Journal Of Dental Hygiene[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Use of Clinical Competency Examinations for Dental Hygiene Licensure.
Weinhagen JD, Newcomb TL, Bradshaw BT
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Oct · PMID 41022551
Dental hygiene licensure with a clinical competency examination (CCE) using a live patient has been required by state licensing boards since 1929. Clinical competency examinations were initially used when dental training...
Dental hygiene licensure with a clinical competency examination (CCE) using a live patient has been required by state licensing boards since 1929. Clinical competency examinations were initially used when dental training was poorly developed, non-standardized, and largely based on the apprenticeship model. Currently, Canada and the state of California have removed the requirement of passing a CCE for dental hygiene licensure, provided certain requirements have been met. Dentistry is the last health care profession to mandate that graduates pass a CCE. The vast majority of dental licensing boards continue to require that third party testing agencies validate the clinical skills of candidates that were acquired through accredited dental and dental hygiene education programs. Originally, there were 53 individual CCEs within the United States. As the profession became more uniform, regional examinations have replaced individual state examinations. Clinical competency examinations have come under scrutiny over the past few decades largely due to ethical concerns regarding human subjects and perceived limitations in manikin-based testing. Concerns about high stakes, single-encounter live patient exams and manikin exams have also been raised regarding their validity and reliability of measuring competency and readiness for clinical practice. In spite of the lack of peer-reviewed scientific evidence supporting the use of CCEs as reliable and valid instruments, dental boards continue to require them for initial licensure. While CCEs were initially developed to protect the public by ensuring the clinical competency of licensed clinicians, there is no predictive validity to support this intent. Ethical concerns regarding live patient, procedure-based dental and dental hygiene CCEs have been covered extensively in the literature. This short report will examine the ongoing concerns and updates on the use of CCEs for dental hygiene licensure.
The Art of Communication and What the Science Tells Us.
Draper CK
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Aug · PMID 40764114
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Literature Review as a Graded Assignment: Fostering positive attitudes of dental hygiene students towards research.
Sharmin N, Chow AK
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Aug · PMID 40764113
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is increasingly emphasized across various health care professions, including dental hygiene. The purpose of this study was to evaluate dental hygiene (DH) student attitudes toward utilizing...
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is increasingly emphasized across various health care professions, including dental hygiene. The purpose of this study was to evaluate dental hygiene (DH) student attitudes toward utilizing research and EBP through the introduction of a literature review assignment as part of the education program. A descriptive study was conducted to explore third year dental hygiene students' (n=48) perceptions of a research-based literature review assignment as part of an oral biology course. The assignment included a multiple choice and a reflective question examining students' perceptions of the activity. Descriptive statistics and manifest content analysis were used to analyze the data. A majority (96.0%, n=46) of the class responded to the reflective question survey. Three fourths of the participants (74.0%, n=34) stated that the literature review assignment helped them integrate and expand what they learned in the classroom. Content analysis generated 22 codes that were compiled into eight subcategories and then condensed into four categories. The participants perceived four main impacts of the literature review assignment on their learning experiences: bridging theory and practice, improved and engaged learning experiences, personal and professional development, and positive attitude towards research. Although the study findings are based on one cohort of DH students, they demonstrated the emergence of a positive attitude among students towards research because of completing the literature review assignment. Future research should aim to explore the perceptions and attitudes of faculty members and diverse student populations towards research-based assignments embedded in the DH curriculum.
The Relationship of Handedness, Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders, and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Dental Hygienists.
Natali KR, Lewando SJJ, Boyd LD … +1 more , Vineyard J
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Aug · PMID 40764112
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) have a high prevalence among dental hygienists (DHs). However, there is a gap in the literature on WMSDs related to handedness and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Th...
