Health Profession Students' Interprofessional Socialization and Values Toward a College-Based Virtual Interprofessional Education Activity.

PURPOSE: The inclusion of interprofessional education (IPE) is essential for the health professions curricula and establishes the expectation of collaborative patient-centered care. The COVID-19 pandemic has required educators to develop innovative methods for IPE student engagement. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a college-based virtual IPE activity for first-year health profession students and measure their interprofessional socialization and values (ISVS) toward IPE teams. The validated interprofessional socialization and valuing scales (ISVS-9A/9B) were used. METHODS: A one-group pre-post-test design examined health profession students' ISVS from seven health programs before and after a virtual IPE activity. The IPE activity was a case-study grounded in the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) core competencies that addressed each of the student learners' professional roles. RESULTS: A total of 244 students and 122 students completed the ISVS-9A/9B, respectively. A significant increase in the average total ISVS-9A/9B scores was observed among all student learners for 85 matched pairs (5.27 ± 1.11 vs 5.56 ± 1.02, p=0.01). Participating students generally found the activity valuable to their learning. CONCLUSIONS: The virtual composition of the IPE activity reduced logistical barriers and allowed for collaboration and awareness among students. Virtual IPE activities may be the cornerstone for interdisciplinary student engagement.

Prenatal and Pediatric Oral Health Education Among Dental Hygiene Programs in the United States.

Purpose: Health care and dental providers must be prepared to address the oral health needs of mothers and children in order to reduce the burden of dental disease in these populations. The purpose of this study was to describe the curriculum and clinical experiences related to prenatal and pediatric oral health in the university and community college dental hygiene programs in the United States (US).Methods: Dental hygiene program directors (PDs) from across the US were invited to participate in a cross-sectional electronic survey regarding the prenatal and pediatric oral health curriculum at their institution. In addition to program characteristics, the survey included items pertaining to curriculum and competencies, content delivery methods and hours spent, locations for clinical experiences, collaboration efforts, and professional policy guidelines. Responses were summarized, and descriptive analyses were conducted to examine program competency and curriculum by program type.Results: A total of 124 PDs responded to the survey for a 37.9% response rate; over half (54%) were based in community colleges. Overall, most PDs indicated prenatal (77.3%) and pediatric oral health (66.1%) as a part of their program's core curriculum. However, prenatal oral health was a core competency for 52% of the respondents and less than half (46%) considered pediatric oral health a core competency. Most programs (>75%) reported teaching professional policies and guidelines. Universities reported more hours for prenatal and didactic and clinical experiences than community colleges. The most common barrier reported for prenatal and pediatric clinical experience was the lack of patients (55% and 35%, respectively).Conclusions: Most dental hygiene programs are utilizing a variety of methodologies to incorporate prenatal and pediatric content into the curriculum and students are being exposed to professional guidelines and recommendations for these populations. However, patient care experiences for prenatal and pediatric patients were low due to lack of patients.

Oral Health Literacy Inventories for Caregivers of Preschool-aged Children: A systematic review.

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to describe the oral health literacy (OHL) inventories that have been used among caregivers of preschool-aged children.Methods: Four databases were searched (CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source, PubMed), to identify peer-reviewed, full-text studies published in English on the oral health literacy among caregivers of preschool-aged children from 2010-2021. All studies were assessed for eligibility using PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria were experimental, non-experimental, or mixed methods peer-reviewed studies, conducted in the United States. Eligible studies were independently evaluated using the Effective Public Health Practice Project's Quality Assessment Tool.Results: The initial search yielded 182 articles; 11 studies met the inclusion criteria after screening: observational (n=8), experimental (n=2), and quasi-experimental (n=1). Main outcome measures included: oral health literacy, oral health knowledge, oral health attitudes and behaviors, child oral health status (COHS), child oral health-related quality of life (C-OHRQoL), and child oral health-related expenditures. However, this review focused only on caregivers' OHL and the associated measurements for this variable. Most studies utilized the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry (REALD-30); the remainder used the Basic Research Factors Questionnaire (BRFQ), the Oral Health Literacy Inventory for Parents (OH-LIP), or self-designed survey questions.Conclusions: Few studies met the inclusion criteria. There was an uneven distribution of studies using different inventories for the measurement of oral health literacy limiting the generalizability of the findings to low-income and minority groups. Most caregiver OHL studies focused on dental word recognition, only a few measured knowledge and comprehension. More comprehensive inventories could be designed to evaluate caregivers' knowledge and understanding of dental terms.

Disparities in Caregiver-Reported Dental Cavities and Toothaches Among Children in the Special Supplemental Nutrition for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program.

