Dental hygiene students' and recent graduates' intentions, attitudes, and perceptions of academic careers.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore dental hygiene students' and recent graduates' awareness, attitudes, perceived barriers, motivators, and intentions to pursue a career in academia as a dental hygiene educator. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey research was conducted with a non-probability sample of dental hygiene students and recent graduates (n = 451). The survey included sections for familiarity regarding academic careers for dental hygienists, attitudes toward academic careers, barriers and motivating factors for this career path, and future academic career intentions. Analysis included descriptive, correlations, and regression. RESULTS: Of 451 surveys started, 296 were at least 80% complete for a completion rate of 66%. The most reported barrier to a career in academia was the cost to obtain the required degree to become an educator (67.6%, n = 200), and for motivating factors was a sense of accomplishment (62.8%, n = 186). Regression analysis of likelihood to pursue a higher education degree showed two main predictors; belief that higher education would advance the dental hygiene profession (ß = 0.35, p < 0.001) and willingness to take a pay cut to become an educator (ß = 0.24, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Overall dental hygiene students and recent graduates were familiar with and had a positive view of careers in academia. However, barriers included cost and time for obtaining a higher degree, as well as the pay differential between academia and private practice. The educator shortage in dental hygiene may be alleviated by providing educators with loan forgiveness and offering salaries comparable to clinical practice.

Self-directed learning in dental hygiene students: Impact of locus of control and personality traits.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to identify demographic variables, the level of self-directed learning (SDL), locus of control (LOC), and personality traits in dental hygiene (DH) students and to identify predictive variables for SDL. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey research was conducted with a convenience sample of DH students (n = 229) in the United States using a web-based survey. The validated instruments used were the Self-Directed Learning Instrument (SDLI) to determine level of SDL, the Academic Locus of Control (ALC) scale for college students to evaluate LOC, and the Big Five Inventory-2-Extra Short Form (BFI-2-XS) to identify personality traits. Descriptive, correlation, and regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: The completion rate was 68.9% (n = 159). The average SDLI score of the sample was 82.59, indicating a high overall level of SDL. The average ALC score was 10.34, indicating an overall internal LOC. Internal LOC (B = -0.319, SE = 0.082, ß = -0.330, p < 0.001) and an open-minded personality trait (B = 1.156, SE = 0.363, ß = 0.233, p = 0.002) emerged as significant predictors of learning motivation (B = -0.138, SE = 0.057, ß = -0.214, p < 0.017) and self-monitoring (B = 0.553, SE = 0.253, ß = 0.167, p = 0.030) SDLI constructs. CONCLUSION: SDL among DH students can be cultivated by enhancing their learning motivation and self-monitoring skills. This may be achieved by helping learners increase their internal locus of control and open-mindedness. Future studies should explore exercises to help promote these traits.

The role of self-compassion in mediating the effect of perfectionism on personal growth initiative in dental hygienists.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored perfectionism, self-compassion and personal growth initiative in clinical dental hygienists. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey research was conducted with a non-probability sample of clinical dental hygienists (n = 877). The survey had 55 items and consisted of three validated instruments: Frost's Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-Brief (including evaluative concerns and perfectionistic striving subscales), Neff's Self-Compassion Scale and Robitschek's Personal Growth Initiative Scale. Descriptive, correlation, t-test, ANOVA and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationships among variables. Mediation analysis was conducted to determine the presence of a mediated moderation effect of self-compassion on perfectionism and personal growth initiative. RESULTS: The completion rate for the survey was 89% (n = 788). Evaluative concerns (M = 11.83) and perfectionistic strivings (M = 15.44) among dental hygienists were high, levels of self-compassion (SC) were moderate (M = 2.87) and levels of personal growth initiative (PGI) were low (M = 38.07) compared to others not in the dental field. The mediation analysis found that SC mediates the relationship between perfectionistic evaluative concerns and PGI. It was also determined that SC mediates the relationship between perfectionistic strivings and PGI. CONCLUSION: Dental hygienists have high levels of perfectionism and may lack necessary levels of self-compassion to counteract those perfectionistic tendencies resulting in a decrease in taking the initiative to engage in opportunities for growth. This suggests the importance of dental hygienists developing a more adaptive perfectionism to balance self-criticism along with not having unrealistic expectations for perfection while engaging in self-compassion that includes self-kindness and mindfulness to support their continued growth.