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) have a high prevalence among dental hygienists (DHs). However, there is a gap in the literature on WMSDs related to handedness and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The purpose of this study was to measure the relationship between WMSDs, handedness, and HRQoL in DHs in clinical practice. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a convenience sample of DHs residing in the United States or Canada. The survey instrument consisted of three validated questionnaires on handedness, WMSDs, and HRQoL, as well as an open-ended question on the effects of WMSDs on HRQoL. Measures of frequency and logistic regression were used to determine handedness, and injuries and their influence on HRQoL. A total of 335 participants met the inclusion criteria and completed the survey. Most identified as right-handed (78.2%, n=262); a smaller group identified as left handed (8.1%, n=27). Respondents reported that WMSDs in the lower back (39.8% n=94) and wrist/hand (34.6%, n=82) over the past 12 months negatively impacted work activities. Handedness and the average number of weekly hours devoted to patient care were associated with poor physical health (=.05), poor mental health (=<.001), and activity limitation (=.02). However, handedness was not a predictor of WMSDs or HRQoL. While the prevalence of left-handedness in this study was higher than in the general population, handedness was not a predictor of WMSDs and HRQoL. However, WMSDs of the lower back, wrists/hands, and neck affected the ability to work in the past 12 months, and WMSDs of the upper back negatively impacted HRQoL.
Effective Scientific Writing.
Battani K, Fried JL
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Aug · PMID 40764111
Effective scientific writing is a keystone to success in higher education. To excel and advance, aspiring academicians need to master the art and science of scientific writing. The following brief report describes the ty...
Effective scientific writing is a keystone to success in higher education. To excel and advance, aspiring academicians need to master the art and science of scientific writing. The following brief report describes the types of manuscripts accepted by research publications. More specifically, it highlights the parts of a research report, their inclusions, and guidelines on how to write them effectively and comprehensively. Suggestions on the writing process are also provided. Mastering scientific writing has a steep learning curve that requires perseverance, practice, collegiality, and hours of revising and editing.
Sustainability of School-Based Outreach Programs in South Dakota.
Lint C, Wendel T
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Aug · PMID 40764110
Dental caries is a common and preventable disease in school-age children. Regular access to school-based dental care, can help reduce caries in this population. A dental hygiene program located in South Dakota developed...
Dental caries is a common and preventable disease in school-age children. Regular access to school-based dental care, can help reduce caries in this population. A dental hygiene program located in South Dakota developed an intervention to address the lack of accessible dental care for school-age children residing in rural areas. The purpose of this short report was to describe a recurring outreach program and discuss the criteria needed to promote the sustainability of school-based outreach programs in rural and underserved schools in South Dakota. With the assistance of grant funding, the University of South Dakota Department of Dental Hygiene was able to provide preventative oral health care services in schools that met the following criteria: schools must located be in a rural area in South Dakota within 100 miles of the university; fall within the guidelines of a health or dental provider shortage area; participants must be of school-age with a special emphasis placed on those with no dental home, limited access to care, and who are underinsured. Throughout the duration of the 12-year program 30 schools in southeastern South Dakota have been visited annually by dental hygiene students. Nearly 20% of the participants within these schools were at high risk for dental caries and/or utilized Medicaid/CHIP. The Preventive Dental Program (PDP) has been successful in achieving components of sustainability over time through continued commitment to the program's goals and missions, ongoing collaboration with schools, improving the service models, and increasing the program's capacity in local systems.
Leadership Development in Dental Hygiene Education: Insights from a pilot study.
Brame JL, Ledbetter J, Kornegay EC … +1 more , Harmon JB
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Aug · PMID 40764109
Increasing trends have identified the importance of leadership development for health care professionals, however this concept has been largely unexplored in dental hygiene (DH) curricula. Without leadership development,...
