Dental Hygiene Program Graduates’ Experiences with Transition into Private Practice: A Phenomenological Study
This qualitative study examined the transition to private practice experiences of recently graduated dental hygienists (DHs) from a dental hygiene program. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was taken to understand the lived experiences of six study participants as they progressed from novice students to competent clinicians. Participants were invited to submit personal journals that expressed their experiences throughout the first six months of practice. These graduates also participated in individual semi-structured interviews in order to elaborate on their transition experiences discussed in their journals. Four key themes emerged from the data collected regarding the importance of: a support system or mentor; a workplace practicum; developing program curriculum to enhance graduate transition; self-assessment and self-directed learning in the development of competence. Informed by this data, several recommendations are made to private practice employers and Dental Hygiene Program faculty to facilitate the process of transitioning future graduates to practice. On this basis, further research should be undertaken to expand on the findings of this study.
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Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina