International profiles of dental hygiene 1987 to 1998: a 19-nation comparative study

O-HEALTH-EDU: A scoping review on the reporting of oral health professional education in Europe

INTRODUCTION

The variability in oral health professional education is likely to impact on the management of oral health needs across Europe. This scoping review forms the initial part of a larger EU-funded collaborative Erasmus + project, 'O-Health-Edu'. The aim of this scoping review is to investigate how oral health professional education in Europe is reported.

METHODS

The PRISMA and Arksey & O'Malley methodological frameworks for scoping reviews were used to guide reviewers in answering the research question "How is oral health professional education reported in Europe?". The search strategy encompassed published literature searches, internet searches and further searching of relevant documents from educational organisations, regulators and professional bodies. Once the search strategy was developed, it was sent to key stakeholders for consultation. Sources were reviewed by two authors (JD, JF) and included in the review if they reported on oral health professional education in Europe.

RESULTS

A total of 508 sources were retrieved from all of the searches. A total of 405 sources were excluded as they did not report on the topic of interest, leaving 103 sources that reported on oral health professional education in Europe. Handsearching the references of published sources lead to a further 41 sources being screened, of which, 15 were included. In total, 33 duplications were removed and the final number of included sources was 85. The average year of publication for the included sources was 2007, with sources most commonly published in journals dedicated to dental education. Surveys represented the most common form of reporting. From the data obtained, four broad themes of reporting were evident: dental education at a programme level, dental education at a discipline level, other oral health professional education, and postgraduate education and continuous professional development.

CONCLUSION

The reporting of dental and oral health professional education in Europe is limited. Whilst there are many useful documents that provide guidelines on dental education, there is limited knowledge on how education is implemented and delivered. There is a greater need for comprehensive educationally driven programme-level data on oral health professional education across Europe.

Changes in the professional domain of Dutch dental hygienists

OBJECTIVE

This study's purpose was to compare the scope of practice of Dutch dental hygienists educated through a two- or three-year curriculum ('old curriculum dental hygienists' [OCDHs]) with that of hygienists educated through a new extended four-year curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree ('new curriculum dental hygienists' [NCDHs]).

METHODS

In 2005 and 2007, we obtained surveys from 320 OCDHs and the first 67 NCDHs, respectively, in which respondents were asked to complete a questionnaire and score how often they performed certain dental tasks. By means of factor analysis, these tasks were grouped into nine activity groups and 5 remaining single activities. T-tests and Mann-Whitney U-tests were used to compare the scope of practice between OCDHs and NCDHs.

RESULTS

NCDHs worked more often in dental offices (instead of being self-employed) and generally worked more hours per week than OCDHs. They performed more often tasks dealing with caries diagnosis and treatment and less often tasks dealing with prevention and periodontology. These differences were statistically significant. However, in dental offices the differences between OCDHs en NCDHs were far less pronounced. In those practices OCDHs performed dental sealants, small corrections of dentures and/or restoration and caries diagnosis during dental check-up no less frequently than NCDHs.

CONCLUSIONS

Although prevention remains the core domain (or role) of all Dutch dental hygienists surveyed, the scope of practice substantially differed. This, however, depended not only on education, but also on type of practice. The new curriculum answers to and legitimates an already developed practice of task delegation.

Dental hygiene in Australia: a global perspective

AIM

This article reports on the practice of dental hygiene in Australia from a global perspective. The aim is to examine how access to qualified dental hygiene care could be improved and how current professional challenges might be met.

METHOD

Secondary source data were obtained from a survey questionnaire presented to members of the House of Delegates of the IFDH or by fax and e-mail to experts involved in the national professional and educational organization of dental hygiene in non-IFDH member countries. Responses were followed-up by interviews, e-mail correspondence, visits to international universities, and a review of supporting studies and reference literature.

