This course focuses on learning to adapt and change in emerging practice areas for dental hygienists that provide care to population groups challenged by access to oral health care. The course emphasizes dental hygiene strategies for the delivery of culturally competent care to pediatric, geriatric, medically compromised and special needs patients. Ethical issues are emphasized regarding care for vulnerable client populations groups. Students are exposed to various learning and teaching strategies on how to deliver a high quality of care for culturally competent patients including learning and discussing the various dental treatment modifications and barriers to care for the medically compromised patients and analyze issues associated with the special needs patient and its effects on access to health care services. Students develop a case-simulated model through providing an example from their previous practical experiences that can reflect the various dental care treatment modalities associated with the culturally competent/or medically compromised patient and possible ethical principles as they affect populations with cultural diversity/ special needs.