Dental Hygiene Commons^™

From Silos To Systems: A Conceptual Framework For Workforce Aligned Oral Health Education, Meghan Bastin

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

In the current U.S. educational system, becoming a dentist follows a few prescriptive pathways.  Learners typically complete an undergraduate degree before entering time-intensive doctoral training.  This results in only 3-4 years of direct professional education embedded within an eight -year process, while learners accumulate significant financial investment in their education.  With the average cost of graduate-level dental education alone exceeding $300,000 and new federal borrowing limits likely to further constrain access, there is an opportunity to explore alternative ways of structuring oral health education.

This poster presents a conceptual, system-level framework that explores a perspective in which oral health education …

A Developmental Evaluation Of A Dental Hygiene Program And A Community Health Partnership, Laura Jacob

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

Today, dental hygiene education commonly occurs in community college settings which are removed from dental schools thus dental hygiene students graduate with relatively little to no exposure to dentistry or directly with a clinically practicing dentist. With dental hygiene workforce shortages at an extremely high level, locally and nationally, it is imperative to matriculate students who are poised to be successful in the changing landscape of healthcare.

The purpose of this program evaluation was to investigate via the developmental program evaluation model, the perceived benefits of a potential collaboration between the Colorado Mountain College (CMC) dental hygiene program and a …

An Overlooked Epidemic: Pediatric Oral Health Concerns On The Rise In Rural Communities, Emma Verbrugge

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Pediatric oral health is a concern for many dentists and parents as they lay the foundation for long-term proper hygiene in children. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a disease of chronic tooth decay marked as the most common chronic disease of childhood in the world. Children living in rural areas are even more susceptible to this disease and thus significant attention is needed to curve these numbers. The consequences of ECC are much more than just cosmetic, but include heightened risk of gingivitis, periodontal disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and much more. A foundational cause of poor dental hygiene lies with …

Virtual Objective Structured Clinical Examinations As A Framework For Active Learning And Assessment: A Retrospective Analysis Of Dental Hygiene Student And Instructor Perceptions, Kellie Whitcomb

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Purpose: Millennials have unique needs as learners and have come to expect the use of technology in education. Utilizing technology to implement formative virtual objective structured clinical examinations (vOSCEs) may engage millennial students due to the non-linear nature and active pedagogy while also preparing them for provisional or full licensing exams. The purpose of this study was to determine what implications there may be for future formative vOSCE use in dental hygiene programs by assessing dental hygiene student and clinic faculty experience with vOSCEs.

Methods: Research was from a qualitative perspective. The design was a retrospective phenomenological cohort study utilizing …

Improving Dental Hygiene Students' Journal Writing, Susan Davide

Publications and Research

During the introductory semester of treating patients, students are in need of assistance and guidance throughout the assessment and treatment phases of patient care. As novice learners, there is little to no prior knowledge on writing a patient case study presentation. To assist and improve dental hygiene student writing of patient case journals, a scaffold assignment was created. Over the course of the semester students were required to submit five patient case studies in the form of a journal. Each journal had a writing focus with specific directions for each along with a detailed rubric; the final journal encompassing all …

A Needs Assessment: The Barriers Preventing Students At A Large Midwestern University From Accessing The Dental Clinic On Campus For Preventative Care, Pamela Briese

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Preventive maintenance and dental care for college students is just as important now as it was when they were living with their parents, but even though colleges have been offering campus-based medical care to their students for many years, oral health care has not been included in this health prevention effort. Because of the impact that oral health has on the overall health and well-being of college students, and in following the Healthy People 2020 Oral health goal to “Prevent and control oral and craniofacial diseases, conditions, and injuries, and improve access to preventive services and dental care” (HP2020), this …

Color-Blind Racial Attitudes In Dental Hygiene Students: A Pilot Study, Emily A. Ludwig, Jessica R. Suedbeck, Susan L. Tolle

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Color-blind racial attitudes and biases have been linked to racial prejudice which may potentially affect dental hygiene care to diverse patients. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the color-blind racial attitudes of dental hygiene students.

