Few studies have been published on thesis completion experiences of master's degree students. However, for doctoral students, dissertation completion has been found to be dependent on individual, ...relational, and institutional factors. The aim of this study was to examine dental hygienists’ perceptions of their experiences completing a thesis as a requirement for an advanced degree. A qualitative phenomenological research design was used utilizing virtual focus groups with a national purposive sample of dental hygienists (n=25) who had graduated from a degree program in which a thesis was a requirement for the degree. Data analysis used an inductive approach to identify themes using Liechty et al.'s framework of individual, relational, and institutional factors impacting completion of a dissertation. Liechty et al.'s framework is based on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of learning. In the results, individual factors identified included family/work responsibilities, lack of understanding of the thesis process, time management, health issues, and reaching personal and professional goals. Relational factors focused primarily on positive and negative experiences with the thesis advisor/committee and support from expert peers/family. Institutional factors included the thesis structure, financial concerns, and challenges in recruiting research participants. This study found many factors influencing the thesis experience that may help guide the process in graduate degree programs. In addition, the findings suggest a need to provide mentoring and support for thesis advisors and committee members to more effectively guide students through the thesis process. Effective modifications of these may improve retention of students and facilitate timely completion of thesis research.
Identifying individuals at risk for developing periodontal disease helps to prevent, treat, and manage this condition. The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and practice ...behaviors of dental hygienists regarding the use of periodontal risk assessment tools.
This cross-sectional survey study used a convenience sample of dental hygienists recruited through social media and snowball sampling. The validated electronic survey included items related to demographics, knowledge, attitude, and practice behaviors regarding the use of periodontal risk assessment tools in the clinical setting. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data and outcomes were represented through frequencies and percentiles.
Two-hundred eighty-two of the respondents (n=282) (n=530) met the inclusion criteria, for a participation rate of 53%. A majority (88%) "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that periodontal risk assessment tools improve communication and increase educational opportunities with patients and 50% reported completing periodontal risk assessments during a patient's scheduled appointment. Significant relationships existed between "frequently" or "always" reviewing periodontal risk assessment outcomes and the participants age, place of employment and number of continuing education (CE) hours completed (
=0.004). Participants who were members of the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) were more likely to correctly answer three or more knowledge questions (
=0.01), and more likely to measure and record pocket depths in a periodontal risk assessment tool (
=0.005).
Although dental hygienists reported periodontal risk assessment tools were helpful for patient communication and education, only 50% reported regular completion while providing patient care. Continuing education on the value of periodontal risk assessment tools and better understanding of the barriers to routine implementation, could expand their use.
Many health professions have identified characteristics of an effective clinical instructor and used this information to create tools to measure clinical teaching effectiveness (CTE) in their ...disciplines. However, minimal research has been conducted to explore the attributes of an effective clinical instructor in dental hygiene education. The aim of this study was to identify the attributes of dental hygiene clinical instructors associated with effective teaching. This study used a Delphi research design to iteratively survey an expert panel of 14 dental hygiene instructors in dental hygiene programs from 13 U.S. states in 2019. A cumulative overall response rate of 89.3% was achieved after conducting three survey rounds. The results showed statistically significant consensus on 91 CTE characteristics. Participants agreed that effective clinical instructors should possess the ability to clearly communicate, foster interpersonal relationships, encourage a climate of mutual respect, and act as good role models who are emotionally intelligent, caring, trustworthy, fair, honest, and supportive. There was also agreement that effective clinical instructors were those who created a safe learning environment centered on collaboration, motivation, guidance, and positive corrective feedback. These results were similar to those identified in other health professions. However, there is a need for dental hygiene education to develop its own CTE assessment tool for use in professional development.
Abstract
Climate change poses a multifaceted, complex, and existential threat to human health and well-being, but efforts to communicate these threats to the public lag behind what we know how to do ...in communication research. Effective communication about climate change’s health risks can improve a wide variety of individual and population health-related outcomes by: (1) helping people better make the connection between climate change and health risks and (2) empowering them to act on that newfound knowledge and understanding. The aim of this manuscript is to highlight communication methods that have received empirical support for improving knowledge uptake and/or driving higher-quality decision making and healthier behaviors and to recommend how to apply them at the intersection of climate change and health. This expert consensus about effective communication methods can be used by healthcare professionals, decision makers, governments, the general public, and other stakeholders including sectors outside of health. In particular, we argue for the use of 11 theory-based, evidence-supported communication strategies and practices. These methods range from leveraging social networks to making careful choices about the use of language, narratives, emotions, visual images, and statistics. Message testing with appropriate groups is also key. When implemented properly, these approaches are likely to improve the outcomes of climate change and health communication efforts.