Effects of Social Media on Consumer Information Seeking and Purchase Intention of Oral Health Care Products Among Adults.

Purpose Social media has created an environment providing readily available information that impacts how individuals seek information and make product decisions. The purpose of this study was to examine adult consumer use of social media for information seeking and the effect on intention to purchase oral health care products.Methods A cross-sectional study design with a non-probability sample of adult consumers recruited through crowdsourcing with Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) was used to examine the effect of social media on purchasing of oral health products. Data collection included demographic, social media use, and the Information Acceptance Model (IACM) which measured information acceptance from friends and customer reviews from social media. Descriptive statistics, subgroup analysis of demographic variables, and multivariable linear regression were used to assess the relationship among variables.Results Participants (n=308) were mostly males (56.2%), average age 37 years, held bachelor's degrees (68.8%), from the southern United States, and had been to the dentist within the last two years (72.8%). Instagram (40.6%) was the most frequently used platform and social media was frequently used (36.7%) to obtain information on oral health care products. Findings from the IACM information subscale indicated high scores for information from friends and customer reviews (p<0.01). The information needs (p=0.049) and information adoption from friends (p=0.03) were slightly less for females when compared to males. Friends' recommendations (p=0.02) on social media had the greatest effect on intention to purchase among participants living in the Midwest. Multivariate regression models indicated information usefulness and information adoption had the greatest influence on purchase intention from friends (p<0.001), while information credibility, information usefulness, and information adoption had the greatest influence from customer reviews (p<0.001).Conclusion Results provided some initial insights into the way consumers may use social media for information about oral health products and the influences on them choosing to purchase the products. Oral health care providers can use this information to educate and guide patients to credible information sources in their search for oral health care products.

Effect of dental hygienists' self-efficacy on intention to provide dental care to autistic individuals.

AIMS: The study aimed to investigate the influence of dental hygiene providers' self-efficacy and the factors affecting self-efficacy on their intent to provide care for autistic individuals. METHODS AND RESULTS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a nonprobability sample of dental hygienists (n = 1075), yielding a completion rate of 70.6%. The survey included validated measures to assess participants' demographics, autism training and experience, autism knowledge, self-efficacy, environmental factors, and intention to treat the autistic population. Participants' self-efficacy scores (r = 0.416; p < .001) and support from dental offices (r = [0.174; 0.465]; p < .001) had the greatest influence on intent. Clinicians who had more experience treating (r = 0.280; p = .005) and received more hours of training/education on treating autistic patients (r = 0.344; p < .001) showed a stronger inclination to provide care to this population. Notably, autism knowledge had a weaker impact on intent when compared to self-efficacy and training/education. CONCLUSION: Autism-focused education and training have a positive effect on provider self-efficacy when caring for autistic individuals. Increased emphasis on such interventions is necessary at all levels of dental hygiene education. The findings from this study can help overcome barriers to preventive dental care for the autistic community.

Dental Hygienists Knowledge, Beliefs, and Intentions Regarding Asking Adolescents About Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Use.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to assess clinical dental hygienists' knowledge, beliefs, and intentions regarding asking adolescents about electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey research was conducted with a convenience sample of dental hygienists using a validated instrument developed based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) that contained the following sections: demographics, knowledge, behavioral belief (BB), normative beliefs, control beliefs, and behavioral intention. Outcomes were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the 360 participants who opened the survey, 257 completed it for a completion rate of 71.4%. The knowledge score mean was 72%. BBs suggested that a majority (83%) of participants were likely to ask adolescent patient about ENDS use, however, normative beliefs showed that only about half had the support of their dentist/supervisor, and one-third (33%) felt they had sufficient tobacco/nicotine use and dependency guideline resources. This resulted in only half having the behavioral intention to ask adolescents about ENDS use. Demographic variables were not significantly correlated with the TPB subscales or intention. In the regression model all three TPB subscales predicted intention (F3, 251) = 46.1; p < .001). The coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.35) suggested 35% of the variation in the intention to ask about ENDS use can be explained by the model. DISCUSSION: Most participants had favorable BBs toward asking about ENDS use among adolescents. However, adequate support from dentists/supervisors and training on guidelines for prevention and cessation of ENDS is needed to encourage dental hygienists to ask adolescents about ENDS use.