Purpose: Dental caries is prevalent among low-income and minority children despite oral health promotion programs. The purpose of this study was to examine disparities associated with caregiver-reported cavities and toothaches among children in the United States aged 2-4 years by their eligibility for and participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.Methods: A secondary data analysis was performed using the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) data on children aged 2-4 years (n=7,719) with complete WIC participation information. Three groups were formed based on WIC eligibility and participation status: WIC participants, income-eligible non-participants, and higher-income non-participants. Caregiver-reported cavities and toothaches were compared by WIC eligibility and participation using chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results: Among all children in the data set, 2,069 were WIC eligible, 49.8% of whom participated in WIC. Participants in WIC had higher reported cavities and toothaches (10.0% and 5.2%) than income-eligible, or higher-income non- WIC participating children (8.9% and 3.2%; 4.4% and 0.1%, respectively; p < 0.001). However, non-Hispanic, white WIC participants, had a higher proportion of reported cavities (14.0%) and toothaches (8.2%) than income-eligible non-participants (6.7% and 1.9%, respectively; p < 0.05). While non-Hispanic, black WIC participating children, had nearly 3.6 times more reported cavities than income-eligible nonparticipants (9.0% vs. 2.5%, p < 0.05).Conclusion: Caregiver-reported cavities and toothaches varied by sociodemographic characteristics within WIC participation and eligibility groups. These findings suggest that more research is warranted to explore factors that are contributing to oral health disparities associated with WIC eligibility and participation.

Caregivers' report of preventive dental care visits and services for US WIC-participating and non-participating children.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether children participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) had more caregiver-reported preventive dental care visits (PDCVs) and preventive dental services (PDS) than nonparticipating children. METHODS: A secondary data analysis was performed utilizing the National Survey of Children's Health 2017 and 2018 combined datasets. The analytic sample included 10,356 children aged 1-4 years. It was further stratified into three groups by WIC eligibility and participation to include WIC participation, income-eligible nonparticipants, and higher-income nonparticipants. The independent variables included child-level characteristics (age, sex, race/ethnicity, and insurance) and caregiver-level characteristics (age of mother and the highest level of education in the household). The dependent variable was the report of PDCV and PDS (dental cleaning, toothbrushing instructions, and fluoride treatment) in the past 12 months. RESULTS: Of the 10,356 children aged 1-4 years, 3025 were eligible for WIC and nearly half of those eligible (49.5%) reported participating in the WIC program. Caregivers of WIC-participating children had a higher reported prevalence of PDCV for their children than those of income-eligible nonparticipants (57.6% vs. 49.6%, respectively) (p < 0.05). In addition, caregivers of WIC-participating children reported their children receiving more PDS than income-eligible nonparticipants, including dental cleanings (38.5% vs. 33.6%), toothbrushing instructions (25.5% vs. 22.7%), and fluoride treatments (22.7% vs. 21.2%) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: WIC-participating children had a higher reported prevalence of PDCVs and PDS than income-eligible nonparticipating children. Further research is needed to understand differences in the reports of specific PDSs received.

Use of a Simulated-Virtual Training Module to Improve Dental Hygiene Students' Self-Reported Knowledge, Attitudes, and Confidence in Providing Care to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A pilot study.

Purpose: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder affecting an individual's ability to communicate, interact, behave, and learn. The purpose of this study was to determine knowledge, attitudes, and confidence of dental hygiene students in providing care to children with ASD as a mechanism for evaluating dental hygiene curricula for patients with special needs.Methods: A simulated-virtual training (SVT) intervention was developed as an interactive approach for educating dental hygiene students on providing care to a child patient with ASD. The SVT intervention consisted of a scenario in which the clinician "interacted" with a child with ASD who was having difficulty in the dental environment. Pre- and post-test surveys measured students' knowledge, attitudes, and perceived confidence related to providing dental hygiene services to children with ASD prior to and following the intervention. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank was used to determine statistical significance at the p=.05 level.Results: Thirty-three second year dental hygiene students completed the pre- and post-test surveys for a response rate of 97%. Statistically significant differences were observed for self-reported confidence to provide care to patients with ASD upon graduation, assessment of the unique needs of children with ASD, and an understanding of the dental needs for children with ASD (p<0.05). Participants' confidence with performing dental hygiene services on children with ASD greatly increased, with statistically significant difference found for almost all services (i.e., oral exam, oral hygiene instruction, oral photos, radiographs, scaling, fluoride treatment; p<0.05) except selective polishing. Most (90%) agreed that there is a need for additional/elective resources to help increase comfort in providing care to children with ASD.Conclusion: Results indicate the SVT intervention increased students' knowledge, attitudes, self-perceived confidence, and comfort. Dental and dental hygiene curricula could include technologies and intervention methods to advance access to dental care by children with ASD.