Increasing trends have identified the importance of leadership development for health care professionals, however this concept has been largely unexplored in dental hygiene (DH) curricula. Without leadership development, DH students may struggle to perceive themselves as leaders in their professional careers, limiting their full capabilities. The purpose of this pilot study was to design, implement, and evaluate a leadership development curriculum for DH students. This pilot study used a cross-sectional design. All senior DH students (n=24) completed the DiSC personality assessment to assess personal traits and received leadership development instruction, including presentations, interactive learning activities, and engaging discussions. Students were invited to complete pre- and post-surveys with Likert-scale items to measure self-awareness and leadership behaviors and open-ended questions to explore leadership perspectives. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data, and emergent themes from the open-ended items were identifired. Most students (92.0%, n=22) completed both surveys. All (n=22) participants agreed that leadership development enhanced the awareness of individual professional values and increased their self-awareness; most (91.0%, n=20) rated their belief positively that leadership is an important skill in the DH profession. When comparing pre- and post-survey responses, learner confidence increased in defining leadership self-awareness (=0.007). Open-ended responses supported perceptions regarding leadership development being essential in the curriculum and profession. Themes regarding behaviors, attitudes, values, and beliefs toward leadership development emerged to indicate an understanding and agreement for leadership skill-building to support professional roles and responsibilities. The programmatic course design was well-received. Feedback indicated value in both the content and interactive seminars as pedagogical strategies to deliver the curriculum. The results of this study support the need and desire for DH students to engage in leadership development during their undergraduate programs. Findings can provide insight into the course design and content of leadership development programs in the DH curriculum.
Medical-Dental Integration: Barriers to Implementing Silver Diamine Fluoride into Primary Care Well-Child Visits.
Deretti RN, Vannah C, Boyd LD
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Aug · PMID 40764108
Dental caries is the most common chronic disease in children and the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends integration of oral health assessments and minimally invasive services into primary care for early oral he...
Dental caries is the most common chronic disease in children and the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends integration of oral health assessments and minimally invasive services into primary care for early oral health prevention. The purpose of the study was to identify barriers to integrating silver diamine fluoride (SDF) into well-child visits with primary care physicians (PCPs) and non-medical professionals and to provide recommendations for future medical-dental integration (MDI) interventions. This phenomenological qualitative study used a purposive sample of PCPs and non-medical professionals (n=12) and virtual semi-structured interviews for data collection. Inductive followed by deductive analysis approaches were used for thematic analysis. Nine themes across four domains emerged; systems level barriers within healthcare systems, educational barriers, workflow challenges, and provider perceptions. Barrier themes included approval processes within the healthcare system, billing and coding processes, lack of oral health education, training challenges, lack of workflow time, shortage of oral health providers, oral health professionals' views on SDF, as well as perceptions SDF is a novel treatment and outside the medical scope of practice. Further analysis identified 10 recommendations to assist other professionals or health systems in future MDI efforts. This study provides insight into barriers for development and implementation of SDF integration initiatives to aid increased adoption of SDF into primary care, and MDI efforts overall. The barriers identified and recommendations offer opportunities for dental hygienists to engage in collaborative interprofessional care.
A Narrative Review of the Utilization of Motivational Interviewing for Nutritional Counseling in Dentistry.
Anderson H, Rulli D, Sutton JD … +2 more , Theis-Mahon N, Arnett MC
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Jun · PMID 40514081
The purpose of this narrative review was to explore how motivational interviewing (MI) and brief MI are utilized for nutritional counseling in oral health care to support patient-centered dietary behavior change. This na...
The purpose of this narrative review was to explore how motivational interviewing (MI) and brief MI are utilized for nutritional counseling in oral health care to support patient-centered dietary behavior change. This narrative review followed PRISMA format. A search strategy was designed using MeSH terms and keywords with inclusion and exclusion categories dictating the search. Searches were conducted in Ovid Medline ALL, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science. Studies were screened in Rayyan by two independent reviewers. Eligible studies were categorized into two domains: MI utilization by provider type or setting and MI application for a population or a condition. The search yielded 122 articles. After title and abstract screening, 113 articles were excluded. Following full-text review, three more were removed, resulting in six (n=6) studies for inclusion. Four studies examined the utilization of MI by provider type or setting. These studies demonstrated MI training improved provider confidence and interest in delivering nutritional counseling, with brief MI interventions showing effectiveness in dietary behavior change. Two studies focused on the application of MI for a population or condition. Motivational interviewing and brief MI can be utilized for nutritional counseling in oral health care settings by dental hygienists to enhance their confidence, promote patient behavior change, and contribute to improved dietary habits for improved oral and systemic health. The Nutritional Risk Assessment and Counseling Tool (NRACT) can be used as a risk assessment and guide to facilitate brief MI in a dental setting for nutritional counseling.