Lay Summary
Climate change poses a tremendous and complex threat to human health and well-being. Efforts to communicate these threats to the public may not be as effective as desired and using evidence-based strategies could improve a wide variety of health-related outcomes for individuals and society while potentially reducing climate-related health disparities. In particular, effective communication can help people understand the crucial connection between climate change and health risks and empower them to act on that newfound knowledge and understanding. We recommend 11 communication methods that have been well tested in other domains and can be applied to the intersection of climate and health by healthcare professionals, decisionmakers, governments, the general public, and other stakeholders including those in sectors outside of health. These methods range from leveraging social networks to making careful choices about the use of language, narratives, emotions, visual images, and statistics. Message testing with appropriate groups is also key. When implemented properly, these approaches are likely to improve knowledge uptake and drive better decision making and healthier behaviors.
Evidence-based communication techniques can be used to empower people to act on newfound knowledge about the critical intersection of climate and health.
As universities and colleges seek to reach more students in efficient ways, the use of synchronous distance education (SDE) can be an alternative to traditional classrooms. This study focused on ...face‐to‐face SDE, in which classrooms equipped with interactive synchronous technologies allow students in both classrooms and the professor to synchronously see and hear one another. The aims of the study were to aid educators in understanding student concerns, determine whether face‐to face SDE was sacrificing overall student satisfaction, and investigate whether satisfaction improved as the program matured. This mixed‐methods study utilized a convenience sample of two cohorts of dental hygiene students (n=122) in one program: Cohort 1, which graduated in 2014 as the first class to experience face‐to‐face SDE; and Cohort 2, which graduated in 2015. The response rate for the two cohorts was 95%. Perceptions of face‐to‐face SDE versus traditional classroom experiences and characteristics of face‐to‐face SDE were measured using pre‐ and post‐program surveys. The results showed no difference in student perceptions and expectations pre‐course vs. post‐course, although Cohort 2 had a more positive perception of SDE than did Cohort 1 (p<0.001). Perceptions of characteristics related to the classroom setting and instructor satisfaction were overall positive (p<0.001). The qualitative data suggested that technological support and faculty familiarity with SDE were substantial influences on students’ satisfaction. Overall, there was no significant difference in satisfaction with face‐to‐face SDE when students compared it to their previous classroom experiences.
Increasing the knowledge base of its practitioners through formal education is vital to advancing the dental hygiene profession, ensuring practitioners’ readiness for participation in future health ...care workforce models, and preparing future dental hygiene educators. The aim of this study was to discover the value of, barriers to, and motivations for graduate education among dental hygienists as a first step toward establishing ways to stimulate enrollment and facilitate program change. A qualitative pilot study design was used, with focus groups used for data collection. Four virtual focus groups were conducted on a video conferencing platform with dental hygienists (N=15) of varying educational levels residing in nine states. Focus group results were examined for emerging themes. The majority of participants placed a high value on graduate education as it related to expanding employment options and satisfying personal goals, but perceived it to have little value regarding advancement in clinical practice. Top barriers to education were reported to be time management, finances, and degree program options. Motivational themes for pursuing education included increased career options, benefits, and salary; personal satisfaction; potential to advance the profession; and financial support. The participants agreed that increased education can lead to more varied career opportunities and advance the profession, but their responses suggested limited motivation to pursue graduate studies. Determining ways to increase the value, reduce barriers, and enhance motivation for a graduate degree should be a priority of academic institutions and professional organizations involved in dental hygiene to ensure a workforce that is qualified for future health care initiatives and prepared to become educators.
