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International employment in clinical practice: influencing factors for the dental hygienist
Author(s) -
Abbott A,
Barrow SY,
Lopresti F,
Hittelman E
Publication year - 2005
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/j.1601-5037.2004.00115.x
Subject(s) - medicine , salary , demographics , family medicine , economic shortage , sample (material) , dental hygiene , fluency , nursing , demography , psychology , linguistics , philosophy , chemistry , mathematics education , government (linguistics) , chromatography , sociology , political science , law
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.