Longitudinal Impact of Brief Motivational Interviewing on Periodontal Clinical Outcomes and Patient Perceptions: A 3-year follow-up study.
Arnett MC, Paulson DR, Evans MD … +1 more , Reibel YG
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Jun · PMID 40514080
The purpose of this study was to determine the longitudinal impact of multiple brief motivational interviewing (MI) sessions on behaviors as measured by clinical indicators of periodontitis and patient perceptions of imp...
The purpose of this study was to determine the longitudinal impact of multiple brief motivational interviewing (MI) sessions on behaviors as measured by clinical indicators of periodontitis and patient perceptions of importance, interest, and self-efficacy for oral hygiene behaviors. Fifty-eight patients in the periodontal maintenance phase of therapy who had completed all study visits from a 1-year single-masked, examiner randomized clinical trial were invited to participate in this 3-year follow-up study with no intervention. Clinical outcomes of O'Leary plaque score, bleeding on probing (BOP), gingival index (GI) and patients' perceived interest, importance, and self-efficacy for oral hygiene behaviors were collected. Results were reported using means with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Analyses were performed using statistical software (R version 4.3.2). A total of 41 patients participated for a 72% retention rate. The brief MI group yielded a statistically significant reduction in BOP from baseline to 3-years (0.02) and significance in the reduction of GI scores from baseline to 3-years (<0.0001). Perceived self-efficacy in maintaining a change long-term was sustained from baseline (4.19) to 3-year follow-up (4.14) for the brief MI group as compared to the traditional OHI group (baseline 4.23; 3-year follow-up 4.04). Time of interaction between traditional oral hygiene instruction (OHI) and brief MI groups did not achieve statistical significance for plaque score from baseline to 3-years (0.12). A brief MI intervention achieved longitudinal reductions in clinical indicators of periodontitis and enhanced patient's perception of self-efficacy for oral hygiene behaviors at a 3-year follow-up.
Motivational Interviewing and Case-Based Learning Approach Toward Tobacco Cessation Behavior Changes.
Gaydos MS, Wiener RC, Morgan S … +1 more , Puette ES
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Jun · PMID 40514079
Health care professionals and health care students need effective skills to address the public health issue of tobacco use disorder. An accredited tobacco treatment specialist (TTS) program that includes case-based motiv...
Health care professionals and health care students need effective skills to address the public health issue of tobacco use disorder. An accredited tobacco treatment specialist (TTS) program that includes case-based motivational interviewing (MI) instruction and role-playing with case-based tobacco scenarios, provides an opportunity to obtain or improve tobacco cessation skills. It is important for health care students to develop competency in MI as part of the evidence-based strategies used to assist individuals with tobacco cessation. The purpose of this short report was to evaluate the effectiveness of case-based teaching of MI concepts and assess health care students' ability to apply these techniques during tobacco cessation scenarios. Ten percent of the TTS program's certification examination consisted of case-based questions in MI skills developed by a team of experts. A total of 156 West Virginia University Health Sciences Center students (including dental and dental hygiene students) were examined. The mean overall correct response for MI case-based questions score was 89.0% (SD, 0.29). With an 80% competency score, this assessment of tobacco cessation case-based learning questions displayed proficient application of MI and case-based learning was considered a valuable method to teach a complex skill.
A Guide to Applying Motivational Interviewing in Nutritional Counseling in Dental Hygiene Education.
Anderson H, Jackson S, Arnett MC
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Jun · PMID 40514078
Oral and systemic chronic health conditions are widespread in the United States, and nutrition plays a crucial role in their prevention and management. Dental hygienists, as prevention specialists, are uniquely positione...