Methods: A 20-item, Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS) electronic survey was sent to a convenience sample of 41 first-year and 30 second-year dental hygiene students (n=71) in a dental hygiene program in Virginia. The CoBRAS instrument measures contemporary racial attitudes and stereotyping in three subcategories: Unawareness of Racial Privilege, Institutional Discrimination, and Blatant Racial Issues. CoBRAS scores range from 20-120, with …

Perceptions And Clinical Applications Of Feedback Type If Dental Hygiene, Elmer Eleazar Gonzalez

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

Purpose/Objectives: The study assesses whether or not feedback type and feedback delivery method play a significant role in students’ learning and clinical performance. The study explores Ego Stroking Sandwich feedback and Non-Sandwich feedback as the feedback types and Instructors feedback vs. Scoring guide feedback as the feedback delivery method. Students’ perceptions and clinical applications were considered as part of the study.

Methods: Eleven participants were included in the study. One group was the Ego Stroking Sandwich type feedback (n=5) and the other was the Non-Sandwich Type feedback (n=6). Each group performed two dental impressions (a maxillary and a mandibular) while …

The Impact Of Transfer Shock In A Dental Hygiene Program At A Four-Year Health-Sciences University, Claire Sallee Tucker

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In order for a student to be successful in dental hygiene education, the student must gain the required knowledge and skills necessary to perform as a hygienist and possess the ability to utilize critical thinking to apply these attributes while in the program and on the National Board of Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) (Alzahrani, Thompson, & Bauman, 2007; Fried, Maxey, Battani, Gurenlian, Byrd, & Brunick, 2017). Dental hygiene students who attend a medical university have the option to take required pre-requisite courses at a community college or a four-year university. All dental hygiene students transfer from another institution and all …

A Hint Of Success, Sarah Asp Olson

Frontiers

Angela Monson's unique teaching tool is a boon for precision in dental hygiene instruction.

Student’S Oral Health Knowledge, Oral Health Practices, And Their Susceptibility To Oral Health Diseases At A Midwestern University, Mouhamed Koubaytari

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Poor oral health knowledge and poor oral health practices have been a silent epidemic in the United States of America. This self-perpetuating cycle of poor oral health knowledge and poor oral health practices have affected groups of people in the United States with low income who are at risk of population due to the lack of insurance. Scholars have shown that poor oral health can result from a lack of access to preventive care (dental appointments) and restorable care when dental diseases or issues may be fixed. Poor oral health knowledge may lead to poor oral health self-care practices down …

Collaborative Instruction For Information Retrieval And Appraisal Skills In Evidence-Based Practice Models For Dental Hygiene Students., Irene M. Lubker, Joan M. Pellegrini

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Objectives:

1. Collaborate with VCU Dental Hygiene Program faculty to develop and evaluate a model of evidence-based practice (EBP) for students in didactic and clinical settings.

2. Describe how a course was modified to emphasize evidence-based practice.

3. Analyze course evaluations and student scholarly output.

Methods/Materials:

Dental educators strive to develop graduates who practice evidence-based practice and whose clinical decisions are based on current scientific research. A medical librarian was invited to assist in integrating EBP into the dentistry curriculum in 2012. To gain a better understanding of EBP in dental settings, the librarian and dental hygiene faculty attended the …

Expanding Interprofessional Learning Opportunities: How Dental Hygiene Administrators And Faculty Perceive Interprofessional Education, Cristina Casa

All Theses And Dissertations

The health care system has undergone transformation, implementing an interprofessional approach to patient care. Professionals have formed collaborative practice groups that effectively respond to the intricacies of today’s medical industry. Dental hygienists are underemployed in these teams. This has a direct effect on dental hygiene academia because education is the basis for practice. Interprofessional education (IPE) has been proposed as the strategy to adequately address this issue; however, many dental hygiene programs do not focus on shared teaching and learning.

This mixed methodology study documented the perspectives of dental hygiene administrators and faculty at higher education institutions in the Northeast …

The First 40 Years: Building A Dental Hygiene Program, Carol Jones

MSU Authors Collection

Celebrating 40 years of trendsetting dental hygiene education at Minnesota State Mankato.

Magnification Loupes In U.S. Entry-Level Dental Hygiene Programs, Leslie Mchaney Congdon

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine policies and practices regarding magnification loupes among accredited dental hygiene programs as measured by a 31- item, self-designed questionnaire titled Magnifying Loupes in U.S. Entry Level Dental Hygiene Programs. In addition, the study compared policies among dental hygiene programs in two year versus four year programs in terms of requirements for the use of magnification loupes.

