The Canadian Performance Exam of Dental Hygiene is a two-part performance-based exam. Parts 1 and 2 are constructed from ten competency-focused clinical scenarios and/or stations. For each station, candidates will encounter a realistic dental hygiene situation in which they are required to perform one or several tasks. The ten stations feature different client types that present the most important and/or frequent client care situations as judged by a panel of Canadian dental hygiene experts.
Part 1
Part 1 is delivered on day 1 and consists of seven simulation-based stations that mimic clinical situations using standardized client and/or manikins. Minimal clinical interventions are performed on the standardized clients, or on manikins or other simulated dental equipment. Each station will involve a new client interaction and/or problem requiring the candidate to demonstrate a new set of competencies. Each station includes a standardized client or a manikin, and a standardized set of equipment or materials as warranted by the case. Successful completion of Part 1 requires a minimum level of performance.
Part 2
Part 2 is delivered on day 2 and consists of three stations, each of which requires the candidate to perform some dental hygiene intervention on a live client with a specific and known therapeutic requirement. In order to protect the safety of the clients, Part 1 always precedes Part 2, and each candidate must demonstrate a minimum level of competence in Part 1 to be permitted to participate in Part 2. The client clinical stations are similar to the simulation-based stations except they take place with actual clients and include specific intra-oral assessment and clinical therapy. Overall competence and successful completion of this performance-based assessment requires a sufficient level of performance on both parts combined.