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Dobrow MJ, Valela A, Bruce E, Simpson K, Pettifer G. Identification and assessment of factors that impact the demand for and supply of dental hygienists amidst an evolving workforce context: a scoping review. BMC Oral Health 2024; 24:631. [PMID: 38811920 PMCID: PMC11137971 DOI: 10.1186/s12903-024-04392-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study involved a scoping review to explore factors influencing dental hygienist demand and supply in high-income countries. METHODS A six-stage scoping review was conducted with separate search strategies tailored to four databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Google Scholar, and Google) plus a targeted scan of dental hygienist organization websites. This yielded 2,117 unique citations, leading to 148 articles included in the review. RESULTS Nearly half of the articles (47%) focused on the United States, with 11% on Canada. Most articles (91%) were in English, alongside 13 in Korean and one in French. Journal articles comprised 62% of the publications, followed by reports/working papers (11%) and websites (11%). Other types included conference abstracts, policy briefs, and presentation slides. Content-wise, 47% were original research, with analysis articles (14%), commentaries (11%), and reviews (8%) also present. The articles were coded into three main categories: workforce characteristics/projections, factor-specific analyses, and workforce opportunities. The articles on workforce characteristics covered demographic, geographic, and employment aspects of dental hygienists, along with projections for supply and demand using simulation modelling and geospatial analyses. Factor-specific articles investigated the (1) working environment, (2) policy/regulatory/training environment, (3) job/career satisfaction and related human resource issues, and (4) scope of practice. The third key category of articles highlighted opportunities for expanding the workforce through alternative models in different sectors/settings (e.g., public health, primary care, long-term care, hospitals, mobile outreach, and non-clinical roles including research, education and leadership) and for a range of vulnerable or underserved populations (e.g., geriatric and pediatric populations, persons with disabilities, those living in rural/remote areas, Indigenous peoples, and incarcerated people). CONCLUSIONS This review provides a comprehensive documentation of the current state of the dental hygienist workforce, compiling factors affecting demand and supply, and highlighting opportunities for the dental hygienist workforce in Canada and other high-income countries. The findings offer a foundation for future research, highlighting the need for more focused and rigorous reviews and underscoring the necessity of high-quality studies to verify the effectiveness of various interventions and policies. This is crucial to address dental hygienist workforce challenges and ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of oral health care delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J Dobrow
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Suite 425, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M6, Canada.
- Accessing Centre for Expertise, 155 College Street, Suite 425, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M6, Canada.
| | - Angela Valela
- Accessing Centre for Expertise, 155 College Street, Suite 425, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M6, Canada
| | - Eric Bruce
- College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario, 175 Bloor Street East, North Tower, Suite 601, Toronto, ON, M4W 3R8, Canada
| | - Keisha Simpson
- College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario, 175 Bloor Street East, North Tower, Suite 601, Toronto, ON, M4W 3R8, Canada
| | - Glenn Pettifer
- College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario, 175 Bloor Street East, North Tower, Suite 601, Toronto, ON, M4W 3R8, Canada
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Wåhlin C, Lindmark U, Wagman P, Johnston V, Rolander B. Work and health characteristics of oral health providers who stay healthy at work – a prospective study in public dentistry. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOTHERAPY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/21679169.2021.1905876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Wåhlin
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine Centre, Division of Prevention, Rehabilitation and Community Medicine, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research for Worker Health, Institute for Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ulrika Lindmark
- Department of Health Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
- Centre for Oral Health, Department of Natural Sciences and Biomedicine, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Petra Wagman
- Department of Rehabilitation, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Venerina Johnston
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Australia
| | - Bo Rolander
- Futurum, Academy for Health and Care, Region Jönköping, Jönköping, Sweden
- Department of Behavioral Science and Social Work, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
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Rolander B, Lindmark U, Johnston V, Wagman P, Wåhlin C. Organizational types in relation to exposure at work and sickness - a repeated cross-sectional study within public dentistry. Acta Odontol Scand 2020; 78:132-140. [PMID: 31519122 DOI: 10.1080/00016357.2019.1659411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Organizations and state agencies that provide dental care continuously face various and novel demands related to the need for dental care. However, rearrangements of work tasks by reducing the number of tasks performed by dental personnel might make the work more monotonous, repetitive, and static within an organization. The aim of this study is to compare how two dental work organizations, with different staffing and clinic size, are perceived by dental personnel focusing on physical and psychosocial conditions, leadership, work ability and presenteeism in 2012 and 2014.Material and Methods: This repeated cross-sectional study included personnel from the Public Dental Service in Sweden. There were 282 dentists, dental hygienists, and dental nurses who answered a questionnaire 2012 and 299 in 2014.Results and conclusion: In 2012, nine per cent of medium clinics reported poor leadership compared with 27% in 2014. For large clinics, 17% perceived poor leadership in 2012 compared with 31% in 2014. A higher proportion of the employees reported presenteeism due to high physical load (43%) and high psychosocial load (21%) in 2014 compared with 31% and 13% in 2012. These results indicate the need for work place interventions promoting health among dental employees.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. Rolander
- Futurum, Academy for Health and Care, Jönköping County Council, Jönköping, Sweden
- Department of Behavioral Science and Social Work, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - U. Lindmark
- Centre for Oral Health, Department of Natural Sciences and Biomedicine, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - V. Johnston
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - P. Wagman
- Department of Rehabilitation, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - C. Wåhlin