Abstract This paper supports the “Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Oral Health and Nutrition” published in the May 2013 Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. It is the ...position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that nutrition is an integral component of oral health. The Academy supports integration of oral health with nutrition services, education, and research. Collaboration between registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs); dietetic technicians, registered (DTRs); and oral health care professionals is recommended for oral health promotion and disease prevention and intervention. There is a synergistic multidirectional association between diet, nutrition, and oral health. Given that the mouth is the portal of entry into the body, it is essential that RDNs and DTRs include the oral cavity in their assessment for nutritional risk factors and deficiencies. Nutrition assessment is vital to identifying dietary intake and nutritional factors impacting oral health. Conversely, decreased salivary flow, compromised oral integrity, tooth decay, or poor periodontal health can impact an individual's ability to consume an adequate diet. A poor diet can result in limited intake of nutrients crucial to systemic health and well-being. The provision of medical nutrition therapy that incorporates total health, including oral health, is a component of the Standards of Practice for RDNs and DTRs. Inclusion of didactic and clinical practice concepts that illustrate the role of nutrition in oral health is essential in education programs for both professional groups. The multifaceted interactions between diet, nutrition, and oral health in practice, education, and research in both dietetics and dentistry merit the need for collaborative efforts to ensure comprehensive patient care.
The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of dental anxiety and missed dental appointments due to dental anxiety among patients within three types of private dental offices.
This ...descriptive, cross-sectional study utilized the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS). The MDAS consists of five questions to assess dental anxiety. Demographics and an open-ended question about missed dental appointments due to dental anxiety were included. Linear and logistic regression models were used to analyze anxiety scores as related to gender and age. Participants' responses to the open-ended question were compiled according to themes.
Three hundred and eight (n=308) dental patients participated in the study. Using the MDAS cut-off scores of 15 and 19, the prevalence estimates of moderate to high and high dental anxiety within the total study population was 19% and 6.82% respectively. Females had an MDAS score 2.12 times higher than males (p<0.05). For every one unit increase in age, the MDAS score was 0.08 units lower (p<0.05). Out of the 308 participants, 26 (8.4%) responded to missing a dental appointment due to dental anxiety. Five common themes were coded as the source of dental anxiety: fear of dental experience, previous negative dental experience, cost of treatment, gag reflex, and fear of bad news.
Moderate to high dental anxiety was present in 19% of the population sampled. Awareness of patients' dental anxiety level and the utilization of anxiety reducing measures during treatment may encourage routine care.
The aim of this study was to assess child care providers' level of knowledge of first aid management and attitudes towards dental injuries among preschool-age children within Fairfield County, ...Connecticut and Boston, Massachusetts.
This descriptive cross-sectional study used a web-based, validated questionnaire adapted from several studies with permission from authors. A panel of 5 dental experts determined the relevance of the questions and overall content (I-CVI range 0.8-1; S-CVI = 0.95). The 28 question survey included demographics, level of knowledge, attitudes about traumatic dental injuries, emergency management, and 2 case study questions on management of luxation and tooth fracture. Survey data was coded and analyzed for associations and trends using STATA® statistics/data analysis software v. 11.2.
A total of 100 child care providers completed the online questionnaire. Eighty-four percent self-reported little to no knowledge about dental injury management. Sixty percent of child care providers agreed that they are responsible for managing dental injuries. Approximately two-thirds of child care providers reported not feeling adequately informed about dental injuries, with 77% expressing interest in receiving more information.
The majority of child care providers' do not have the knowledge to perform adequate first aid following a dental injury. Professional development on first aid for dental injuries is recommended among this workforce population.
The purpose of this study was to assess the awareness of registered dental hygienists (RDHs), licensed in the state of Maine, regarding the midlevel dental hygiene therapist (DHT) provider model and ...to gather data regarding the degree of interest in enrolling in a DHT program.
A quantitative cross-sectional study design with a non-probability purposive sampling of actively practicing RDHs in the state of Maine (n=1,284) was utilized for the web-based survey. Survey questions included awareness in the passage of DHT legislation, level of interest pursuing education and licensure in this midlevel provider model. Data was collected over a three-week period. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used for data analysis.
Response rate was 21% (n=268). Sixty-five percent of respondents expressed interest in enrolling in a DHT program and 40% of those respondents stated a willingness to enroll in a DHT program within the coming year. Although willing to travel 25-50 miles, a majority of respondents preferred programs incorporating online components combined with clinical training completed in nearby communities. Themes emerging from the open-ended question regarding DHT program feasibility and appeal included: convenience, flexibility, cost/affordability, and independent or collaborative practice.
Study outcomes indicated interest exists among Maine RDHs regarding the DHT provider role and enrollment in a DHT program. Although there are no DHT programs currently being offered in the New England states, results suggest further investigation is warranted regarding the development of a DHT program in the Northeastern United States.
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