Prevalence of Workplace Cyberbullying among Dental Hygienists.

Purpose Increased use of technology, including social media, has led to a new phenomenon of workplace cyberbullying, specifically within the health care professions. The purpose of this study was to measure the prevalence of workplace cyberbullying among clinical dental hygienists and identify relationships between these behaviors and demographic characteristics.Methods A cross-sectional survey research design was used with a non-probability sample of clinical dental hygienists (n=714) recruited via social media. The validated Workplace Cyberbullying Measure (WCM) survey instrument was used for data collection which included work-related (10 items) and person-related (7 items) subscales. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and correlations.Results The completion rate was 88.8% (n=634). The prevalence of workplace cyberbullying among participants was 19%, with the highest frequency of negative acts occurring now and then. When comparing the two subscales among different workplace settings corporate dental/Dental Service Organizations (DSOs) had a higher work-related subscale score (M=1.84, SD=0.78) than private practice (p=0.03), but not community/public health clinical settings (p=0.69). Community/public health clinics had a higher work-related subscale score (M=1.78, SD=0.68) than private practice (p<0.001). Corporate dental/DSOs had a higher person-related cyberbullying score (M=1.49, SD=0.59) than private practice (p=0.003) but not community/public health clinics (p=0.37). Corporate dental/DSOs had higher work-related and person-related cyberbullying scores than private practice, however community/public health clinic participants reported a greater incidence of WCB.Conclusion Dental hygienists (20%) report experiencing workplace cyberbullying in the past 6 months especially in corporate dental/DSOs and community/public health settings. Corporate dental/DSOs may need to investigate educating personnel on WCB. Employers, particularly corporate/DSOs and public health agencies, need to have policies in place to manage WCB.

Compassion Fatigue, Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout and Alcohol Use Among Dental Hygienists.

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between demographics, compassion fatigue (CF), compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO) and alcohol use among dental hygienists (DHs). METHODS: The web-based survey consisting of two validated instruments [Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and Professional Quality of Life] to measure alcohol use, CF, CS and BO was conducted with a convenience sample of DHs (n = 963). RESULTS: The completion rate was 81.6% (n = 786). Nearly one in five DHs (19.1%) reported having their alcohol consumption influenced by the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic at least moderately. The number of hours worked per week (x) and AUDIT scores (y) were fully mediated by BO (m) (P < 0.001); the average number of hours worked per week (x) and AUDIT scores (y) were fully mediated by CF (m) (P < 0.001); the average number of patients seen per day (x) was a predictor of AUDIT scores (y) when partially mediated by BO (m) (P < 0.001); and age (x) was a predictor of AUDIT scores (y), mediated by CS (m). Results showed that one in four DHs could qualify for binge drinking (25.6%, n = 177) and 15.1% experienced blackout drinking episodes within the past year (n = 118). CONCLUSION: Mediating relationships exist between demographics, CF, CS, BO and alcohol use among DHs. More research needs to be conducted on alcohol use and CF among DHs and protective factors that may reduce the risk of BO, CF or alcohol use.

