capstone project ideas for dental hygiene

Division of HHS: Dental Health Programs: Hygiene Capstone Project

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Hygiene Capstone Project

This capstone project is designed to provide the student with an opportunity to apply their knowledge of concepts and skills through an individually designed project.  Students will execute the project through the development and implementation of a patient treatment plan that culminates in a final paper and presentation on the specific "Periodontal Type II" or greater case identified. 

Keys to Finding Research

Some Basics of Searching for Research:

1.) In any search bar start with the whole of your research topic. For example: If the topic of the paper is "Periodontal Attachment Loss in Diabetic Patients" and you only search "Attachment Loss," you will get articles and information that do not apply to the topic.  Start with the whole topic and see what comes up.  

2.) Refining the results:

        2a.) TOO MUCH - If you are getting too many articles, try putting quotes around key search terms "Attachment Loss" "Diabetic Patients."  This will limit the search to articles where those terms appear beside each other in context.

        2b.) NOT ENOUGH- Break down the topic into variations . "Diabetes and Dental Care," "Attachment Loss in Dental Care," "Periodontal Care and Diabetes"  

3.) Don't stop at the required number of sources!   Although the requirement says you need three additional resources, always find a few more than required.  Just because you have them, doesn't mean you have to use them.  It is better to have choices when writing a paper than trying to force a paper from limited options.

4.) READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE (Or at the very least 1st Paragraph, a Middle Paragraph, and the Last paragraph)!!!  Your search engine may pull up an article that has your search terms in the article, but that does not always mean the article actually speaks to your topic.  Be sure that the entirety of the source supports your topic, not just a single sentence.

Link to APA Libguide

• How To: APA Formatting Guide Link To connect to the full libgide on APA formatting click here. Offers additional videos, instruction, links, and source citation breakdowns.

Your Assignment

• Case Study and Assignment Details
• Project Rubric 2022-2-16

Guide Video

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• What is plagiarism and how to avoid it 2 Minute video explaining plagairism
• Schmooc on Plagiarism This 4 minute video is funny but explains the ins and outs of plagiarism very well.
• Tips to avoid Accidental Plagiarism Best methods to make sure you do not accidentally plagiarize.

Recommended Research Sites

• FHTC Online Library Quick Link Available 24/7

Even if you are researching from home there are resources that can be accessed from the Online Library Catalog.  There are several eBooks and eVideos on the topic options for your research paper.  Click the link below, use the login information listed, search for your topic area.  Pay attention to "format" information if you want only online material.

• Kansas State Library Quick Link Click on "Online Resources" Scroll down to the "Health" collection to find recommended databases. To Expand click "View All" at the bottom of the list

-For general knowledge of conditions or disorders the "Gale Health Reference Collection" is recommended for starting your research. 

-For research studies, journal articles, and similar academic based materials on your topics go to "Health Source Academic & Nursing;"  " ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health;" or "Medline" 

-For some topics these databases will be of value: "Alternative HealthWatch;"  "Consumer Health Complete;" "Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection"

-Remember to only use FULL-TEXT articles.  Never use "Abstracts" as primary research.   

The following databases also provide various articles that may be helpful in your research process.  Remember to consider only FULL-TEXT articles available, the date the article was published , and whether it is research- opinion- or promotion based information before using. Not all articles will be available for free through these databases.  In many cases, just like with Google Searches, you will be able to access the abstract but not a full-text article.  However, if you get the name of an article you are interested in- you might search it in the databases listed above- it might be available.

• Cochrane Library The key to this site is accessing the "free" articles provided. For those articles that are free- some are full-text, but not all. Be sure to check carefully that the articles meet criteria for academic research use.
• Dentistry Today This publication offers searchable article archives and the majority meet the requirements for use in academic research writing. However, there are a few "ad" based articles to watch for.
• PennWell RDH Magazine Again, this site offers a searchable archive of articles from the publication. Most will be usable, but there are "ad" based and "opinion" based articles included.

Q: What does "Scholarly Article" or "Peer-Reviewed Article" Mean?

Coulter, P. (2016). Richard G. Trefry library: American public University System. Libanswers. http://apus.libanswers.com/faq/44354

"Scholarly" and "peer reviewed" are often used synonymously, but they are not necessarily the same thing.   Peer reviewed articles are always scholarly, but not all scholarly sources are peer reviewed.   It may seem confusing, but it makes more sense if you  think of "scholarly" as an umbrella term for several different kinds of authoritative, credible sources .  These include :

• Peer reviewed journals .  These journals primarily exist to publish the  research  findings of experts in a field. The articles that you see in these journals have been closely scrutinized by a panel of reviewers (also experts in the same field) before they are published.    
• Trade or professional journals or magazines .  The articles in these periodicals are also written by and for experts, but there is no peer review.  The articles aren't limited to research...they may be news, best practice tips or opinion pieces. 
• Government Publications  Many government agencies publish books, reports, data or statistics.  Government researchers, like those who publish in peer reviewed or trade journals, are often experts in their field.
• Books.    Many researchers publish books or book chapters.  