Methods: After institutional review board approval, the questionnaire was emailed via Survey Monkey to 303 entry-level dental hygiene programs. An overall response rate of 75% was obtained. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and …

Predictors Of Student Success In An Entry-Level Baccalaureate Dental Hygiene Program, Mohammad J. Alzahrani, Evelyn M. Thomson, Deborah Blythe Bauman

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to measure the utility of various predictors used by the Old Dominion University Gene W. Hirschfeld School of Dental Hygiene baccalaureate degree dental hygiene program in selecting dental hygiene students who are most likely to graduate and be successful in passing the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE). The following factors were examined: grade point average (GPA); science GPA; final grade in various prerequisite courses; final grade in first-year dental hygiene courses; academic setting where prerequisite courses were completed; multiple attempts to achieve a passing course grade; and admissions criteria points (ACP).

METHODS: …

Predictors Of Student Success In An Entry-Level Baccalaureate Dental Hygiene Program, Mohammad J. Alzahrani

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure the utility of a variety of predictors that have been used by the Old Dominion University, Gene W. Hirschfeld School of Dental Hygiene and other baccalaureate dental hygiene programs in selecting dental hygiene students who are most likely to graduate and be successful in passing the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE). Specifically this study attempted to determine whether or not the following factors are reliable predictors of success in a an entry-level baccalaureate dental hygiene program as evidenced by graduation and successful entry into the profession as evidenced by passing the …

Competency-Based Education: Implications For Curricular Development Of The Allied Dental Science Program At The Jordan University Of Science And Technology, Suhair Ref' At Obeidat

Dental Hygiene Master's Papers and Projects

Preface:

The content of this document represents a review of the best practices and principles in competency-based dental and allied dental education. This information is offered in the spirit of collegiality with the intent of improving the allied dental education in general and the dental hygiene education in particular in Jordan. Recommendations presented should serve as a basis for discussion and decision-making by all involved in the Allied Dental Science Program education and administration at the Jordan University of Science and Technology, including the Dean of the Applied Medical Sciences Department and the Allied Dental Science Program Director and Faculty.

Cultural Adaptability Of Students Attending Culturally Diverse And Non-Culturally Diverse Dental Hygiene Programs, Katrina White Magee

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive investigation was to determine the cultural adaptability of students attending culturally diverse and nonculturally diverse dental hygiene programs throughout the U.S. The dental hygiene schools were identified according to their ethnic diversity as reported by the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation in the 1996-1997 Survey of Dental Hygiene Education Programs. Once the programs were identified, a random sample was taken from the diverse and non-diverse dental hygiene programs. A 50-item inventory, the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI), was mailed to the participating dental hygiene programs. One-hundred eighty-eight students represented U.S. dental hygiene programs in the …

A Needs Assessment For A Distance Education Baccalaureate Degree Completion Program For Associate Degree Level Dental Hygienist, Joan Gugino Ellison

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive research was to determine the need for a distance education program for geographically dispersed dental hygienists to complete a baccalaureate degree program in dental hygiene. The sample consisted of randomly selected licensed dental hygienists in the Commonwealth of Virginia. A self-designed instrument, titled The Distance Education for a Dental Hygiene Degree Completion Program Questionnaire, was mailed to the study participants after establishing validity and reliability. The questionnaire asked participants to provide information concerning personal demographics, educational background, and interest in completing a dental hygiene baccalaureate degree via distance education. Frequencies, percentages, crosstabulations, chi-square test …

Comparison Of Curriculum Content On Behavioral Strategies For Managing Anxious Clients In Associate And Baccalaureate Degree Dental Hygiene Programs In The United States, Darnyl Marie King

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

Dental anxiety, a pervasive problem in the general population, is an important client management concern for dental hygienists. This study sought to determine the type and amount of instruction in United States dental hygiene programs in terms of behavioral strategies for the management of anxious clients, the difference in instruction between associate and baccalaureate degree dental hygiene programs, and the opinions of dental hygiene educators regarding these strategies. A self-designed, 19-item questionnaire entitled the King Behavioral Management Questionnaire was used to obtain data on a sample of 210 accredited dental hygiene programs. Part one of the questionnaire consisted of questions …

Faculty Standardization Of Dental Hygiene Instrumentation Skill Evaluation: A Calibration Exercise, Diane-Marie Smela

