Building professional competence in dental hygiene students through a community-based practicum

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Dentistry
• Dental Education
• Professional Competency Development

Background:

• Canada's aging population necessitates specialized oral health services.
• Dental hygiene students need practical experience with older adults to build essential skills.
• Long-term care settings present unique challenges and opportunities for geriatric oral healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the professional competencies developed by dental hygiene students during a practicum in long-term care.
• To understand the impact of working with older adults on student skill acquisition.
• To identify the dimensions of competence gained through this specific educational experience.

Main Methods:

• Nine dental hygiene students participated across two cohorts.
• Reflective journals, focus groups, and interviews were used for data collection.
• Qualitative data analysis employed a constant comparative approach to identify themes.

Main Results:

• Students enhanced client-focused skills, including communication with older adults with dementia.
• Context-based learning fostered empathy and understanding of the long-term care environment.
• Interprofessional communication skills improved, though their private practice applicability was questioned.

Conclusions:

• Dental hygiene students developed transferable personal and ethical competencies.
• Practicum experience in long-term care settings can encourage students to pursue geriatric dental hygiene.
• Exposure to older adults is crucial for developing specialized oral health professionals.