Faculty caring behavior and effect on dental hygiene students' worry or anxiety.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: Studies in health professional students have shown the students' perception of instructor caring behaviors had a positive impact on student behaviors and their anxiety. Health professional students are under high emotional and academic demands during entry-level programs which can lead to higher anxiety. The purpose of this study was to measure the relationship between worry or anxiety and dental hygiene students' perceptions of faculty caring behaviors. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey research was conducted with a convenience sample of dental hygiene students (n = 355) in the United States using a web-based survey. The validated instruments Nursing Students' Perceptions of Instructor Caring (NSPIC) and Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) were used for data collection. The NSPIC contains five subscales including instilling confidence through caring (CTC), supportive learning climate, appreciation of life's meanings, control versus flexibility (F), and respectful sharing (RS). Data analysis included descriptive, correlation, and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: The completion rate was 66% (n = 235). Findings showed the NSPIC subscale, CTC had a statistically significantly higher median score than other NSPIC sub-scales (p < 0001). The NSPIC subscale RS had the second-highest median score. The results of the PSWQ showed that 48% of participants were in the chronic worrier category. Regression analysis showed CTC was a significant predictor of worry (p < 0.001) and a one-unit increase in CTC resulted in a 0.21 decrease in the PSWQ score. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested instilling CTC behaviors was the most significant faculty caring behavior and was associated with lower levels of student worry. The results from this study may aid in identifying and developing effective caring behaviors for faculty to support students during stressful dental and allied dental curricula.

Patients' Fear, Stress, and Anxiety Toward Attending Dental Visits During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted dental care for individuals due to dental practice closures beginning in March 2020. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between fear or stress related to COVID-19, dental anxiety and attending dental visits among adults in the United States (US).Methods: A cross-sectional survey research design was used with a non-probability sample of adults residing in the US. Three validated scales, the COVID-19 Stress Scale (CSS), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS), were used for the electronically delivered survey instrument. A crowdsourcing platform was used to recruit participants over the age of 18, residing in the US. Descriptive, correlation, and multiple regression tests were used for data analysis.Results: A total of 308 participants opened the survey with a 97% completion rate (n=299). Time since the last dental visit was positively correlated with all measurement scale scores (p<0.01). Males had statistically significant higher scores on the CSS traumatic stress (p=0.002) and checking (p=0.001) sub-scales. Participants with bachelor and master's degrees had significantly higher scores across FCV-19S and CSS subscales.Conclusion: Individuals with dental anxiety were more likely to exhibit higher levels of fear and anxiety about COVID-19 transmission, resulting in delays in seeking dental care. Dental professionals should address patient concerns about the safety of dental settings and the infection control measures in place to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in dental settings. Public health entities and professional organizations need to promote messaging about the measures in place to deliver safe oral health care.

Clinical Dental Hygienists' Experience Returning to Work After Closure of Dental Offices Due to COVID-19: A qualitative study.

Purpose: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare providers includes physical, psychological, financial, and childcare issues. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of dental hygienists returning to clinical practice after the March 2020 closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A qualitative phenomenological research design was used with virtual focus groups. Clinical dental hygienists who had worked a minimum of 3 days a week prior to dental practice closures in March 2020 and had returned to work in May 2020 were invited to participate through purposive sampling on dental hygiene social media sites. Demographic data was collected prior to a one-hour focus group session. Two investigators independently analyzed and coded the data using a qualitative data analysis software program. The themes identified were used to generate a description of the major findings.Results: Data saturation was achieved with (n=35) participants for a total of 13 focus groups. Most participants were female (89%), and the average age was 40 years. The following major themes were identified: physical issues; emotional; adherence to infection control protocols; fear of contracting/transmitting COVID-19; financial stress; our career was marginalized; and let's get back and make money.Conclusion: Dental hygienists experienced similar physical and mental health stressors as other health care professionals upon returning to work during the COVID-19 pandemic, however dental hygienists also reported feeling marginalized and undervalued. Results from this study suggest that dental hygienists need both personal and workplace support to manage the issues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in order to retain them in the workforce.

Experiences and characteristics of men working in dental hygiene.

