Are dental schools doing enough to prepare dental hygiene &amp; therapy students for direct access?

Quach, Joshua D. D.; Davda, Latha S; Radford, David R.; Louca, Chris

doi:10.1038/s41407-020-0471-1

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 7 publications

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“…A Canadian study surveyed dental hygienists and suggested that decision-making capacity for independent practice may have some correlation with length of educational training [ 96 ]. Related, two commentaries, one from the US [ 97 ] and one from the UK [ 98 ], both indicated that advancing direct access or independent practice policies requires dental hygienist training programs to adapt educational curricula and incorporate more opportunities for practical experience and interprofessional education.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification and assessment of factors that impact the demand for and supply of dental hygienists amidst an evolving workforce context: a scoping review

Dobrow,

Valela,

Bruce

et al. 2024

BMC Oral Health

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Background This study involved a scoping review to explore factors influencing dental hygienist demand and supply in high-income countries. Methods A six-stage scoping review was conducted with separate search strategies tailored to four databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Google Scholar, and Google) plus a targeted scan of dental hygienist organization websites. This yielded 2,117 unique citations, leading to 148 articles included in the review. Results Nearly half of the articles (47%) focused on the United States, with 11% on Canada. Most articles (91%) were in English, alongside 13 in Korean and one in French. Journal articles comprised 62% of the publications, followed by reports/working papers (11%) and websites (11%). Other types included conference abstracts, policy briefs, and presentation slides. Content-wise, 47% were original research, with analysis articles (14%), commentaries (11%), and reviews (8%) also present. The articles were coded into three main categories: workforce characteristics/projections, factor-specific analyses, and workforce opportunities. The articles on workforce characteristics covered demographic, geographic, and employment aspects of dental hygienists, along with projections for supply and demand using simulation modelling and geospatial analyses. Factor-specific articles investigated the (1) working environment, (2) policy/regulatory/training environment, (3) job/career satisfaction and related human resource issues, and (4) scope of practice. The third key category of articles highlighted opportunities for expanding the workforce through alternative models in different sectors/settings (e.g., public health, primary care, long-term care, hospitals, mobile outreach, and non-clinical roles including research, education and leadership) and for a range of vulnerable or underserved populations (e.g., geriatric and pediatric populations, persons with disabilities, those living in rural/remote areas, Indigenous peoples, and incarcerated people). Conclusions This review provides a comprehensive documentation of the current state of the dental hygienist workforce, compiling factors affecting demand and supply, and highlighting opportunities for the dental hygienist workforce in Canada and other high-income countries. The findings offer a foundation for future research, highlighting the need for more focused and rigorous reviews and underscoring the necessity of high-quality studies to verify the effectiveness of various interventions and policies. This is crucial to address dental hygienist workforce challenges and ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of oral health care delivery.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification and assessment of factors that impact the demand for and supply of dental hygienists amidst an evolving workforce context: a scoping review

Dobrow,

Valela,

Bruce

et al. 2024

BMC Oral Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Developing direct access skills in authentic primary care placements

2021

BDJ Team

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A scoping review exploring oral health inequalities in India: a call for action to reform policy, practice and research

Dasson Bajaj,

Shenoy,

Davda

et al. 2023

Int J Equity Health

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Introduction Reduction in health inequalities and providing universal access to health care have been identified as two important global milestones by the World Health Organization for countries to achieve by 2030. Therefore, recognizing the magnitude of oral health inequalities in India has become a pressing priority to improve access to dental care within the country. This scoping review was conducted with the aim of reviewing, collating and analysing the current knowledge base on oral health inequalities in India. Methodology The scoping review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s approach, and reporting was performed in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A systematic search was conducted on Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE to identify literature addressing one or more dimensions of oral health inequalities in India, published in English between January 2002 and April 2022. The data were charted, and qualitative analysis was performed to derive themes, highlighting the key concepts emerging from this review. Results In accordance with the eligibility criteria, a total of 71 articles retrieved through database search and backward citation search were included in this scoping review. The major themes ranged from individual to diverse sociodemographic factors acting as barriers to and facilitators of access to dental care. Deficiencies in human resources for oral health, along with a wide diversity in dental service provision and dental education were other major themes contributing to inequality. Subsequently, this has resulted in recommendations on restructuring the dental workforce and their development and modifications in oral health care policies and practices. The qualitative synthesis demonstrates the intertwined nature of the multiple factors that influence the goal of achieving an affordable, accessible, extensive and inclusive oral healthcare system in India. Conclusions This comprehensive review provides a broad perspective on oral health inequalities in India, providing valuable insights for both researchers and policymakers in this area and guiding their efforts towards achieving universal oral health coverage in the Indian context.

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Are dental schools doing enough to prepare dental hygiene & therapy students for direct access?

Cited by 3 publications

References 7 publications

Identification and assessment of factors that impact the demand for and supply of dental hygienists amidst an evolving workforce context: a scoping review

Identification and assessment of factors that impact the demand for and supply of dental hygienists amidst an evolving workforce context: a scoping review

Developing direct access skills in authentic primary care placements

A scoping review exploring oral health inequalities in India: a call for action to reform policy, practice and research

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