South Dakota Project Firstline (SD PFL) infection prevention training has been approved by the South Dakota Board of Dentistry for continuing education credit (CEC) for dental hygienist licensing. Using the free online trainings, dental hygienists can stay up to date on infection control practices and reduce the risk of infection for themselves and their patients.
Valerie Wagner, MSN, RN-PHN, program manager for the South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care (SDFMC), said, “The ability to offer infection control education and free continuing education credits to healthcare professionals is vital for promoting best practices in the clinical setting. Expanding this training to dental hygienists creates a positive health impact for South Dakota residents and communities.”
SDFMC values developing professionals and has provided infection prevention training to a growing number of health care professionals serving in settings such as emergency medical services and ambulance, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, and dialysis centers. Securing continuing education can be challenging, and licensed dental hygienists must complete 75 hours within five years.
Wagner sees the potential for helping other health care professionals meet continuing education requirements and reduce the risk of infection. “Our SD PFL infection control online training modules offer continuing education credits to emergency medical services (EMS) professionals and dental hygienists.”
Anyone interested can find the online infection prevention training modules and other learning resources on the SD PFL website.
“We are excited to expand our reach to dental professionals through these continuing education opportunities,” added Rebecca Sime, RN, program manager and SD PFL project lead at SDFMC. “We can aid these professionals in learning the basic ideas behind infection control, how they work to prevent the spread of infection, and how using infection control actions protects them, their patients, their coworkers, and their communities. Infection prevention and control is everybody’s responsibility.”