Instructional strategies and challenges for implementing teledentistry in dental hygiene curricula: A qualitative study.
J Dent Educ
; 88(6): 777-785, 2024 Jun.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38356361
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES:
Research has documented the implementation of telecommunications and virtual technology use in health care disciplines to expand accessibility. Despite the current trend of digital innovations in healthcare systems, telehealth technology is not readily adopted in the dental hygiene profession yet. Currently, no standardized educational framework exists in dental hygiene curricula to prepare professionals with the technical skill set and professional knowledge necessary for telehealth applications. The aims and objectives of this research were (1) to investigate existing dental hygiene educators' pedagogical frameworks for incorporating telehealth technology into dental hygiene curricula, (2) explore these educators' instructional strategies for teaching telehealth technology, and (3) examine the theoretical implications and practical outcomes of teaching telehealth technology for professional development and transferrable work-force ready skills.METHODS:
A nine-item, open-ended, semi-structured interview guide was prepared and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) in January 2023 to qualitatively investigate accredited entry-level dental hygiene programs in the United States. Thematic interpretational analysis was conducted using NVivo software.RESULTS:
A total of 54 of the 328 dental hygiene programs volunteered for participation. Thirteen full-time and part-time dental hygiene educators met inclusion criteria. The core salient themes identified included (a) curriculum mapping, (b) technology integration, (c) professional collaboration, and (d) supplemental skill set.CONCLUSIONS:
These findings provide guidance to dental hygiene programs for bridging the teledentistry knowledge gap in curriculum development. Incorporating telehealth applications into dental hygiene curricula prepares future dental hygienists with the specialized training needed to function as a member of contemporary health care teams addressing access to care.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Telemedicina
/
Currículo
/
Pesquisa Qualitativa
/
Higienistas Dentários
Tipo de estudo:
Guideline
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Qualitative_research
Limite:
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Dent Educ
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article