A proposed client self-care commitment model.

PURPOSE: Expansion of the dental hygiene body of knowledge offers options for the profession; evolving conceptual models allow practitioners to choose an approach to client care that is scientifically sound yet matches individual philosophies. Health paradigms for different approaches to client care have been developed and used in medical anthropology, psychology, and dental hygiene. Adapted from the biomedical model, the explanatory model, the empowerment model, and the human needs conceptual model, a new model for client commitment is proposed. The client self-care commitment model is composed of five domains: initiation, assessment, negotiation, commitment, and evaluation. This model proposes that the relationships among these domains, and the interaction between the client and the dental hygienist can empower clients to make decisions that will enhance their own health through commitment and compliance. This paper reviews the scientific literature from medical anthropology, psychology, and dental hygiene that focus on client care, and suggests possible applications of the model to the dental hygiene process of care, dental hygiene education, and qualitative research.