RESULTS

The introduction of dental hygiene in Australia was inspired by the delivery of preventive care in Great Britain. Today dental hygiene is a paramedical profession, generally studied at institutions of higher education. Study duration is 2 (diploma and associate degree programmes) and 3 years (Bachelor of Oral Health Programs). A recent trend to combine dental therapy and dental hygiene education poses the challenge to maintain a stand-alone degree in dental hygiene as it is practiced worldwide. Low access to qualified dental hygiene care may be a result of insufficient funding for preventive services, social and cultural lack of awareness of the benefits of preventive care, and of limitations inherent in the legal constraints preventing unsupervised dental hygiene practice. These may be a result of gender politics affecting a female dominated profession and of a perception that dental hygiene is auxiliary to dental care. Changes are expected to reflect the global trend towards a decrease in supervision and towards higher education. An example of innovative practice of public health is the involvement of dental hygienists in the educational process of aboriginal health workers in order to promote access to oral health education for indigenous populations.

Dental hygiene in Slovakia

This article reports on the development of the dental hygiene profession in Slovakia from a global perspective. The aim is to inform about current developments and to examine, how access to qualified dental hygiene care might be improved and how professional challenges might be met. For an international study on dental hygiene, secondary source data were obtained from members of the House of Delegates of the International Federation of Dental Hygienists (IFDH) or by fax and e-mail from experts involved in the national professional and educational organization of dental hygiene in non-IFDH member countries, such as Slovakia. Responses were followed-up by interviews, e-mail correspondence, visits to international universities, and a review of supporting studies and reference literature. Results show that the introduction of dental hygiene in Slovakia in 1992 was inspired by the delivery of preventive care in Switzerland. Initiating local dentists and dental hygienists strive to attain a high educational level, equitable to that of countries in which dental hygiene has an established tradition of high quality care. Low access to qualified dental hygiene care may be a result of insufficient funding for preventive services, social and cultural lack of awareness of the benefits of preventive care, and of limitations inherent in the legal constraints preventing unsupervised dental hygiene practice. These may be a result of gender politics affecting a female-dominated profession and of a perception that dental hygiene is auxiliary to dental care. International comparison show that of all Eastern European countries, the dental hygiene profession appears most advanced in Slovakia. This is expressed in high evidence-based academic goals, in extensive work with international consultants from the Netherlands and Switzerland, in annual congresses of high professional quality, and in the establishment of a profession, which has not been introduced in all Western EU countries.

Dental hygiene in Hong Kong: a global perspective

PURPOSE

This article examines how dental hygiene status in Hong Kong compared to global developments of the profession. The aim is to address access to cost-effective, qualified preventive care.

METHODS

Information for this study was obtained using questionnaires and followed up by e-mail correspondence with International Federation of Dental Hygienists (IFDH) delegates and additional experts, supporting studies and reference literature. All experts consulted are involved in the professional and educational organisation of dental hygiene on a national level.

RESULTS

Results show that dental hygiene is practised in about 30 countries, generally as a licensed profession, studied at institutions of higher education. Average study duration is 3 years. Globally, low access to qualified dental hygiene care tends to be a result of a lack of social and cultural awareness of the benefits of preventive care and insufficient funding for preventive services as well as supervision requirements, which tie dental hygiene care to private practice dentistry settings. In several countries, a reduction of supervision requirements has opened the door to provide care at alternative settings and public health institutions.

CONCLUSION

In Hong Kong, owing to a small number of practising dental hygienists, access to qualified preventive care is scarce. Public awareness of the benefits and cost-effectiveness of preventive measures need to be raised to achieve higher acceptance of the profession. Global and scientific developments mandate an extension of study duration. Access to qualified care could be addressed by public health initiatives, which utilise the expertise of dental hygienists in setting and attaining preventive health goals.

The effects of gender disparities on dental hygiene education and practice in Europe

In Europe, over 96.5% of dental hygienists are women. The objective of this report was to examine the impact of gender role stereotyping on the image of the dental hygiene profession and on disparities in educational attainment and work regulations within Europe. Data pertaining to regulated or non-regulated dental hygiene practice in 22 European countries were analysed according to possible gender impact on access to education and on the structure of the delivery of care. It was examined whether there is a correlation between national differences found in the dental hygiene profession and gender related disparities found in other work-related areas. Results show that the gender bias in the dental hygiene profession has an effect on equal access to education, and on equal occupational opportunities for dental hygienists within the European Union (EU) and beyond. In northern Europe, higher educational attainment in the field of dental hygiene, more extensive professional responsibilities and greater opportunities for self-employment in autonomous practice tend to correlate with greater equality in the work force. In eastern Europe, lower educational and professional opportunities in dental hygiene correlate with greater gender disparities found in other work-related areas. In some western European countries, the profession has not been implemented because of the political impact of organised dentistry, which expects financial loss from autonomous dental hygiene practice. In order to fulfil mandates of the EU, initiatives must be taken to remove the gender bias in the delivery of preventive care and to promote equal access to educational attainment and to professional development in the whole of Europe for those who choose to do so.

