Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy Attendance Policy

Policy Owner: Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Policy Contact: Assistant Dean for Student & Resident Affairs

POLICY STATEMENT

School of Dentistry students are expected to demonstrate professional behavior by attending classes and clinics as indicated on School of Dentistry course schedules and the School of Dentistry academic calendar. Students may be approved for time off from class or clinic for the following reasons.

1. Excused Absences 
2. Family Leave
3. Personal Sessions*

*Personal sessions apply only to students who have advanced to clinic. 

REASON FOR POLICY

The School of Dentistry has the responsibility of preparing its students both academically and clinically for the practice of dentistry. Successful skill and knowledge-based development requires continuous attendance in all classes, instructional sessions and clinical sessions as designated by curriculum and clinic schedules. 

PROCEDURES

Excused Absences

Student absences from class or clinic may be excused for the following reasons:

1. Physical or mental illness of a student or a student’s dependent, including medical conditions related to pregnancy 

• a. Students are required to submit a doctor’s note to be excused from class or clinic and make-up any graded course component (exams, quizzes, practicals, etc.). 
• b. The Boynton Self-Reporting Form for Illness or Boynton confirmation of contact letter will not be accepted to excuse an absence the day of an exam of clinical practicum (e.g., skill assessment or OSCE). Only one Boynton Self-Reporting Form will be accepted each semester to excuse absences on days exams or practicals are not scheduled. 
• c. Students experiencing challenges scheduling appointments with providers for physical or mental illness due to course and clinic scheduling should consult with the Assistant 1 Dean of Student and Resident Affairs to make arrangements for an excused absence. 

2. Subpoenas 
3. Jury Duty 
4. Military Service
5. Recognized Religious Observances a. Recognized religious observances as determined by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action. 
6. Emergency 

• a. Unavoidable or legitimate circumstances preventing attendance as determined by the Office of Student and Resident Affairs (e.g., medical emergency of a family member). 

7. Bereavement, including travel for bereavement
8. Official School Business

Students who plan to be absent due to circumstances described above must submit a planned absence request at least ten days in advance or a same day absence request, following procedures outlined in the School of Dentistry Student Handbook.

Faculty and administration reserve the right to request documentation for any student absence.

Additional policies may apply when students are on outreach.  Please refer to the outreach attendance policy for additional information.

Instructors may not penalize students with excused absences and must provide reasonable and timely accommodations to make up exams or other course requirements if the student: 

• Was absent due to circumstances identified as excused in the reasons above or through parental leave;
• Has complied with notification requirements; and 
• Has provided any requested documentation.

Details about Parental Leave are further described in the School of Dentistry Student Handbook.

Unexcused Absences – Didactic & Preclinical Courses

Students are expected to be in class as designated by School of Dentistry course schedules and the School of Dentistry academic calendar. Attendance may be included as a mandatory, graded component of a course.

Instructors are not required to offer make-up work to students who do not attend pre-clinical and didactic courses and do not have excused absences.

Clinical Personal Sessions 

Personal sessions approve students to be absent from clinic; they do not approve or excuse student absences in didactic or preclinical courses.  They may not be taken during class.

Requests to use personal sessions during the last two weeks of the final semester of the dental hygiene program (DH4 summer) will not be approved.  Students may not take personal session during this time.  This does not include finals week.

DH students are allowed six personal sessions (six half days or three full days) during their entire program in clinic. 

Dual Degree DH/DT students are allowed six personal sessions (six half days or three full days) while in the DH program. These sessions must be taken by the end of the Spring semester of the DH4 year.  Any leftover sessions will not rollover into summer semester.

Beginning the summer semester of the DH4 year, dual degree students are allowed 14 personal sessions (14 half days or seven full days) for the last year of the program, including DH4 summer and MDT fall and spring semesters.

Students who are not present in clinic and do not have an approved absence will be charged a personal session and reported to the School of Dentistry Code of Conduct Officer. Students will remain enrolled in the School of Dentistry if they have a negative personal session balance at the time of graduation until their balance is zero, unless there is an approved exemption from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

DH and DT Clinic Same Day Absences 

Students are expected to be in clinic when scheduled as absences significantly impact patient care. However, the School understands that some excused absences cannot be planned in advance such as illness, emergency and bereavement. Students may use same day absences for these situations.

Students are allowed three days (i.e., six sessions) of same day absences each academic year for the reasons listed above (e.g., illness of self or dependent, bereavement, emergency). Students need to report these absences but do not need to submit any supporting documentation.

Students will be required to make up same day absences if they exceed three total days. Same day absences can be made up by using personal days or being scheduled in clinic over break, during senior week or after graduation.

Students exceeding more than three days of same day absences may be required to meet with the Assistant Dean of Student and Resident Affairs. The Assistant Dean of Student and Resident Affairs, in consultation with the Dental Hygiene or Dental Therapy Division Directors, may grant students permission to be excused for more than three days of same day absences without making-up clinic time if a student is experiencing extenuating circumstances and can provide any requested documentation. Students are responsible for contacting the Assistant Dean of Student and Resident Affairs within fourteen days of a same day absence to request an exemption from the three day limit. No exemptions will be granted fourteen days after an absence and students may not be excused for more than ten days of same day absences.

The Boynton Health Self-Reporting of Illness Form or a Boynton confirmation of contact letter will not be accepted as forms of documentation to exceed three days of clinic same day absences. 

FORMS/INSTRUCTIONS 

There are no forms associated with this policy.

APPENDICES

There are no appendices associated with this guideline.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

There is no FAQ associated with this policy.

DEFINITIONS

Students

For the purposes of this policy, students are those enrolled in the dental hygiene and dental therapy programs.

Excused Absences

Students who have followed absence notification procedures and received approval for a legitimate excused absences must be granted an opportunity to make-up exams or other course requirements.

Clinic Session

A half day in clinic. Each clinic day is composed of an AM and PM session.

Present in Clinic

Student scheduled in clinic must be available to see patients and easily contacted, for the entire session, even when a patient is not scheduled. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

There are no responsibilities associated with this policy. 

HISTORY

ADDITIONAL CONTACTS