Impact of Covid‐19 on dental hygiene educators: A national survey

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the Covid‐19 pandemic on dental hygiene (DH) educators’ perception of personal and professional burnout and efficacy in the online/hybrid learning environment. Methods A cross‐sectional study of DH faculty members from 327 United States entry level DH programs was invited to participate in this study. A 36 item survey was disseminated in Qualtrics xm March 2021. The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory was used to measure personal, work‐related, and burnout related to working with students. The Michigan Nurse Educators Sense of Efficacy for Online Teaching instrument was used to measure efficacy in online/hybrid learning. Results The survey had an institutional response rate of 46%. Personal burnout scores had a significantly higher mean as compared to work‐related and burnout working with students’ scores. A majority (66%) of respondents reported often feeling tired. Only personal burnout scores had a significant negative correlation with teaching efficacy scores. Administrators/program directors and full‐time faculty had significantly higher mean personal and work‐related burnout scores as compared to part‐time/adjunct clinical faculty. There were no significant differences in teaching efficacy scores by faculty position and institutional setting. Conclusion COVID‐19 had significant impact on full‐time DH educators’ personal and professional burnout levels. Full‐time administrators/program directors/DH educators reported higher levels of personal burnout. It seems that personal burnout has a negative relationship with teaching efficacy. Faculty position rather than institution impacted personal burnout. Despite personal and professional burnout, DH faculty reported low‐levels of burnout related to working with students.

A qualitative assessment of dental hygiene educators’ COVID‐19 related burnout

“… 16 , 17 , 18 Additionally, DH educators have the unique role of clinician and educator, contributing to an increase in burnout reported in this population. 9 , 11 , 12 DH educators are predominantly female, and there is an already noted higher level of anxiety and depression for women with school‐aged children. 19 , 20 , 21 Kirwin and Ettinger 22 noted that working mothers made up 13% of the United States workforce at the time of the pandemic, with 76% of the mothers in their study displaying moderate to severe mental illness.…”

“…However, it should be noted that despite the limitations in the sampling, these findings were consistent with the existing evidence in the literature on burnout in dental education, confirming previous findings, which could be used to initiate change. 9 , 11 , 12 …”

“… 2 Burnout has been noted to manifest physically, mentally, and emotionally, causing decreased productivity and negatively impacting both personal and patient health outcomes. 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 Burnout is particularly associated with helping professions of health care and teaching, where interpersonal demands and institutional challenges are frequently significant drains on resilience. 1 Therefore, efforts to reduce burnout have become essential to health care education through the promotion of job satisfaction and the cultivation of a humanistic work environment to enhance workplace vitality, particularly in the wake of the COVID‐19 pandemic.…”

“… 9 Not surprisingly, these additional stressors led to an increased incidence of personal and professional burnout and negatively impacted perceptions of teaching efficacy in DH educators. 9 …”

“…The pivot to online course delivery, increased work overload, challenges with administration, and the constant changing of guidelines and procedures related to COVID-19 lead DH faculty to report significant levels of physical and emotional exhaustion. 9 Not surprisingly, these additional stressors led to an increased incidence of personal and professional burnout and negatively impacted perceptions of teaching efficacy in DH educators. 9 In light of these findings, the purpose of this qualitative study was to further examine DH educators' perceptions of personal and professional burnout as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, burnout related to working with students, and their efficacy teaching in an online/hybrid environment through focus groups.…”