OBJECTIVE/PURPOSE: There is limited research available about men working in the profession of dental hygiene. The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics and experiences of men in dental hygiene. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey research was conducted with a purposive sample of male dental hygienists (n = 288). Participants were recruited via social media and snowball sampling. The survey was developed based on nursing literature and validated with a panel of experts with a final S-CVI of 98.5%. Descriptive statistics and correlations were used for data analysis. RESULTS: The completion rate was 80.9% (n = 233). Results revealed participants were more likely to be White (59.7%), hold an associate's entry-level dental hygiene degree (60.9%) and work in a private practice dental setting (73.4%). Sixty-one per cent reported full-time employment, and 50% was satisfied or very satisfied with benefits offered by their place of employment. All three sources of gender discrimination (patients, co-workers and employers) were related to experiencing a desire to leave the field. Experiencing gender discrimination from patients indicated a higher likelihood of desire to leave the field (49%) comparatively (33%), χ2  = 5.94, p = 0.02. Half of the respondents reported (56.7%) patients had refused to see them based on their gender. CONCLUSION: This research provides a snapshot of demographics and professional characteristics of male dental hygienists. Gender discrimination from patients emerged as an area that needs to be addressed in practice settings. It will be important to identify ways to make the profession more inviting to encourage men to join the profession.

Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue, and Burnout among Dental Hygienists in the United States.

Purpose: Compassion satisfaction allows for dental hygienists (DH) to grow professionally, but compassion fatigue can lead to burnout. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between compassion satisfaction (CS), compassion fatigue (CF), burnout (BO), to demographics and work characteristics, including thoughts of leaving the profession, among clinical DHs in the United States.Methods: A cross-sectional survey research design was used with a non-probability sampling of clinical DHs (n=553) recruited via social media. Data collection consisted of demographics, work characteristics and the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQoL) (version 5). Descriptive, correlation, and logistic regression analyses were used to assess the relationships among variables. Thematic analysis was conducted for the open-ended question.Results: The survey completion rate was 99% (n=527). The mean number of hours worked and number of days per week was 30.6 and 3.8 respectively and, on average, participants had worked 19.3 years in clinical practice. Approximately 70% of respondents indicated thinking about leaving the profession in the next five years. Participants with thoughts about leaving the field had a lower CS score (p<0.001), higher BO score (p<0.001), and higher CF (p<0.001) compared to those who had not thought about leaving the field. Age and years of experience positively correlated to CS and day per week worked negatively correlated to CF (p<0.05).Conclusion: Compassion satisfaction appears to impact burnout and thoughts of leaving the dental hygiene profession. Findings suggest the need for further research to identify ways to prevent burnout and improve retention in the profession.

Quality of life in dental hygienists using complementary alternative medicine approaches for work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

OBJECTIVES: The use of conventional treatment for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) reduces the prevalence of pain, but with popularity of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) therapies for treatment, it is important to explore their use and impact on dental hygienists (DHs) quality of life (QoL). METHODS: A cross-sectional survey research design was used with a non-probability sample of dental hygienists (n = 85) with WRMSDs who used CAM therapies. The WHOQOL-BREF was used to assess quality of life and compared with CAM use and frequency. Analysis included descriptive, t-tests, correlation and chi-square tests of independence. RESULTS: The most commonly used CAM types were massage (81%) and chiropractic manipulation (67%) with 66% of respondents using two or more CAM therapies. Participants using five or less different CAMs (n = 46), compared with those using more than five CAM types (n = 35, M = 2.3, SD = 1.5), t (79) = 2.7, p = 0.01, had a higher average number of years before they noticed their WRMSD (M = 3.3, SD = 1.9). Participants reporting use of a higher number of CAM types also had lower QoL physical health domain scores (rho = -0.2, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Dental hygienists used a variety of CAM approaches to manage WRMSDs and had a lower QoL across all domains (physical health, psychological health, social relationships and environment) than the normative mean. More research is needed to explore the use of CAM approaches, such as yoga, for prevention and management of WRMSDs to improve QoL.

Career Paths and Satisfaction of Dental Hygienists Holding Master's and Doctoral Degrees.

