Student dental hygienists' work values: a measure of an emerging profession?

The purpose of this study was to compare the work values of students in the School of Dental Hygiene and the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Manitoba, Canada, both with each other, and with national sample of Canadian practitioners in both fields. The study was an outgrowth of a larger study measuring the work values of graduating students in six faculties selected to represent the occupational classification system of John Holland. The English version of the Canadian form of the Values Scale which measures 20 work and life values, was used in this study. Differences in values found between the student hygienists and practitioners in both dentistry and dental hygiene may indicate a growing desire for professional status by dental hygienists. Value differences found between practising dentists and hygienists may reflect a traditional hierarchical relationship between these occupations. Limitations of the study and future research questions are discussed.