Prioritization of professional issues by Idaho Dental Hygienists

The Idaho Dental Hygienists' Association (IDHA) and other constituents use surveys to establish the goals of the association and better represent members. This study was conducted to assess dental hygienists' opinions about professional issues related to dental hygiene practice and legislative activities in Idaho.

In 1998, a questionnaire was mailed to all active Idaho dental hygiene licensees (N = 652). The coded questionnaire contained two sections. Section I included items on demographic and employment characteristics, and Section II included items on legislative and professional issues. Respondents were asked to rank 14 professional issues by selecting the top five concerns about dental hygiene practice in Idaho. Research questions asked included: 1) Do entry-level baccalaureate degrees in dental hygiene affect the ranking of professional concerns of Idaho dental hygienists? 2) Does being a member of the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) affect Idaho dental hygienists' ranking of professional concerns? Data were analyzed using frequency distributions and nonparametric tests of association.

A 74% (N = 431) response rate was obtained after two mailings. Three professional issues were ranked as important concerns by at least 50% of respondents. They were 1) the "national trend to reduce entry-level education for dental hygienists," 2) "dental assistants performing dental hygiene services," and 3) "legalizing self-regulation."

It is incumbent upon constituent dental hygienists' associations to obtain and utilize information from members for strategic planning and legislative efforts. A statewide membership study clearly can provide direction. Idaho dental hygienists are concerned about maintaining quality education programs, reducing illegal practices, and regulating themselves. Also, the state association and regulatory agencies need to take an active role to assure that dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants are educated about state laws.