Dental Hygienist Quality Assurance Program

The QAP Assessment Tool provides feedback on what is measured as the lowest scoring content subcategories; these are automatically identified and included in the required learning plan (RLP) section of the Online Learning Plan (OLP). Registrants are required to consider and use this feedback to create learning plans to improve knowledge in each subcategory identified. Goals and action plans for RLP(s) are mandatory and may be audited by BCCOHP.

Self-directed learning plans (SDLP) are determined and completed by registrants at their discretion. Goals and action plans for SDLP(s) are entirely for the personal and professional benefit of registrants’ ongoing professional development. It should be noted that the College encourages registrants to develop goals and action plans for SDLP(s) as part of their ongoing commitment to life- long learning and quality assurance.

Credits can be claimed for a wide range of learning activities, provided that the learning activity in question applies to the individual hygienist’s practice setting and their professional learning (as opposed to leisure activities such as yoga or meditation, which are not acceptable for credit). Credits may be applied to a required learning plan or a self-directed learning plan, or towards the general minimum requirement of 75 credits per QAP cycle.

An overview of the QAP Learning Activities / Credit Framework can be accessed on the website. It is important to note that some activities have credit limitations and/or additional requirements. For example, reading a journal article or a chapter in a dental hygiene textbook has a maximum allowance of 30 credits per cycle, as well as the additional requirement to complete a reflection. If there are additional requirements for the learning activity a registrant has completed, they will be prompted to fill out the necessary information when entering the activity in their OLP. Comprehensive information on the types of activities that can be claimed for credit can be found in Part 5 of the QAP Information Guide.

Each question on the QAP Assessment Tool corresponds to a dental hygiene content subcategory. Each registrant’s lowest scoring area(s) will be added to the required learning section of their OLP. Registrants who score low in many areas will need to develop more required learning plans.

Required learning plans are auto populated within a registrant’s OLP by content sub-category, and registrants will need to create a goal and action plan, link learning activities and reflect on their overall completion of each required learning plan.

There is no specific requirement placed on the amount of credits that should be applied towards each learning plan. However, the College suggests a default minimum of two learning activities per required learning plan. Each registrant is responsible for determining how many or few activities and credits are appropriate for their learning needs in order to fulfill the goals identified in their learning plan(s).

For example, a registrant may have initially decided to attend a 2.5-hour course as a learning activity within a required learning plan. However, upon reflection, the registrant then determines that the course did not sufficiently address their identified learning plan as expected. As such, they decide to pursue additional learning activities to satisfy the learning plan – specifically, they also attend a 2- hour webinar and read a newly published peer reviewed dental hygiene journal article on the same topic.

The following example demonstrates how the registrant then chose to apply the credits obtained toward the one required learning plan. Please keep in mind that this is only one example of how activity credits may be applied within the OLP:

• Within the Required Learning Plan:
  • After reading the journal article the registrant applied 1 credit toward this learning
  • Upon completion of the webinar the registrant applied 2 credits toward this learning
    • The registrant determined that these two activities addressed their required learning plan, so they linked them to the plan and marked the plan as complete
  • The registrant then chose not to link the in-person course to this specific required learning plan and the 2.5 credits were considered self-directed learning.
  • From these three activities, a total of 5 credits were counted towards the minimum of 75 credits for this registrant’s cycle – 3 credits towards the fulfillment of the required learning plan and 2.5 credits as self-directed learning.

It is important to note that several of the QAP Learning Activities have a maximum credit limit and therefore it would not be appropriate to claim for more credits than is permitted per QAP cycle.

A proportion of registrants whose QAP cycles are ending are selected each year for a QAP audit and documentation review. These audits review the goals and action plans that were identified to address the registrant’s Required Learning Plan(s), as well as the credit activities logged in the OLP. Registrants are asked to provide the College with supporting documentation for all learning activities reported in the current cycle. The information submitted may include registration receipts, course materials, and handwritten or typed course notes. Registrants are encouraged to upload supporting documentation to the OLP when adding learning activities to ensure the information does not get misplaced and is easily accessible in the event of an audit. The outcome of the audit is reported back to the registrant and the reported learning activity credits that meet the guidelines are confirmed.

Registrants can claim up to a maximum of 10 credits per day.