Assessment and diagnosis are at the heart of patient-centered dental hygiene care. In this episode of A Tale of Two Hygienists, Jessica and Dave are joined by JoAnn Gurenlian, Ann Eshenaur Spolarich, and Darlene Swigart to explore how dental hygienists can move beyond simply collecting patient data to interpreting findings, developing accurate dental hygiene diagnoses, and making informed clinical decisions.
The conversation examines the critical-thinking skills needed to connect assessment findings to treatment planning, documentation, and improved patient outcomes while also considering the future of dental hygiene diagnosis and professional autonomy.
What We Talked About
The distinction between assessment and diagnosis
Why diagnosis is an essential component of the dental hygiene process of care
Common challenges clinicians face when interpreting assessment findings
The role of critical thinking in moving from collected data to clinical decisions
How assessment and diagnosis influence treatment planning and patient outcomes
Documentation considerations related to assessment and diagnosis
Strategies for teaching diagnostic reasoning to students
The future of dental hygiene diagnosis and professional autonomy
Call to Action
The next time you complete a patient assessment, pause before moving directly to treatment. Ask yourself what the findings mean, how they connect, and what they tell you about your patient's individual needs. Use that clinical reasoning to strengthen your dental hygiene diagnosis, treatment planning, documentation, and patient care.
Resources and Links
Darlene Swigart on LinkedIn
Ann Eshenaur Spolarich on LinkedIn
JoAnn Gurenlian on LinkedIn
Swigart, DJ, Gurenlian, J. Bringing Social Determinants of Health into the Dental Hygiene Diagnosis. Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. 2026;24(1):32-35.
Swigart, DJ, Gurenlian, J, McCracken, A. Integrating Social Determinants of Health Screening in Student Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice. J Dent Hyg. 2025;9(6):52-63.
Swigart, DJ, Gurenlian, JR, Rogo, EJ. Dental Hygiene Diagnosis: A Qualitative Descriptive Study of Dental Hygienists. Can J Dent Hyg. 2020;54(3):113-123.
Gurenlian, JR, Swigart, DJ. Dental Hygiene Diagnosis: The Link Between Assessment and Care. Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. 2018;16(12):36-39.
Gurenlian, JR, Sanderson, TR, Garland, K, Swigart, DJ. Exploring the Integration of the Dental Hygiene Diagnosis in Entry-Level Dental Hygiene Curricula. J Dent Hyg. 2018;92(4):18-26.
Contact the Hosts
Jessica Atkinson: jatkinson@endeavorb2b.com
Dave Torres: dtorres@endeavorb2b.com