Purpose: There is an increased need for dental hygienists with advanced degrees to meet the demands of a complex health care system in addition to advancing the dental hygiene profession. The purpose of this study was to explore the career paths and satisfaction of dental hygienists with master's and doctoral degrees.Methods: A qualitative descriptive phenomenological research design was used with a purposive sample of dental hygienists (n=20) who had master's and doctoral degrees. A virtual web-based videoconferencing platform was used to conduct focus groups and utilize a national sample. Focus groups were audio recorded and transcribed. Data was analyzed for themes manually and with qualitative analysis software.Results: The results showed a wide range of career paths such as: administrator, lawyer, entrepreneur, dental therapist, dentist, nurse, educator, researcher, public speaker, consultant, editor, state oral health program coordinator, and marketing. The results also indicated that participants were satisfied and valued the pursuit of their advanced education. The six themes that emerged included: expanded opportunities; personal growth; professional growth; credibility; it's an investment; and just do it, don't overanalyze or second guess yourself.Conclusion: Findings suggest satisfaction with advanced education as well as a wide variety of career paths. Participants also endorsed more dental hygienists being educated at the master's and doctoral level to advance the profession of dental hygiene.

Oral Health Knowledge, Acculturation and Utilization of Oral Health Services among a Hispanic and Latino Population.

Purpose: Health disparities in the United States (US) are widespread, especially among racial and ethnic minorities populations. The purpose of this study was to assess whether oral health care knowledge and acculturation were associated with utilization of oral health services among the Latino and Hispanic population in Massachusetts.Methods: A cross-sectional survey research design was used with a convenience sample of Hispanic or Latino adults (n=315) residing in Massachusetts. The survey consisted of three validated instruments: New Oral Health Literacy Instrument for Public Health, the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute survey, and the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics survey (SASH). Oral health utilization was assessed using descriptive statistics, relationships between variables were assessed using t-tests.Results: The survey had a completion rate of 73% (n=230). Participants with dental insurance had a higher mean number of correct oral health knowledge responses as compared to those without insurance (p=0.003). Females and participants who were married or in a civil union had a higher mean knowledge score. Participants with dental insurance were more likely to have visited the dentist in the last 12 months, and have a dental home compared to those without (p<0.001). These participants were also more likely to indicate they would visit the dentist in the next 12 months (97%, n=175). The mean SASH score was statistically significantly lower for participants without a dental home (p=0.03), without dental insurance (p=0.01), without a dental visit in the last 12 months (p=0.05), and for those not intending to visit the dentist in the next 12 months (p=0.01).Conclusion: Improving access to affordable dental coverage, promoting the establishment of a dental home, encouraging cultural sensitivity among the dental team, and providing resources to those with limited English proficiency could improve utilization of oral health services among Latino and Hispanic populations.

Work Experiences of Male Dental Hygienists: A qualitative study.

Purpose: The percentage of men entering the dental hygiene profession has increased from less than 1% of the workforce in 1999 to 6.1% in 2020. However, little is known about the experiences of male dental hygienists. The purpose of this study was to explore and better understand the experiences of male dental hygienists.Methods: A qualitative phenomenological research design was used with a purposive sample of male dental hygienists (n=19) recruited via social media groups. Virtual focus groups were conducted and participants were asked open-ended questions to assist in data collection. The data analysis was conducted both manually and with qualitative analysis software. Two investigators independently identified emergent themes and a sub-set of participants participated in member checking of the themes identified.Results: The following major themes were identified: stereotype, "not just because I'm a guy, I'm a dental hygienist," discrimination, reverse discrimination/special treatment, and bringing balance to the work setting. In addition to the major themes, there were also several minor themes identified with the most common being the need for increased male representation in the profession.Conclusion: The findings of this study were consistent with nursing literature regarding the experience of males in female dominated professions. These findings may serve to enhance the positive experiences of being a male in dental hygiene and highlight the need to address the negative experiences such as discrimination to encourage more men to join the profession. Minor themes suggested the need to enhance male representation to make the profession more appealing to men.

Inappropriate Patient Sexual Behavior in the Dental Practice Setting: Experiences of dental hygienists.