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Center, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research for Worker Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Flodin U, Rolander B, Löfgren H, Krapi B, Nyqvist F, Wåhlin C. Risk factors for neck pain among forklift truck operators: a retrospective cohort study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2018; 19:44. [PMID: 29426319 PMCID: PMC5807762 DOI: 10.1186/s12891-018-1956-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND No previous research has been performed into neck pain among forklift operators. This is a common complaint among these workers, who number around 150,000 in Sweden and six million in Europe. The aim of the study was to examine long-term exposure to unnatural neck positions among forklift operators as a risk factor for neck pain. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all eligible employees at a high-level warehouse. Forklift operators and office workers answered an 18-page questionnaire comprising questions about joint pain, work tasks, work postures and year of start for all items. By using person years in the exposed and less-exposed groups before start of neck pain we were able to calculate Incident Rate ratios for various exposures. RESULTS Forty nine percent of the forklift operators reported having experienced neck pain compared to 30 % of office workers. Being a forklift operator was associated with an increased risk of neck pain (OR = 5.1, 95% CI 1.4-18.2). Holding the head in an unnatural position resulted in significantly increased risks for neck pain, irrespective of type of position. The risks for neck pain remained after taking other ergonomic exposures and psychosocial aspects into consideration. CONCLUSIONS This is the first published study showing that forklift operators have an increased risk of neck pain. The results are therefore of significance for improving work schedules, the adjustment of work tasks for these workers and the design of the vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- U Flodin
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Östergötland, 581 85, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - B Rolander
- Department of Behavioral Science and Social Work, School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden.,Futurum, Academy for Health and Care, Region Jönköping County, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - H Löfgren
- Neuro-Orthopedic Center, Ryhov Hospital, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - B Krapi
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Östergötland, 581 85, Linköping, Sweden
| | - F Nyqvist
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Östergötland, 581 85, Linköping, Sweden
| | - C Wåhlin
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Östergötland, 581 85, Linköping, Sweden.,Unit of Intervention and Implementation Research, Institute for Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Åstrøm AN, Ekbäck G, Ordell S, Lie SA, Gulcan F. Dental hygienist attendance and its covariates in an ageing Swedish cohort. Eur J Oral Sci 2017; 125:487-494. [PMID: 29083073 DOI: 10.1111/eos.12385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Delegation of tasks between professional groups is important to make health-care services accessible and effective for ageing people. Focussing on a Swedish 1942 birth cohort and guided by Andersen's Behavioral Model, this study assessed dental hygienist attendance from age 50 to age 70 and identified covariates at the population-averaged and person-specific levels. In 1992, a census of 50-yr-old subjects was invited to participate in a questionnaire survey. Of the 6,346 respondents, 3,585 completed follow-ups in 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted using a marginal model and a random intercept model. Cochran's Q test revealed that significantly more respondents confirmed dental hygienist attendance in 2012 than in 1992 (57.2% in 2012 vs. 26.0% in 1992). Population-averaged ORs for dental hygienist attendance across time were 3.5 at age 70 yr compared with age 50 yr (baseline); 2.0 if being a regular rather than an irregular dental attendee; and 0.7 if being of non-native origin compared with native origin. The corresponding person-specific ORs were 8.9, 3.2, and 0.5. Consistent with Andersen's Behavioral Model, predisposing, enabling, and need-related factors were associated with dental hygienist attendance at population-averaged and person-specific levels. This has implications for promoting dental hygienist attendance among ageing people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne N Åstrøm
- Department of Clinical Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Gunnar Ekbäck
- Örebro County Council, Örebro, Sweden.,School of Health and Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Sven Ordell
- Dental Commissioning Unit, Östergötland County Council, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Stein A Lie
- Department of Clinical Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Ferda Gulcan
- Department of Clinical Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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Wagman P, Lindmark U, Rolander B, Wåhlin C, Håkansson C. Occupational balance in health professionals in Sweden. Scand J Occup Ther 2016; 24:18-23. [PMID: 27385582 DOI: 10.1080/11038128.2016.1203459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health care employees are often women, a group that has high degrees of sick leave and perhaps problems attaining occupational balance. However, people think differently about their everyday activities and it is therefore important to take their perceptions into account but occupational balance has not yet been measured in health professionals. The aim was to describe occupational balance in three different samples of health professionals in Sweden. A further aim was to investigate whether occupational therapists (OTs) rate their occupational balance differently from other health professionals. MATERIAL AND METHOD Four hundred and eighty-two health professionals, employees in public dentistry, mental health care and OTs, aged 21-70 years participated. The participants' occupational balance was measured using the occupational balance questionnaire (OBQ). RESULTS The ratings of occupational balance were similar to earlier studies and did not differ significantly between the samples. The OTs' occupational balance was also similar to that of the other health professionals. CONCLUSION The similarities in occupational balance indicate the same difficulties in attaining it. SIGNIFICANCE The result highlights the possibility that working people face similar difficulties in achieving occupational balance. Further research is warranted about how to attain it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Wagman
- a School of Health and Welfare , Jönköping University , Jönköping , Sweden
| | - Ulrika Lindmark
- a School of Health and Welfare , Jönköping University , Jönköping , Sweden
| | - Bo Rolander
- a School of Health and Welfare , Jönköping University , Jönköping , Sweden.,b Futurum, Academy for Health and Care , Jönköping County Council , Jönköping , Sweden
| | - Charlotte Wåhlin
- c Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Center , Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden
| | - Carita Håkansson
- d Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine , Lund University , Lund , Sweden
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