine if treatment can be completed, if there are any
ways treatment needs to be altered for the patient and to decided what treatments should be
completed.