Educational Preparedness to Provide Care for Older Adults in Alternative Practice Settings: Perceptions of dental hygiene practitioners.

Purpose: Research indicates that geriatric education continues to be inadequate across the health professions and graduates are unprepared to care for the increasing numbers of older adults. The purpose of this study was to explore dental hygiene practitioners' perspectives regarding whether their dental hygiene education prepared them to treat older adults in community and institutional settings.Methods: A qualitative phenomenological study design was utilized to conduct in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of dental hygienists currently providing care for older adult patients in alternative practice settings.Results: Fifteen dental hygienists from across the U.S. working with older patients in alternative settings, met the inclusion criteria (n=15). Common themes related to dental hygiene practice emerged from the qualitative data included: adapting patient care to alternative settings; emotional toll on the practitioner; physical challenges; outcome goals for treatment; need for hands-on clinical experience in alternative settings as dental hygiene students; and working as part of an interprofessional team.Conclusion: Participants generally agreed that they were not prepared to care for dependent older adults in alternative settings as part of their dental hygiene education. Clinical experiences working with older adults in alternative settings, as part of the dental hygiene clinical curriculum, are needed to prepare graduates to care for this growing population.

Szabo KB ，Boyd LD ，LaSpina LM 《-》

Dental hygiene students' perceptions of older adults.

Wiener RC ，Shockey AT ，Long DL 《-》

Direct Access Dental Hygienists' Perceptions Concerning Geriatric Curriculum in Entry-Level Dental Hygiene Programs.

Purpose: The growing geriatric population has unique and often complex oral health care needs. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions regarding direct access dental hygienists (DH) regarding the geriatric curriculum needed in dental hygiene education programs to prepare DHs to provide direct access care for geriatric populations.Methods: Purposive and network sampling strategies were used to recruit eligible direct access DHs from across the United States for this qualitative study. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted until was met. Demographic data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Open coding techniques were used to identify themes.Results: Ten direct access DHs agreed to participate. Nine themes emerged from the data analysis: combining didactic and hands-on experience, how direct access differs from traditional practice, importance of a standardized course in entry-level programs, need for a specialty course in geriatrics, understanding the geriatric patient, understanding direct access settings, modifications to treatment modalities, process of care, and interprofessional knowledge. Participants indicated that entry-level dental hygiene students should be exposed to hands-on clinical rotations, have a standardized aging and geriatrics course, and potentially incorporate geriatrics as a specialty tract within dental hygiene programs.Conclusion: Geriatrics may not be covered in sufficient depth to prepare entry-level dental hygiene students for work with these populations in direct access settings. Findings from this study may be used to support improvements in geriatric curriculum for entry-level dental hygiene programs. Future research is needed to determine necessary focus and most effective way to disseminate this curricular content.

Harbison LA ，Gurenlian JR ，Freudenthal J ，Moffit D ... -  《-》

A pilot study: are dental hygienists in Texas ready for the elderly population explosion?

At the beginning of the 20th century, people 65 and older comprised 4.1% of the population. By the year 2030, it is estimated that people 65 and older, the 'Baby Boomer' generation, will comprise more than 20% of the population. This will have a profound effect on the practice of dentistry and on society as a whole. The purpose of this study was to determine whether dental hygienists in Texas felt prepared and willing to treat the elderly in alternative practice settings such as nursing homes. After institutional review board approval, a questionnaire was mailed to 500 hygienists. A 5% systematic sample of dental hygiene graduates was taken from four dental hygiene schools in Texas, United States of America (USA). Of these, 175 were returned for a 35% response rate. Questions asked were degree held, how prepared the participants felt to treat the special needs of the elderly, if participants were willing to work in alternative practice settings such as a nursing home and if they felt additional education was needed. Frequency distributions, correlations and chi square were used to analyse the data. Results revealed 86.5% of the respondents felt prepared to somewhat prepared to treat the special needs of the elderly based on education; equally, 86.5% felt more education was needed to better prepare them to treat the elderly. Over half of the respondents would not be willing to work in alternative practice settings such as nursing homes. The average respondents do not feel fully prepared to treat the elderly with special needs, and they think more education is needed to better prepare them to treat this important target population.

Dickinson C ，Beatty CF ，Marshall D 《-》

A Mid-Level Dental Provider in Oregon: Dental hygienists' perceptions.

Purpose: Many states are exploring alternative provider models and examining the role of the dental hygienist to address access to care challenges as the United States continues to face increasing demands for oral healthcare services. The purpose of this study was to assess dental hygienists' opinions in the state of Oregon regarding the current limitations of dental hygienists' scope of practice, perceived need for a mid-level provider in Oregon, and personal interest in becoming a mid-level provider.Methods: In December 2013 a survey was mailed to a sample of 1,231 dental hygienists registered in Oregon representing 30% of the licentiates. All licentiates holding expanded practice permits (EPP) were included in the sample (n=351). The following categories were included in the 32-question survey: scope of practice, mid-level provider, current practice, and demographics.Results: A total of 440 surveys were returned for a response rate of 36%. Of the EPP holders, 51% responded to the survey. Over half of respondents (59%) believe that a mid-level provider is needed in the state. Respondents holding membership in the American Dental Hygienists' Association, as well as EPP holders, were significantly more likely to respond that a mid-level dental provider was needed in the state (p<0.0001). Ninety-one percent (n=400) of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that if a mid-level provider was introduced in Oregon, the new provider should be a registered dental hygienist model. Forty-three percent (n=186) of respondents were interested in becoming mid-level providers and 47% (n=203) of respondents believed that the minimum education for a mid-level provider should be a bachelor's degree. The majority, 74% (n=137), of those interested in becoming a mid-level provider indicated a preference in completing their education through online teaching combined with a clinical internship.Conclusion: There is strong support from dental hygienists in Oregon that a need exists for a mid-level dental provider and that this provider model should be dental hygiene based. Individuals interested in developing a curriculum for a mid-level provider should consider including online teaching components with a clinical internship component.

Coplen AE ，Bell K ，Aamodt GL ，Ironside L ... -  《-》