How can you tell if an article is scholarly?   You will have to do some detective-work, but there are some telltale signs:

• Author(s) : Ideally, you should rely on information that has been published by an expert,  someone who has studied the topic long and hard.    Most scholarly publications will list an author's credentials (their degrees -- M.S., Ph.D., Ed.D., etc. -  and the institution that they work for) along with his or her name.
• Content:   Look for articles that cover a topic in detail (more than just a few pages long, typically).   It will probably include some kind of literature review, and discuss the work of other authors, in addition to any original research findings.  Make sure it  cites its sources   (a scholarly article will  always  have a "references," "bibliography" or "works cited" list). 
• Audience:   Scholarly articles are written for professionals in the field.  You will probably notice a lot of technical language and/or discipline-specific jargon.  The tone will be formal.
• Publisher.   Visit the journal's website to see what organization publishes it.  Professional associations, universities and government agencies are particularly good signs.  As you become more experienced, you'll also start to recognize major publishing companies in your field of study (Wiley, Elsevier, Sage, etc.).
• Purpose and scope.   When you're on the journal's website, look for an "about" link to learn who the intended audience is and what kind of articles are accepted.
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• Last Updated: Mar 28, 2024 12:52 PM
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Faculty pleased with dental hygiene research projects from Class of 2022

Enamel crystallization. Tongue cleaning. Home bleaching. Assessing eating disorders.

Those were just a some of the topics Class of 2022 dental hygiene students at West Virginia University School of Dentistry chose to study as part of their capstone research projects.

Working in pairs or small groups, students have spent two years collecting and evaluating data on research required to help fulfill the requirements of the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene .

“They had many obstacles trying to complete the work during a time of change, but each group took charge of their project and produced high quality results. Each of them is an undergraduate who has produced top notch research from the start through the final presentation,” Dr. Alcinda Shockey , dental hygiene professor, said.

Seniors Catlyn Sparks and Kandice Pruitt took first place in the competition by just a tenth of a percent.

Their project, “The Link Between Different Dental Products and Enamel Crystallization”, set out to determine which product provided the most fluoride crystallization of enamel rods, determine if hydroxyapatite alters crystallization of enamel rods and indicate which fluoride product works the fastest by applying as the manufacture suggested.

“We were able to obtain teeth and put them through a demineralization period and remineralization period with the use of dental-grade effective fluoride products. Throughout this experience, we not only got to learn more about different dental products and their effectiveness in surface enamel remineralization but also about Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis,” Sparks and Pruitt wrote as a review of their research.

Catlyn Sparks and Kandice Pruitt “The Link Between Different Dental Products and Enamel Crystallization Mady Hinkle, Emma Rice and Caylie Simmons “The Ergonomics of Dental Hygiene in Rural West Virginia” Jordan Clark, Reese Prezioso and Macie Zumack “Students on WVU Health Science Campus Knowledge on Tongue Cleaning” Baylee Fitzwater and Kaci Zopp “Professional Grade Carbamide Peroxide for at Home Bleach Trays –vs- at Home Bleaching Remedies" Kelsie Bishop and Madelyn White “ The Effects of Different Operator Chairs on Dental Professional Back Pain and Ergonomics” Tatiyana Caesar and Abigail Charles “Efficacy of Plastic Protective Barriers –vs- Disinfectant Wipes” Natalie Clingan and Makennah Rursch “Use of Plastic in the WVU School of Dentistry” Lauren Bane, Hannah Grimm, Lauren Sobek and Kaylee Wellborn “ A Study to Determine Dental Hygienists’ Comfortability to Assess Eating Disorders in West Virginia” 

“As you can see, the competition was very tight and very competitive. The point range was less than 3.5 with less than a 10% spread, and all projects were 84.92% or above in proficiency in their performance of their research. This class performed outstandingly,” Shockey said.

The top finishers Catlyn Sparks and Kandice Pruitt   shared the message of thanks and encouragement below:

We have so many individuals we would like to thank for the success of this project including, Dr. Marcela Redigolo form the Engineering Department for running our SEM analysis and taking the time to interpret that data with us. This project’s data truly relied on her data interpenetration. We would also like to thank Mr. Jason Format for the construction of our resin blocks which held our 10X10 enamel squares. We would also like to thank Mr. Tony Fang for our statistical data along with Sigma Phi Alpha and Dr. Fotinos Panagakos for research funding. Lastly, this project would not have been possible without guidance from Dr. Shockey and Mr. Christopher Watters. We would also like to congratulate all our classmates on a job well done and we are all still currently in the running for Undergraduate Research Day in Charleston! We each had something new and exciting to bring to the field of dental hygiene. Class of 2022 we are almost done!

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Student’s capstone project accepted for publication

Published 03.08.2021

• A link exists between oral health and prevalence of COVID-19. For that reason, proper oral hygiene is more important now than it has ever been.
• Due to close proximity to individuals, dental professionals are at extremely high risk of contracting COVID-19. Dental professionals must adhere to new guidelines for sanitization and personal protective equipment to ensure safety while performing dental treatment.
• Although COVID-19 uprooted dentistry as we knew it, it posed an opportunity for dental professionals to focus on prevention rather than typical treatment interventions.
• Dental professionals are creating innovative techniques to reach their patients during this time, such as teledentistry visits and personalized oral hygiene homecare kits.

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Special information

Effective May 5, 2015 to present

Meets graduation requirements for

• Community Engagement

Learning outcomes

• Demonstrate an understanding of leadership and management skills associated with an identified professional role in the health care system.
• Demonstrate readiness to enter an advanced professional field.
• Identify advanced practice models to improve effectiveness of the dental hygienist in meeting the needs of those served and unserved.
• Integrate and apply concepts, principles, knowledge, and skills learned in previous courses to their practicum experience.
• Utilize critical thinking and problem solving skills in a community-based practicum.
• Utilize evidence-based research that relates to a dental hygienists' role in community-based health care programs or settings.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate a community-based, dental hygiene educational or health-related practicum project.
• Incorporate evidenced-based research on specific topics that relate to the practicum project.
• Evaluate ways in which the Capstone Project Agency works with issues of racism and cultural diversity for the patients that it serves.

Spring 2024

RDH 4120 Capstone Project in Dental Hygiene Education

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