Purpose: Workplace violence (WPV) and inappropriate patient sexual behavior (IPSB) have become increasingly prevalent in the United States. Previous research has shown health care professionals are at a 16-times higher risk of experiencing WPV and IPSB than other occupations, however, there is a lack of research in the field of dental hygiene. The purpose of the study was to examine the experiences of dental hygienists with IPSB in the workplace.Methods: A cross-sectional survey research design was used with a purposive sample of clinical dental hygienists recruited through social media sites (n=471). The validated survey was comprised of demographic and IPSB-related questions, with one open-ended question to expand on experiences with IPSB. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, t-tests and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data.Results: The survey completion rate was 49% (n=232). Career occurrence of IPSB was 85.8% and occurrence within the last 12-month period was 63.5% among the respondents. Participants who experienced all three categories of IPSB severity had the lowest median number of years in clinical practice (Md.=5.0) as compared to those who reported two categories (Md.=7) and those with only one category (Md.=10), p=0.01. Themes from the open-ended questions included types of patient perpetrating IPSB; type of IPSB behavior; and approaches to management of the IPSB.Conclusion: The high prevalence of IPSB events among dental hygienists in this study warrants increased practitioner education, improved workplace policy and support for management of IPSB.

Impact of Oral Health Education on the Knowledge, Behaviors, Attitudes, and Self-Efficacy of Caregivers for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Purpose: Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have a higher risk of oral disease and require assistance in performing oral self-care. The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of an oral health education program in improving caregivers' oral health knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and self-efficacy in providing oral health care to clients with IDD, residing in intermediate care facilities.Methods: A non-probability sample of new hire caregivers (n=47) for clients with IDD residing in an intermediate care facility was used for this quasi-experimental study. A one-group repeated measures design was used to explore the effectiveness of an oral health education program. All variables were examined using summary statistics and evaluated for normality and statistical assumptions.Results: Forty-seven participants attended the oral health education program intervention and completed the pre- and post-intervention questionnaire. Seventy percent (n=33) completed the four-week post-questionnaire. A statistically significant (p=0.004) improvement in knowledge between the baseline questionnaire and four-week questionnaire was identified. Findings demonstrated slight increases in knowledge for caregivers with <1 year experience, and in those with previous medical training. No significant differences were found in behaviors or attitudes from baseline to the four-week follow up, however, there was a trend toward positive behavior changes.Conclusion: Increased knowledge alone is not adequate to bring about and maintain positive oral health behavior change. Longer-term caregiver interventions, in addition to on-site support for oral care, are warranted to evaluate outcomes for individuals with IDD with the goal of reducing the burden of oral disease.

Job Satisfaction, Burnout, and Intention to Leave among Dental Hygienists in Clinical Practice.

Purpose: There is limited research about the job satisfaction (JS), burnout (BO), and intention to leave (ITL) amongst dental hygienists in clinical practice providing patient care. The purpose of this study was to explore current trends and the factors influencing JS, BO, and ITL among dental hygienists in their current positions.Methods: A cross-sectional research study was conducted with a convenience sample of dental hygienists recruited via social media sites. The web-based survey consisted of three previously validated instruments (Job Satisfaction Survey, Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, and Turnover Intention Scale). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.Results: The survey completion rate was 77% (n=554). Job satisfaction and burnout were associated with five factors related to ITL: frustration, achieving personal-work related goals, considering leaving, accepting another job, job satisfying personal needs, and looking forward to another day at work. Findings indicated that higher levels of JS (ß=-0.95, p<0.001) predicted decreased ITL while disengagement (ß=0.79, p<0.001) and exhaustion (ß=0.29, p<0.001) predicted an increase in ITL (F(3, 554)=141.63, R2=0.44, p<0.001). Increased JS predicted a decrease in willingness to accept another job (ß=-0.55, p<0.001). Disengagement predicted a higher willingness to accept another job (ß=0.60, p<0.001) however exhaustion did not (ß=0.09, p<0.001; F(3, 554)=46.89, R2=0.20, p<0.001 ).Conclusion: Findings suggest there is overall job satisfaction amongst dental hygienists in clinical practice with the exception of the lack of fringe benefits and opportunities for promotion. Employers may need to identify ways to address these concerns to retain qualified dental hygienists. In addition, employers need to be proactive in addressing factors impacting burnout and dental hygienists' intent to leave their positions.