My Introduction to Jordan University of Science and Technology

My first weeks at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) involved meeting people...and this is continuing at a very steady rate. At each of these meetings, it is customary to drink Arabic coffee flavored with cardammon, and then discuss the business at hand. So many enthusiastic, talented people and yahweh zaki I cannot begin to convey. My session with the JUST University President, Dr. Wajih M.Owais was so warm and welcoming. He is committed to making JUST a leader in science, technology and healthcare. We discussed the need for developing critical thinking both within and outside of the university classroom, some of my Fulbright goals to expand the teaching methodologies used in the dental hygiene program, and to make an already strong curriculum evidence-based and competency based. Beyond the University, another goal is to establish a Jordanian Dental Hygienists' Association and to enble the new association to seek membership in the International Federation of Dental Hygienists. If accomplished, this will enable the Jordanian dental hygienists to be connected with educational and research advances in the profession globally and to share their own advances with others in the profession. Professional associations also bring the practical benefits of insurance and retirement programs to ensure a quality of life for those practicing dental hygiene in Jordan. I was glad to discover that I had President Owais' full support.

As a faculty member here, I am part of the Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences. Dr. Firas Al Quran is the Head of the Department of Applied Dental Sciences which houses the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene degree program, the only one in Jordan. Dr. Firas, as he is referred to, is a board certified prosthodontist who has teaching responsibilites within the dental school too. He is also the vice-president of the Jordanian Dental Association.

I am fortunate to be collaborating closely with four faculty members here who are graduates of Old Dominion University's Master of Science in Dental Hygiene program: Suhair A. Obeidat, Zain Malkawi, Reem Tubaishat, and Arwa Mahasheh. They are proof that the ODU School of Dental Hygiene has influenced the oral health of people worldwide. Together, we are the core group working to bring greater detail to the curriculum in course outlines, course objectives and competencies, case-based learning, measurement and evaluation, and assessment outcomes. So far we have focussed on the centerpiece of any entry-level dental hygiene program, the theory and clinical practice courses that build sequencially throughout the entire program. All other courses support this curricular backbone. These theory and practice courses are also critical because students learn to integrate the knowledge from the other courses, make clinical judgements, and perform at a defined standard of care, or risk not helping the patient or worse causing harm to the patient. There is great pride in this program, and all are working hard to make it the best in the Middle East.