Oral and systemic chronic health conditions are widespread in the United States, and nutrition plays a crucial role in their prevention and management. Dental hygienists, as prevention specialists, are uniquely positioned to incorporate nutritional counseling into patient care due to their education and expertise in risk assessment. Despite its importance, integrating effective nutritional counseling in clinical practice is often challenging, with barriers such as time constraints, patient compliance, and clinician confidence. This report presents a blueprint for incorporating motivational interviewing (MI) through a Nutritional Risk Assessment and Counseling Tool (NRACT) into dental hygiene education at Eastern Washington University (EWU). The five-semester dental hygiene curriculum at EWU integrates nutrition concepts early in the course of study, using MI strategies to enhance student confidence in patient counseling. Students receive foundational training in MI techniques, including open-ended questions, reflective listening, and evoking patient motivation. The NRACT supports both assessment and structured nutritional counseling, allowing students to guide patient interactions effectively. Through clinical practice, workshops, and peer feedback, students refine their MI skills and develop confidence addressing nutrition-related concerns. Initial outcomes from EWU suggest incorporating the NRACT, which includes MI, increases students' comfort in discussing topics like nutrition while enhancing patient-centered care. This short report provides the framework to foster the development of skilled oral health care professionals equipped to promote nutritional health. Additionally, this report offers a transferable model for integrating nutritional counseling into dental hygiene education across diverse educational settings.
Utilization of the HPV Brief Motivational Interviewing Skills-Based Training Among University of Minnesota Dental Hygiene Alumni.
Stull CL, Rogers K, Flavin K … +3 more , Thelen R, Evans MD, Arnett MC
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Jun · PMID 40514077
Despite the availability of a vaccine to prevent Human papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal cancer (HPV-OPC), its incidence has surpassed all other HPV-related cancers. Dental hygienists play an important role in patient...
Despite the availability of a vaccine to prevent Human papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal cancer (HPV-OPC), its incidence has surpassed all other HPV-related cancers. Dental hygienists play an important role in patient education and vaccine counseling for the prevention of HPV-OPC. The purpose of this study was to assess the utilization of HPV Brief Motivational Interviewing (brief MI) Skills Based Training among the University of Minnesota (UMN) dental hygiene alumni. A quantitative study was conducted with a convenience sample of dental hygiene alumni (classes of 2020-2024; n=135) who completed HPV Brief MI Skills Based Training at the UMN. Multiple recruitment strategies were used including email, mail, social media, and snowball sampling. Participants completed a 37-item anonymous electronic survey via Qualtrics. The survey was adapted from previously used instruments to assess HPV knowledge, attitudes, current practices in HPV counseling, and the application of brief MI for the prevention of HPV-OPC. Among the participants (n=51), 49% reported using MI strategies to counsel at least one patient on prevention of HPV-OPC infections and indicated high comfort and confidence in applying MI strategies. However, most participants (73%) acknowledged they do not routinely discuss HPV with patients. Barriers included time constraints, vaccine resistance, difficulty initiating conversations, and lack of confidence or comfort during discussions. Results indicate that knowledge retention and attitudes may be influenced by frequency of practice. Dental hygiene alumni from five consecutive cohorts who received HPV Brief MI Skills-Based Training reported comfort and confidence in HPV communication with patients. Findings suggest brief MI is an effective counseling strategy for HPV-OPC prevention and vaccine advocacy. Reported barriers to regular HPV-OPC prevention counseling suggest a change in dental practice culture may be needed.
Motivational Interviewing in Dental Hygiene Education: Past Lessons, Present Practices, and Future Directions.
Arnett MC, Cullen J, Bray K
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Jun · PMID 40514076
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
The Use of Motivational Interviewing in Preventing Dental Caries Among Young Children.
McKinney DC, Sullivan ML, Alkhalifah F
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Jun · PMID 40514075
Dental caries is a complex, preventable disease that remains a global health burden. The burden of this disease has been shown to impact young children before the age of 6 years. Discussing dental caries prevention with...
