U.S. Dental Hygiene Students' Perceptions of Interprofessional Collaboration

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Healthcare
• Dental Hygiene

Background:

• Complex patient care necessitates collaboration among diverse healthcare providers.
• Dental hygienists require effective communication skills with medical professionals for comprehensive patient management.
• Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is crucial for delivering integrated healthcare services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate U.S. dental hygiene students' attitudes regarding interprofessional collaboration (IPC).
• To identify demographic factors (age, program year, location) influencing these attitudes.
• To assess the readiness of dental hygiene students for interprofessional practice.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study surveying 504 U.S. dental hygiene associate degree students.
• Utilized the validated Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS) to measure attitudes towards IPC.
• Analyzed data for differences based on student age, program year, and program location.

Main Results:

• The majority of respondents were female (97%) and under 30 (74.6%).
• Overall positive attitudes towards IPC were indicated by mean IEPS scores.
• No significant differences in IPC attitudes were found based on age or program location.
• First-year students reported significantly higher perceptions of actual cooperation compared to second-year students (p=0.016).

Conclusions:

• Associate degree dental hygiene students generally exhibit positive attitudes towards interprofessional collaboration.
• Age and program location do not significantly impact students' views on IPC.
• Findings suggest dental hygiene students are receptive to interprofessional education preparing them for future collaborative practice.