International employment in clinical practice: influencing factors for the dental hygienist

PURPOSE

To assess demographics, job characteristics, geographical regions, resources and commitment, which influence dental hygienists seeking international clinical practice employment opportunities.

METHODS

Questionnaires were mailed to a convenience sample of members of the Dental Hygienists' Association of the City of New York. Statistical analyses were conducted and frequency distributions and relationships between variables were calculated.

RESULTS

Seventy-two percent of respondents reported that they are or may be interested in working overseas. Italy and Spain (67%) were the regions of most interest. Salary (65%) was cited as the most influencing factor in selection, whereas non-compliance with the equivalency to Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards (74%) was the most frequently perceived barrier. Multiple language fluency was statistically significant (0.003) regarding interest in overseas employment.

CONCLUSION

Policy makers, employers and educators need to be aware of these findings should recruitment be a possibility to render urgently needed oral hygiene care in regions where there is a perceived shortage of dental hygienists.

Origins and benefits of dental hygiene practice in Europe

Origins and benefits of the practice of dental hygiene were investigated in order to provide guidelines to countries where initiatives are being taken to introduce the profession. In Europe, so far the profession has been introduced in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Great Britain, Finland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain. Programmes in Ireland, Poland, and Romania are not presented in this article. Information for this study was obtained using questionnaires and followed up by e-mail correspondence with additional experts, supporting studies and reference literature. All experts consulted are involved in the professional and educational organisation of dental hygiene in their countries. Results show that dentists and dental hygienists who had been inspired by the delivery of preventive care in the US, initiated the European dental hygiene movement. In some countries, opposition of organised dentistry had to be overcome. In countries where the population has limited access to qualified dental hygiene care, such as in Austria, Belgium, Germany and France, a high prevalence of untreated periodontal disease has been reported. There, the lucrative practice of delegating dental hygiene tasks to dental assistants without qualifying education has slowed efforts to implement the profession and resulted in negative health and vocational outcomes. This leads to the conclusion that an implementation of legislation governing the practice and the educational process of dental hygiene in the EU and beyond would contribute to an equitable standard of health care as well as to equal opportunities in education and employment.

International profiles of dental hygiene 1987 to 2001: A 19-nation comparative study

AIM

The purpose of this international longitudinal study is to examine patterns and monitor trends and changes in dental hygiene.

METHOD

Information was collected from national dental hygienists' associations through surveys conducted in 1987, 1992, 1998 and 2001. Sample size increased from 13 countries in 1987 to 22 by 2001--of which 19 were included in the analysis.

RESULTS

Overall, characteristics of the profession were remarkably similar; most noteworthy was the scope of dental hygiene clinical practice. Regarding historical development, educational programmes and professional organisation, the profession was more similar than dissimilar. Greater variation was evident regarding numbers, distribution, regulation, workforce behaviour, predominant work setting, and remuneration. Over the relatively short 14-year period, several observations were of particular interest: marked increase in the supply of dental hygienists, accompanied by a decline in their ratio to populations and to dentists and a high workforce participation rate; increase in baccalaureate dental hygiene programmes, with a gradual shift from the diploma as the entry-level qualification; and increase in scope of practice and professional autonomy, including for Europe and North America in particular, a decline in mandated level of work supervision and a slight but gradual increase in independent practice.

CONCLUSION

By 2001, the profiles reflected the vast majority of the world's population of dental hygienists. Rate of change varied across the countries examined; however, the nature of the change overall was consistent, resulting in a continuing homogeneity in the profession worldwide. Observed trends, changes and persistent issues have implications for service accessibility and technical efficiency and should continue to be monitored.