What Competencies Does the NDHCE Evaluate?

The examination is developed to measure an explicitly defined content area, which consists of the competencies in dental hygiene practice (Dental Hygiene Process (DHP)): Assessment & Diagnosis, DHP: Planning, DHP: Implementation, and DHP: Evaluation). These competencies, and the guidelines and specifications that outline the way they should be measured on the examination, are presented in the NDHCE Blueprint.

The examination passes through several steps to ensure it reflects current dental hygiene practice, and is professionally and psychometrically sound. Dental hygienists working in the different dental hygiene environments provide the content expertise. Professional consultants facilitate the development process and provide measurement expertise.

NDHCE Blueprint

The FDHRC publishes a Blueprint for all the NDHCE. The Blueprint lists all of the competencies (knowledge, abilities, skills, attitudes, and judgment) that are tested on the examination. Although the Blueprint was not developed specifically for study purposes, it does provide valuable information about the examination content, the examination format, types of questions, and those competencies which are tested most frequently.

Approximately every 5 years, a competency review is conducted to develop/update the Examination Blueprint. The competencies identified in the Blueprint are the fundamental components of a criterion-referenced approach to testing; the comprehensive description of the content domain being measured, in this case, competent entry-level practicing dental hygienists. The competencies form the basis of the examination.

The competencies in the Blueprint are developed by dental hygiene SMEs who have current knowledge of curricula in Canadian dental hygiene education, various clinical settings, community health, and administrative settings from all regions across Canada, using National practice standards, and categorized according to the Dental Hygiene Model of Care. These SMEs also determine the relative importance and the frequency attached to each competency, based on their own experience, the results of a survey administered to dental hygienists across Canada, and the input of Canadian regulating agencies, as well as other interested parties, in the process.

The Examination Blueprint is updated approximately every 5 years.