Initial University of Otago oral health graduates' employment pathways and preparedness for work

To examine University of Otago BOH graduates' post-graduation pathways and employment experiences; and graduate, employer and host therapist perspectives of the new BOH programme and student/ graduate preparedness for work.

A survey-based qualitative research project.

Private and public oral healthcare settings.

Open-ended questionnaires were used to conduct a 2010 survey of 2009 BOH graduates and consenting graduates' employers, and a 2011 survey of dental therapists who had hosted BOH students on clinical placement since 2009. Data were analysed inductively using a thematic content and analysis approach.

18 (60%) of the 30,2009 BOH graduates completed the online graduate questionnaire with 10 providing employer information. Six employers completed the 'graduate attribute' questionnaire, and 30 (45%) of the 66 eligible host therapists, the 'student attribute' questionnaire. Clear themes emerged from the three participant groups.

Of the 18 graduate participants, 10 were working in dental therapy and dental hygiene, with the remaining eight working in only one area. Graduates' primary concern was with maintaining both scopes of practice. Graduates and host therapists stressed a need for students' exposure to complex cases, while employers indicated that graduates' clinical confidence had developed over time.

Recommendations for improving BOH graduates' transition outcomes included (1) increasing students' exposure to complex clinical and placement experience; (2) improving continuing education opportunities for new graduates; and (3) promoting interaction between BOH and dental students with a view to improving (future) dentists' knowledge of BOH graduate skills and attributes.