Dental Hygiene Attendance Policy

Policy Owner: Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Policy Contact: Assistant Dean for Student & Resident Affairs

POLICY STATEMENT

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 the curriculum and clinic schedules. 

REASON FOR POLICY

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 Time Off (PTO) Sessions*

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

PROCEDURES

Excused Absences from Didactic Classes

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

1. Physical or mental illness of a student or a student’s dependent, a student’s immediate family member or someone for whom the student is a primary caregiver.
   • Students are required to submit documentation to make up any graded course component (exams, quizzes, practicals, etc.). Documentation could include a doctor’s note, appointment confirmation, the Boynton Self-Reporting Form for Illness, or a similar form of documentation.
2. Pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, adoption, or related medical condition of the student or student’s birthing partner
3. The need for reasonable accommodation due to disability
4. Subpoenas, jury duty, arrest and/or mandatory court appearances
5. Serving as an election judge on official election days
6. Required appointments related to visa or immigration-related matters
7. Participation in a formal University hearing
8. Military Service
9. Recognized religious observances or participation in cultural ceremonies
   • Recognized religious observances as determined by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action.
10. Disruptions to public transportation (e.g. transportation strike)
11. Emergency
    • Unavoidable or legitimate circumstances preventing attendance as determined by the Office of Student and Resident Affairs (e.g. medical emergency).
12. Bereavement, including travel to/from for bereavement
13. Integrated National Board Dental Examinations (DDS4 only)
14. Official School business
15. Participation in formal system governance, including the University Senate, Student Senate, and Board of Regents meetings, for students selected as represented to those bodies

Students who plan to be absent due to circumstances described above should submit a planned absence request at least ten days in advance or as soon as they are aware they need to be absent to the Office of Student and Resident Affairs, by submitting the Preclinic Absence Request Form (fall of DH3 year only) or the Clinical Absence Request Form (beginning DH3 spring and beyond). Beginning DH3 spring and beyond, students requesting excused absences during didactic course times must follow the clinical absence request process, outlined below, prior to the absence being approved. Absences requested after the start of class will not be approved and will be considered unexcused absences, unless there is an extenuating circumstance. Faculty and administration reserve the right to request documentation for any student absence. 

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 due to family leave;
• Has complied with notification requirements; and
• Has provided any requested documentation. 

Details about family leave are further described in the School of Dentistry Student Family Leave Policy which can be found in the Related Information section below. 

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 preclinical and didactic courses and do not have excused absences. 

Clinic Attendance

Students must be present in clinic a minimum of 90% of available sessions each academic year to ensure competency at the time of graduation. Students who are present in clinic less than 90% of available sessions must meet with the Dental Hygiene Program Director to discuss their academic status and the impact on their progress toward graduation. The Dental Hygiene Program Director may approve the student’s additional absences or refer the student’s situation to the appropriate progression subcommittee for further discussion. The subcommittee will have the authority to suggest a remediation plan and/or a program extension. 

The number of sessions required to fulfill the 90% requirement will be determined by the Dental Hygiene Program Director and the Offices of Academic and Clinical Affairs.  

Students who are absent from clinic without an approved absence will have a Personal Time Off (PTO) session deducted from their balance and a Code of Conduct Report will be submitted for investigation. Graduating students with a negative PTO session balance will not be cleared for degree conferral, unless there is an approved exemption from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. 

Students are responsible for clearing their clinic schedule before any absences are approved, except in extenuating circumstances. Absences are subject to denial and/or referral to the School of Dentistry Code of Conduct process if the student does not clear their schedule.

Clinical Excused Absences

Student absences from clinic and outreach may be excused for the following reasons:

1. Medical or Parental leave (see the Related Information Section below for information about Parental Leave)
2. Subpoenas, jury duty, arrest and/or mandatory court appearances
3. Serving as an election judge on official election days
4. Required appointments related to visa or immigration-related matters
5. Participation in a formal University hearing
6. Military Service
7. Official School Business

Students who plan to be absent due to circumstances described above should submit planned absence requests at least ten days in advance or as soon as they are aware they need to be absent via the Clinical Student Absence Request Form. Absence requests submitted after the start of the respective clinic session will not be approved, unless there are extenuating circumstances.  Students requesting excused absences during didactic course times must follow the clinical absence request process, outlined above, prior to the absence being approved.

Clinical Personal Time Off (PTO) Sessions

PTO sessions approve students to be absent from clinic; however, they do not approve or excuse student absences from didactic or preclinical courses. 

Dental hygiene students will be granted 4 clinical PTO sessions during their DH3 year (spring and summer) and 6 PTO sessions during their DH4 year (fall, spring, summer). PTO sessions do not roll over from DH3 to DH4 year.

Requests to use PTO 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 PTO sessions during this time. This does not include finals week.

PTO sessions should be used for any absence not outlined in the clinical excused absence list above. Students requesting PTO sessions should submit absence requests at least ten days in advance or as soon as they are aware that they need to be absent via the Clinical Student Absence Request Form. Same day absences must be submitted no later than one hour prior to the relevant clinic start time. Failure to follow the one hour advanced notification for same day absences will result in a deduction of one additional PTO session. 

Absence requests are subject to denial and/or a referral to the School of Dentistry Code of  Conduct investigation process if the proper process or required timing is not followed.

Absences While on Outreach

PTO sessions while on Outreach rotations may only be used for the following reasons: 

1. Physical or mental illness of a student or a student's dependent
2. Recognized religious observances
3. Emergency
4. Bereavement, including travel for bereavement

While on Outreach rotations, students may be excused for the following reasons:

1. Medical or Parental leave (see the Related Information Section below for information about Parental Leave)
2. Subpoenas, jury duty, arrest and/or mandatory court appearances
3. Serving as an election judge on official election days
4. Required appointments related to visa or immigration-related matters
5. Participation in a formal University hearing
6. Military service
7. Official School business 

Students requesting excused absences or to use PTO sessions while on outreach must follow the clinical absence request process, outlined above, prior to the absence being approved.

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.

ADDITIONAL CONTACTS

DEFINITIONS

Students

For the purposes of this policy, students are those enrolled in the dental hygiene program.

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.

Dependent

A person, typically a qualifying child or other relative, other than the taxpayer or spouse, who entitles the taxpayer to claim a dependency exemption for tax purposes.

Clinic Session

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

RESPONSIBILITIES

There are no responsibilities associated with this policy. 

RELATED INFORMATION 

Student Parental Leave Policy

University of Minnesota Excused Absences and Makeup Work Policy

HISTORY