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Students’ motivating influences for selecting dental hygiene and a 4‐year degree: A retrospective study
Author(s) -
Katyal Shivalika,
Kanji Zul
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of dental hygiene
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.674
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1601-5037
pISSN - 1601-5029
DOI - 10.1111/idh.12472
Subject(s) - credential , medicine , bachelor , dental hygiene , medical education , associate degree , baccalaureate degree , population , hygiene , bachelor degree , entry level , family medicine , nursing , higher education , environmental health , archaeology , pathology , political science , law , history
Abstract Purpose A growing body of research is exploring why applicants select to enrol into a 4‐year dental hygiene degree in Canada when the entry‐to‐practice credential remains a diploma. The aims of this study were to investigate first‐year entry‐to‐practice students’ motivating influences for choosing the dental hygiene profession and enrolling in a baccalaureate program. Methods Between 2013 and 2018, first‐year students in the University of British Columbia's Bachelor of Dental Science program completed orientation surveys. A secondary data analysis was conducted on a total of 127 orientation surveys from a cumulative first‐year population over a 5‐year period. 159 students participated in the surveys for an 80% response rate. Survey questions were open‐ended. Saldaña's approach to coding was used to analyse the descriptive data for emerging themes. Results The primary reasons for choosing dental hygiene as a profession included personal desire (65%) which involved students’ desire to help others, as well as past experience (32%) relating to personal, goal or external experiences. Two prominent themes for choosing a dental hygiene degree emerged and included expanding career opportunities outside of clinical practice (82%) and broadening and deepening one's knowledge base (34%). Conclusions The results provide insight about the factors that influence prospective dental hygiene students to pursue a baccalaureate credential that is presently beyond the entry‐to‐practice requirements for the dental hygiene profession in Canada.