PA Dental Hygiene Jurisprudence study plan

PA Dental Hygiene Jurisprudence · Give each week a clear focus.

8 weeks · About 6 hours per week

Week 1

Pennsylvania Dental Practice Act (Act 76 of 1933) and Board Regulations (49 Pa. Code Chapter 33)

Map the structure of Act 76 of 1933 and 49 Pa. Code Chapter 33 by writing an outline of subchapters and section ranges from your own reading
Define the scope of dental hygiene practice and identify which tasks require direct vs. general supervision under the regulations
List the licensure pathways (examination, licensure by credentials, local anesthesia, public health hygiene) and the statutory citation for each

A one-page statutory map plus a 20-term glossary of defined terms with citations

Week 2

Explain the composition, appointment, and powers of the State Board of Dentistry from the Act
Distinguish the roles of the Board, the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, and the Commissioner of Professional and Occupational Affairs
Trace the procedural steps from complaint intake through hearing and Board adjudication

A flowchart of the complaint-to-disposition process with each step tied to a statutory or regulatory citation

Week 3

Summarize continuing education requirements for hygienists, including hours, acceptable subject matter, and documentation
Describe renewal cycles, lapsed licenses, and reactivation requirements
Identify recordkeeping and reporting duties that attach to the hygienist's license

A renewal and CE compliance checklist covering one full two-year cycle

Week 4

Define unprofessional conduct as enumerated in the Act and regulations and give a concrete example of each category
Differentiate the standards of acceptable and prevailing practice from the statutory definition of unprofessional conduct
Explain the Board's disciplinary sanctions and the range of penalties available

A table of every enumerated unprofessional conduct category with a hypothetical fact pattern for each

Week 5

Analyze how the Board applies the standard of care in disciplinary proceedings, including expert testimony and burden of proof
Describe due process protections available to a licensee during investigation and hearing
Compare temporary suspension, summary suspension, and public reprimand as Board actions

A written case analysis of a hypothetical disciplinary scenario applying the correct standard and sanction

Week 6

Connect scope-of-practice limits to unprofessional conduct by identifying when exceeding scope becomes a disciplinary matter
Explain delegation and supervision rules and the hygienist's responsibility for delegated acts
Identify reporting obligations for impaired or unethical practitioners

A cross-reference grid linking scope provisions in Chapter 33 to the corresponding unprofessional conduct categories

Week 7

Complete a 100-question mixed practice set weighted 50/50 across both domains
Diagnose weak areas by error category and rewrite the underlying rule in your own words for each missed item
Rehearse citation recall for the most frequently tested sections

A scored practice exam with a written error log and a list of the ten weakest rules

Week 8

Review the error log and re-test only the weakest rules until each is answered correctly twice
Summarize the entire regulatory scheme in a single reference sheet
Complete a timed full-length simulation under exam conditions

A final one-page reference sheet and a timed simulation score at or above your target passing threshold

Week 2: Can explain Board authority and the complaint process without notes, citing at least four statutory sections

Week 4: Can list every enumerated category of unprofessional conduct and give an example for each

Week 6: Can resolve a scope-of-practice scenario by identifying the governing rule and the disciplinary consequence

Week 8: Timed simulation score meets target, and every item in the error log has been re-tested successfully