A Survey of Dental Hygiene Program Directors: Curriculum Development and Implementation for the Dental Hygiene-Based Dental Therapist

<p>Purpose: This study used a survey of program directors and program chairs to analyze relationships related to curriculum development for a dental hygiene-based dental therapist and the question of how external variables affect allied health workforce development and implementation.</p> <p>Methods: A survey instrument was utilized to help identify the relationship between a dental hygiene-based dental therapist curriculum and the external influences of future needs of the dental hygiene profession and workforce; external influences; and institutional influences on curriculum design and implementation using Spearman’s rho testing. The open-ended question was studied through the application of grounded theory analysis. (N=340).</p> <p>Results: Upon comparison of ten curricular concepts related to external influences across all three areas of influence, Business Management was a significantly related curriculum item, followed by Dental Hygiene Diagnosis; Foundational Knowledge; and Communications and Technology. As dental hygiene-based dental therapy curriculum is developed, these curricular relationships may be referenced in relation to how outside influences affect and facilitate workforce and program success. (n=133-138; 43%).</p> <p>Conclusion: Curriculum should be developed based upon the actual assessment of workforce and patient need, rather than on an assumption of need. This analysis helped to develop curriculum guidelines for a dental hygiene-based dental therapist workforce model that is responsive to workforce needs, professional requirements, and institutional needs and influences. An accurate, need-based curriculum can be used to develop performance measures that can be measured, evaluated, and improved over time.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS) in Dental Hygiene

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Dental Hygiene

Year

2018

Author dc:creator

• Desmarais, Heidi

• Dental Hygiene
• Dental Public Health and Education

Statement dc:rights

• Access is available to all users

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/480

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dc.ewu.edu:theses-1478