Dental Assisting Draft 1

HLTOHC007 Recognise and respond to oral health issues Draft 1

Please scroll down to review the various sections of this document. You can leave a comment by clicking on .
You can choose to be notified when someone else comments by clicking on
You can unsubscribe from notifications by clicking on

Unit application and prerequisites

UNIT CODE

HLTOHC007

UNIT TITLE

Recognise and respond to oral health issues

APPLICATION

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to identify variations and recognise oral health issues through a visual check, observation of patient behaviour and habits, signs and symptoms and physical condition of patients. This enables the candidate to respond appropriately to the clinical findings to initiate follow up oral health care.

 

This unit applies to workers in a range of health and community services environments where their work role requires them to recognise and respond to oral health issues.

 

No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

PREREQUISITE UNIT

Nil

COMPETENCY FIELD

Dental

UNIT SECTOR

Oral Health

0 Comments

This section doesn't have any comments.

Elements and performance criteria

ELEMENTS

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements describe the essential outcomes

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

  1. Identify variations in patient behaviour and habits.
    1. Identify opportunities to observe patient behaviour, physical functions, capabilities and habits that may indicate oral health issues or associated pain or discomfort.
    2. Observe, listen for self-reports and question patient and family/or carer to determine whether the patient is experiencing pain or discomfort that may be associated with oral health issues.
    3. Access relevant information on contributing factors that may produce variation from normal behaviour.
  1. Undertake basic visual oral check and questioning.
    1. Obtain consent from the patient to conduct basic visual oral check and questioning from patient and/or family/carer.
    2. Ensure comfort of patient by developing trust and rapport, adapting environment and optimal time based on patient needs.
    3. Provide support for patient’s head or chin if necessary, to enhance visual access without creating discomfort for the patient.
    4. Seek assistance from patient to open their own mouth to limit hand contact inside the mouth.
    5. Prepare and perform basic visual oral checks in line with own work role and use of standard precautions.
    6. Identify signs and symptoms of oral health issues that may indicate variation from normal and actively listen to and be aware of self-reports.
  1. Follow up and promote ongoing oral health care.
    1. Complete documentation and reporting processes, using information from patient, and/or family/carer or other relevant people as well as own observations in relation to oral health issues.
    2. Discuss oral health issues with patient and/or carer in line with organisation policies and procedures and respecting patient priorities and choices.
    3. Take appropriate action within work role, including liaising with supervisor in consultation with patient to ensure appropriate referral occurs.
    4. Use appropriate communication strategies to provide information relevant to promoting and maintaining good oral health.
    5. Provide instruction to support patients to take a self-care approach to oral health in line with individual needs where possible.
    6. Identify and address key barriers to management or self-management of oral health.
    7. Review and monitor oral health issues.

0 Comments

This section doesn't have any comments.

Foundation skills

FOUNDATION SKILLS

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the Performance Criteria of this unit of competency.

UNIT MAPPING INFORMATION

No equivalent unit.

LINKS

Companion Volume Implementation Guide

0 Comments

This section doesn't have any comments.

Performance evidence

TITLE

Assessment Requirements for HLTOHC007 Recognise and respond to oral health issues

PERFORMANCE EVIDENCE

Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:

  • performed a visual oral health check on 5 patients, including:
    • identified any signs and symptoms related to oral health care issues
    • gathered relevant information from visual check and questioning to initiate appropriate follow up oral health care
    • used appropriate manual handling techniques when working with patients with special care needs or mental health condition.

0 Comments

This section doesn't have any comments.

Knowledge evidence

KNOWLEDGE EVIDENCE

Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:

  • basic anatomy and physiology underpinning oral health, including what is considered healthy and unhealthy
  • patient behaviour and habits which contribute to oral health issues
  • causes and prevention of tooth decay, gum disease and tooth wear, including erosion, abrasion and attrition.
  • effective self-care practices for oral health including cause, control and prevention of dental plaque
  • state/territory and national government policy and programs and reporting processes for oral health
  • accessibility to services, including availability of private and public oral health services, including eligibility for services
  • role of oral health professionals
  • factors that impact on oral health, including:
    • abuse (neglect of oral health needs)
    • access to dental and health services
    • alcohol, licit and illicit drugs and substances, over the counter and herbal treatments
    • correct infant feeding practices
    • damage from habitual grinding of teeth
    • diet and nutrition, including fluids and excessive intake of sugar
    • fluoride
    • general health and wellbeing
    • immunosuppressant conditions, HIV, chemotherapy and radiation
    • injury to mouth, such as from a seizure
    • medical history
    • oral piercings
    • patient oral health information
    • presence of plaque and calculus
    • psychological issues, such as fear of being seen without dentures or persisting with ill-fitting dentures for satisfaction of others
    • salivary function
    • smoking
    • social and cultural determinants of health
    • susceptible tooth surfaces
    • transmission of bacteria particularly from family/carer to child
    • teeth misalignment causing trauma to teeth
    • trauma to mouth as a result of an accident
  • healthy eating recommendations as identified in the National health and medical research council’s (NHMRC) Australian dietary guidelines.

0 Comments

This section doesn't have any comments.

Assessment conditions

ASSESSMENT CONDITIONS

Skills must be demonstrated in the workplace with the addition of simulations and scenarios where the full range of contexts and situations cannot be provided in the workplace or may occur only rarely.

 

The following aspect of the performance evidence must have been demonstrated using 10 simulation scenarios prior to demonstration in the workplace or with members of the general public:

  • performing a visual oral health check.

 

Assessment must ensure access to:

  • use of suitable equipment and resources, including:
    • appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
    • Dental board of Australia (DBA) and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) guidelines on which the candidate bases the planning process
  • modelling of industry operating conditions, including access to people for the simulated scenarios.

 

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations’ requirements for assessors.

LINKS

Companion Volume Implementation Guide

0 Comments

This section doesn't have any comments.