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

Faculty must be standardized so that student skills are assessed in an unbiased, equal fashion. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of calibration on dental hygiene faculty standardization. Examples of correct and incorrect instrumentation skill performance were demonstrated and discussed during the calibration exercise. Groups simultaneously viewed instrumentation skills while assessing correct or incorrect performance. Group standardization was determined through analysis of answer key agreement, intra-rater reliability, and inter-rater reliability. Data were statistically analyzed through the use of a z-test for both answer key agreement and inter-rater reliability, and chi-square (x²) for inter-rater reliability …

Survey Of Attitudes Of Licensed Dental Hygienists Toward Continuing Education In A State With Mandatory Continuing Education Versus A State Without Mandatory Continuing Education, Katharine Reeves Behroozi

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to compare attitudes of licensed dental hygienists toward continuing education (CE) in two states: Kentucky, a state with mandatory continuing education (MCE) as a requirement for dental hygiene re-licensure and Virginia, a state without MCE for dental hygiene re-licensure. A self-designed, 28-item instrument, Continuing Education Attitudinal Questionnaire, was mailed to a stratified and random sample of 400 licensed dental hygienists in Kentucky and Virginia. Employing the chi-square test for independence, analysis of results revealed that Kentucky participants responded more affirmatively than Virginia participants to attitudinal statements regarding CE, particularly in areas of MCE, benefits …

A Survey Of Burnout Among Dental Hygiene Educators, Sandra Boggs Ricks

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

A survey was conducted on 159 full-time dental hygiene educators in order to collect data on job satisfaction, morale, and perceived institutional/program effectiveness. Educators were chosen for the study by cluster sampling from two- and four-year accredited dental hygiene programs in the United States. The programs were selected at random from stratified groups according to type of institutional setting. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire which contained four major sections: demographic data, job satisfaction, institutional/program effectiveness, and feelings related to their position. Findings were analyzed utilizing contingency tables and Chi-Square analysis. No attempt was made to establish a cause …

Admissions Criteria As Predictors Of Students' Successful Completion Of A Dental Hygiene Program, M. Linda Brown

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the criteria used to select dental hygiene students and to determine the ability of these criteria to predict students' successful completion of a dental hygiene program. One hundred sixteen graduates of the certificate level dental hygiene program at Old Dominion University between 1971- 1981, inclusive, comprised the sample. The majority of the subjects were Caucasian females, ages 20 to 24. The admissions criteria examined were (1) Dental Hygiene Aptitude Test scores, (2) Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, (3) preadmission quality point average, (4) college chemistry quality point average, and (S) percentile rank in …

Dental Hygiene Students' Perceptions About The Behavioral Characteristics Of The Effective Clinical Teacher, Frances Gaby Carson

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

A descriptive research approach and a self-designed questionnaire were used to obtain information about the effective clinical teacher as perceived by first and second year dental hygiene students. The Effective Teaching Behaviors Questionnaire was reviewed critically by several Old Dominion University dental hygiene faculty who's comments were used for revision. Once revisions were made, a pilot study was conducted on a sample of Old Dominion University dental hygiene students to determine the reliability and validity of the instrument.

The sample consisted of the entire student population of five accredited dental hygiene programs: three baccalaureate degree university programs and two associate …

Old Dominion University Master Of Science In Dental Hygiene Degree Program: Graduate And Employer Survey, Deborah Blythe Bauman

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to survey Old Dominion University dental hygiene master's degree graduates and their employers to assess the overall quality of the graduates' education. Individuals who graduated between May 1976 and December 1981 (N =29) were sent a self-designed questionnaire to obtain evaluative data about the ODU dental hygiene master's degree program. The graduates were asked to identify strengths and weaknesses of the ODU master's degree program, the role competencies required for their current position, and the degree to which they were prepared for their current job by the master's degree program. Concurrently, employers were asked …

Effects Of The Dental Hygiene Curriculum On Student Creativity, Linda Kathryn Martin

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

This investigation examined the influence of the dental hygiene curriculum on student creativity throughout the two years of dental hygiene study. A secondary purpose was to determine if various accredited dental hygiene programs differentially affect creativity in students. Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking was used to measure creativity in students from three dental hygiene programs in Virginia. Data were organized according to a 3 X 4 factorial research design, using dental hygiene programs and academic semester levels as attribute independent variables. Fluency, Flexibility, Originality and Total scores of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking were the dependent variables.

Two-way analysis …