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- Title
Motivating influences and career outcomes of baccalaureate-educated dental hygienists: a pan-Canadian study.
- Authors
Rock, Leigha D.; Compton, Sharon M.; MacDonald, Laura L.; Kanji, Zul
- Abstract
Background: As discussions about baccalaureate education for dental hygiene continue at national and international levels, examining outcomes of earning a baccalaureate degree in a Canadian context is essential. This study aimed to explore the motivating reasons for pursuing a dental hygiene baccalaureate degree in Canada and the career outcomes of Canadian dental hygiene baccalaureate degree graduates. Methods: Graduates from all 4 Canadian dental hygiene degree programs (N = 262) participated in a cross-sectional online survey between November and December 2021. Survey questions explored motivating reasons for pursuing dental hygiene degree education, educational experiences, employment outcomes, and career satisfaction. A descriptive analysis was performed to report absolute and relative frequencies of responses to each question. Differences between participant characteristics, motivating reasons for pursing a degree, and practice outcomes were assessed. Where applicable, results were compared to the results of the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association's 2019 Job Market and Employment Survey. A thematic analysis was applied to open-ended descriptive responses. Results: Primary motivators included personal satisfaction (77%), status of a degree (75%), increase in employment opportunities (71%), and increase in knowledge base (69%). Respondents (87%) reported that they were satisfied with their educational experiences, and the majority (65%) agreed that a degree should be the minimum entry-level credential for dental hygiene practice in Canada. Primary practice settings were reported as clinical dental hygiene care (80%), educational institutions (9%), community and public health (4%), and other practice settings (7%). A larger proportion reported working in non-clinical settings than those in the national survey (20% and 8%, respectively; p < 0.001). Conclusion: These findings underscore the impact of baccalaureate education on dental hygiene practice in Canada.
- Subjects
CANADA; VOCATIONAL guidance; CONFIDENCE intervals; MOTIVATION (Psychology); CROSS-sectional method; QUANTITATIVE research; UNDERGRADUATE programs; QUALITATIVE research; EMPLOYMENT; JOB satisfaction; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; STATISTICAL hypothesis testing; THEMATIC analysis; DATA analysis software; ODDS ratio
- Publication
Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene, 2023, Vol 57, Issue 1, p14
- ISSN
1712-171X
- Publication type
Article