Dental caries is a complex, preventable disease that remains a global health burden. The burden of this disease has been shown to impact young children before the age of 6 years. Discussing dental caries prevention with the mother/caregiver(s) prior to childbirth is an ideal time to influence positive oral health behaviors. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a person-centered, goal-oriented, collaborative communication style that has been used to help individuals modify behaviors. The interrelated principles of partnership, acceptance, compassion, and evocation underpin the MI approach while utilizing communication skills such as asking open-ended questions, affirmation, reflective listening, and summarizing (OARS) to engage with the individual. Motivational interviewing is an evidence-based communication approach used to assist individuals in modifying behaviors related to health, mental health, nutrition, substance use, and oral health. The integration of MI has shown promise when communicating with mothers/caregiver(s) about dental caries prevention among young children. The purpose of this short report is to describe the MI approach and its use in dental caries prevention for young children.
The Power of Human Interactions.
Draper CK
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Jun · PMID 40514074
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Implementation of the 2017 Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases by Clinical Dental Hygienists.
Li Q, Boyd LD, Giblin-Scanlon L … +2 more , Vineyard J, Perry K
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Apr · PMID 40194864
The World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions introduced a new framework for categorizing periodontal and peri-implant diseases and conditions in 2017. The purpose of th...
The World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions introduced a new framework for categorizing periodontal and peri-implant diseases and conditions in 2017. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current implementation practice and factors impacting implementation of the 2017 Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases by clinical dental hygienists. Survey research was conducted in an online format with a non-probability sample of clinical dental hygienists recruited via social media and snowball sampling (n= 255). Components of the survey included personal, environmental, and behavioral factors along with intention to implement the classification of periodontal staging and grading system into patient care. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression. The survey completion rate was 71% (n=181). Environmental factors (β=.352, <.001) and personal factors (β=.469, <.001) were positively associated with the intention to implement the 2017 periodontal disease classification system. In contrast, behavioral factors (β=.011, =.889) and highest degree earned (β=.079, =.151) were not significant predictors. For the intention to attend continuing education courses on the new classification system, both behavioral factors (β=.388, <.001) and personal factors (β=.299, =.003) were significant. However, environmental factors (β=-.048, =.535), years in practice (β=-.041, =.506), and familiarity (β=.066, =.402) were not significant predictors. Results demonstrated that both environmental and personal factors significantly influenced the intention to implement the 2017 periodontal disease classification system among clinical dental hygienists. To enhance integration, efforts should be made to focus on improving personal motivation and addressing the environmental/workplace factors.
Dental Hygiene Students' Education and Intent to Use Recommended Communication Techniques.
Maybury C, Horowitz AM, Clough SR … +2 more , Wang MQ, Kleinman DV
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Apr · PMID 40194863
Dental hygienists' knowledge and application of clear communication techniques are critical due to their role as primary providers of education about preventive regimens. The purpose of this study was to obtain informati...
Dental hygienists' knowledge and application of clear communication techniques are critical due to their role as primary providers of education about preventive regimens. The purpose of this study was to obtain information about dental hygiene students' perceived education regarding recommended communication techniques and their intent to use these techniques in practice. A national online survey was designed by the University of Maryland and structured by the American Dental Association's Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention (CAAP). The survey was distributed by the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) in 2019 to 9533 student email addresses. The survey included student demographics, the recommended communication techniques they were exposed to, when and where they were assessed, whether they had heard of the term health literacy, and their intent to use the communication techniques once in clinical practice. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. Significance was set at < 0.05. A total of 235 surveys were returned for a 2.5% response rate. The majority were female (95.7%), white (81.7%) and born in the United States (89.8%). Nearly a third (28.1%) were in baccalaureate programs and over half (59.1%) were in associate degree programs. The most frequently reported method used to educate students about provider-patient communication techniques was lectures (88.9%). Respondents were more likely to report having knowledge regarding the use of simple language (98.3%) than asking the patient to repeat back the information or instructions (87.7%). Respondents had greater confidence (82.1%) and intention to use simple language (92.8%) than confidence to ask patients to repeat back information (73.2%) or intention to do so in the future (67.7%) The majority (58.3%) reported being evaluated on communication skills both in the classroom and clinic setting. Results of this survey, although non-representative of all dental hygiene students, suggest a need for increased classroom and clinic use of recommended communication techniques in dental hygiene education programs. Dental hygiene graduates must understand the use of recommended communication techniques to reduce misinformation about oral health and increase patients' knowledge and understanding about preventing oral diseases.
