Swedish dental hygienists' preferences for workplace improvement and continuing professional development

Working characteristics for practicing dental hygienists in two countries in different hemispheres

OBJECTIVES

The study aimed to collect and compare practice characteristics for dental hygienists (DHs) in New Zealand (NZ) and Sweden.

METHODS

Dental hygienists from NZ and Sweden were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey focusing on their working practices. An email, with a link to the online survey and a participant information sheet, was sent to DHs registered with their professional association in their respective country. Frequency analyses and cross-tabulations were conducted using Chi-square and Fisher's Exact tests to investigate possible statistical associations to allow for comparisons between the countries.

RESULTS

DH is a female-dominated workforce with equal distribution of gender in both countries. The majority of DHs in NZ worked in private practice while Swedish DHs mostly worked in the public sector. NZ participants were younger and with a more recent qualification than their Swedish counterparts. The highest degree of education was a PhD for DHs working in Sweden, compared with a Masters' Degree for NZ participants. The majority of participants from both countries treated patients 65 years of age or older, with the most common medical conditions being cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus. The most common dental condition observed/treated was periodontal disease. Over 60% agreed to have an understanding of information technology (IT). The most used technical equipment was digital radiology, followed by other diagnostic tools.

CONCLUSION

Findings confirm previous international data on demographical uptake for the DH workforce in NZ and Sweden. A coherence was seen in patient characteristics, DHs attitudes towards information technology and use of technical equipment.

Factors Behind Leaving the Job and Rejoining it by the Japanese Dental Hygienist

Aim:

To investigate the factors that countermeasure the re-entry of Japanese dental hygienist.

Background:

The number of currently working dental hygienists is not sufficient. About 40% licensed dental hygienist are leaving their professional jobs. Re-entry of the dental hygienist who have left is expected to compensate the unbalance of demand and supply.

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to identify the obstacles faced during re-entry by the dental hygienists and propose the countermeasures for supporting re-entry.

Methods:

The Japan Dental Hygienist Association conducts survey of the Employment Status of Japanese dental hygienist every 5 years since 1981.Questionnaires were distributed for all members of the Japan Dental Hygienists Association. Among the 94 items, following eight specific items were used for analysis: 1. The reason of leaving the job. 2. For how long have you left the job? 3. Willingness to reenter. 4. How do you find your work for re-entry? 5. Is there any obstacle in the reentry? 6. What is the obstacle faced by you during reentry? 7. Do you need lecture course for reentry? 8. What kind of lecture course contents do you want to attend?

Results:

Questioners were distributed among the 16,113 members of Appeases Dental hygienist Association, and out of which 8,780 responded (collection rate:54.5%). By log-linear analysis, the reason behind leaving the job were dissatisfaction with work content and marriage significant in age groups ≤29 and 30-39. Child birth / child rearing was significant in age groups ≤29, 30-39 and 40-49. Payment was significant in 30-39 and 40-49. Child birth / rearing and working hours had the most important impacts on leaving the job and were among the obstacle for reentry. In this study, a number of dental hygienist who leave the job due to child birth / rearing was highest.

Conclusion:

There was a limitation for sampling frame of this study. Workplace improvement including flexible working time may be the most important factors for the reentry of the dental hygienist who had left their jobs previously.Social support system is indispensable to improve women's working environment.

Dental hygienists' views on communicative factors and interpersonal processes in prevention and treatment of periodontal disease

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore views of DHs on communicative issues and interpersonal processes of importance in the prevention and treatment of periodontal disease.

METHOD

The qualitative method of Grounded Theory (GT) was chosen for data sampling and analysis. Audio-taped and open-ended interviews were conducted with 17 dental hygienists. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed in a hierarchical coding process, according to the principles of GT.

RESULT

In the analysis a core category was identified as 'to be successful in information and oral health education and managing desirable behavioural changes'. The core concept was related to four additional categories and dimensions; (i) 'to establish a trustful relationship with the patient', (ii) 'to present information about the oral health status and to give oral hygiene instructions', (iii) 'to be professional in the role as a dental hygienist' and (iv) 'to have a supportive working environment in order to feel satisfaction with the work and to reach desirable treatment results'.

CONCLUSION

The results describe a psychosocial process that elucidates the importance of building a trustful relationship with the patient, feeling secure in one's professional role as a DH and last but not least, the importance of having support from colleagues and the clinical manager to be successful in the prevention and treatment of periodontal diseases.

A predictive study on the role and function of the dental hygienist in Taiwan

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to achieve a consensus on the work roles and scope of practice of dental hygienists in Taiwan and to rank the results according to their importance.

METHODS

A modified Delphi technique was used to enquire how experts view their role and function as a dental hygienist in Taiwan. Three groups of 105 experts (dentists, officials and scholars) were surveyed. Responses were analysed using qualitative statistics.

RESULTS

Fifty-one topics, which were included in the categories of the research agenda, were identified through the first phase of the study. The return rate of 87.62% and 68.48% was achieved from the two rounds of surveys. Afterwards, a consensus was reached on 38 out of the 51 topics. In the aspect of service, the most desired roles and functions were those of a friendly receptionist and of an employee effective in scheduling appointments. In the aspect of administration, the most important roles and functions were billing of health insurance, and book keeping on payments, as well as administering materials. In the aspects of technical efficiency, dental hygienists were most frequently seen as serving in four- or six-handed assisting and in infection control. In the area of oral health, an oral health educator and an oral health promoter were viewed as having the most important roles and functions.

CONCLUSIONS

The experts concluded that the role and function of a dental hygienist should shift from a patient treatment orientation to that of an oral health promoter. The role expectations need to change to reflect what hygienists actually learn and do.

The relationship between working conditions and sick leave in Swedish dental hygienists

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between working conditions and sick leave in Swedish dental hygienists. Seventy-one percent of 577 randomly selected dental hygienists responded to a questionnaire. From those who responded (n=411) a homogenous group of 252 was selected. They were assigned to four groups that exhibited either musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), low well-being (LWB), both low well-being and musculoskeletal disorders (BLM), or relative health (main group or M group). These groups were further divided according to number of sick days taken per year. Non-parametric statistics and logistic regressions were used for analyses. Those with MSD worked more clinical hours and treated more patients per day than the other groups. While the M group had fewer sick days, better work climates and decreased demands on work efficiency, increased sick leave within this group was related to greater staff numbers and less commitment to improving work processes. In the M group, role ambiguity and LWB were associated with absence of 1-3 days, compared with those who took no sick leave. Respondents in the LWB group, who perceived role ambiguity, were absent more than 7 days/year, compared with those who perceived role clarity. Management issues were the distinguishing factor for those who had severe health problems.

IN CONCLUSION

role ambiguity is the predominant psychosocial factor associated with sick leave. Psychosocial management factors rather than physical work factors seem important for work and sick leave rates among dental hygienists.