Dental Hygiene Student and Faculty Perspectives on Disposable vs. Traditional Local Anesthetic Syringes: A pilot study.
Nowka RA, Sefo DL, Sheth R … +1 more , Beall AL
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Apr · PMID 40194862
The popularity of disposable safety syringes has grown because of their established safety record. Previous studies on local anesthetic syringes have mainly concentrated on safety features and the prevention of needlesti...
The popularity of disposable safety syringes has grown because of their established safety record. Previous studies on local anesthetic syringes have mainly concentrated on safety features and the prevention of needlestick injuries, often neglecting the preferences of practitioners. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preferences of dental hygiene students and faculty for traditional metal syringes compared to disposable safety syringes. An 11-item questionnaire was distributed to a convenience sample of 61 dental hygiene students and 3 faculty members in a pain management course. The questionnaires were administered after the participants' first exposure to local anesthetic administration on a mannequin and after their final exposure on a live patient to assess any changes in preferences. The post-questionnaire included the same 11 questions, along with an open-ended question inviting participants to share their final thoughts. Data were collected and entered into an Excel spreadsheet for descriptive statistics and inductive content analysis The response rate was 93.44% (n=57) for the initial questionnaire and 90.16% (n=55) for the final questionnaire administered to the dental hygiene students. All of the faculty members (n=3) completed both questionnaires. Participants preferred the traditional syringe over the disposable safety syringe for ease of use/comfort and control of the apparatus during set up, aspiration, and injection. However, preferences for disposable safety syringes were indicated in the responses related to syringe break down and clean-up. This study assessed the preferences of dental hygiene students and faculty for traditional metal versus disposable safety syringes, revealing a clear preference for the former despite some limitations. Understanding how syringe design affects user comfort and safety could enhance disposable syringe technology and its adoption.
Mentor Like Minnesota: Outcomes of an undergraduate research mentorship program.
Reibel Y, Jiang Z, Arnett MC
J Dent Hyg · 2025 Apr · PMID 40194861
Commission on Dental Accreditation Standards require that dental hygiene students are competent in evaluation of scientific literature. A current problem is the lack of faculty mentorship to develop allied oral health st...
Commission on Dental Accreditation Standards require that dental hygiene students are competent in evaluation of scientific literature. A current problem is the lack of faculty mentorship to develop allied oral health student researchers. The goal the University of Minnesota (UMN) undergraduate research program was to utilize an existing writing curriculum thread and mentor students interested in research through the development of research question(s), study design, conducting research, and the manuscript development process to achieve a publication.The UMN dental hygiene program assessed the writing within the program, created standardized rubrics for research and reflective writing, and calibrated dental hygiene faculty on their use. Additionally, a writing orientation workshop was established to increase student success in writing. Students were also encouraged to apply for a dental hygiene writing award as this was used to select students for the research mentorship program. Writing outcomes were assessed and improvement was demonstrated in several key writing standards defined by the program. A total of nine (n=9) students have participated in the faculty research mentorship program from 2019 to 2023 and eight students completed the program assessment questionnaire (n=8, 87.5%). All participants reported strong agreement that they felt supported in all aspects of the research process and expressed confidence that they could complete research in the future. Six students had publications and one student was under review. The development of a writing enriched curriculum and a writing orientation workshop has improved student writing outcomes and student engagement in research and publication at UMN. Faculty mentorship resulted in students' experience with manuscript development and the peer-review process to obtain a publication. More faculty mentorship in undergraduate allied oral health education is needed to engage students in the research process.
About
- Frequency
- Sun
- Papers found
- 200
- RSS feed
- Subscribe