Oral Health Knowledge, Practices, and Awareness of Oral Health Guidelines and Dental Coverage Policies among Midwives.

INTRODUCTION: Good oral health during the prenatal period translates into better oral and overall health for women and their infants. Although the importance of oral health during pregnancy is well established, oral health assessments are not routinely included in prenatal care visits. The purpose of this study was to explore prenatal care providers' practices regarding oral health assessments and identify reasons for the gap in oral health integration in prenatal care. Data were gathered from midwives in Virginia, United States. Information on midwives' knowledge about oral health, education, practices, and awareness of oral health guidelines and the pregnancy-related Medicaid dental benefit policy in Virginia was collected. METHODS: An online survey was distributed to midwives practicing in Virginia through their state-level professional organization. The data were collected online, and descriptive data analyses were conducted. RESULTS: A total of 30 midwives (mean age 51.9 years) participated in the survey for an overall response rate of 13.6%. Among survey participants, knowledge of oral health was high (score of 4.69 out of 5). Nearly 20% of participants reported receiving no education about oral health during professional training, and 72.4% reported no receipt of continuing education about oral health in the past year. Although 86% of the participants reported discussing oral health in clinical practice, only 10.3% reported conducting oral health assessments. Awareness of Virginia's Medicaid dental benefit policy was high (75.9%), but less than half of the participants were aware of oral health guidelines (44.1%). Although many midwives did not conduct oral health assessments, 79.3% reported that they provided oral health referrals to pregnant patients. DISCUSSION: Enhancing and integrating education about oral health in the academic curriculum for midwives and providing them with opportunities for continuing education about oral health can improve their engagement with oral health. Sharing of evidence-based guidelines through organizational newsletters, meetings, and other venues can be ways to increase awareness of new guidelines and health coverage benefits among midwives.

Occupational health practices among dental care professionals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a substantial burden on dental care professionals. While dentistry is known as one of the most exposed and high-risk professions, dental care professionals are indeed at even greater risk. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, occupational health practices, personal protective equipment usage, and mental stressors during COVID-19 pandemic among dental care professionals. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among dental care professionals who were subscribers to a dental hygiene journal using a self-administered online survey (n = 1047 respondents). Cross-tabulations were performed to determine differences in the responses to the statements related to different domains. RESULTS: COVID-19 impacted the healthy work-life balance (p <  0.001) and caused sleeping difficulty among the respondents (p <  0.001). Moreover, a lower response on changing respirators and gloves for each patient compared with before viral pandemic was observed (p <  0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Ongoing training on infection control, occupational health practices, and PPE usage can prevent the transmission of COVID-19 among dental care professionals and the public. Lack of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) is a burden for applying occupational health practices in dental clinics and present a risk to the public. COVID-19 may contribute to developing psychological stress and disrupt healthy work-life balance among dental professionals.

Oral Health Education and Promotion Activities by Early Head Start Programs in the United States: A systematic review.

Purpose: Dental caries is a non-communicable, preventable disease that disproportionately affects low-income children in the United States (US). The purpose of this systematic review was to describe oral health education and promotion activities designed to prevent early childhood caries (ECC) provided by Early Head Start (EHS) programs in the United States.Methods: Five databases were searched including CINAHL, Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source through EBSCO, PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Wiley Online Library, to identify peer-reviewed quantitative studies published in English on oral health education and promotion activities within EHS programs from 2000 to 2019. Studies were assessed for eligibility using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flow diagram (PRISMA). Two researchers independently evaluated the included studies.Results: The initial search yielded a total of 363 articles. Following the screening process, five studies met the inclusion criteria (observational, n=2; quasi-experimental, n=3). The main outcome measures included oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviors, oral health education, oral health promotion, and oral health activities. Three studies investigated the effectiveness of oral health education and promotion interventions among EHS staff and parents. Two studies examined oral health activities such as education, toothbrushing instructions, toothpaste use, dietary education, and dental assessment.Conclusion: Studies that focused on increasing pediatric oral health knowledge and practice behaviors among both EHS staff members and parents reflected positive outcomes. Ongoing research is needed to examine the effectiveness of oral health education and promotion activities as they relate to the oral health outcomes of children enrolled in EHS programs.

Emergency department use for nontraumatic dental conditions among children and adolescents: NEDS 2014-2015.

OBJECTIVES: Despite great efforts to improve paediatric dental care access in the last two decades, the use of emergency departments (ED) for dental conditions among children that are more appropriately addressed in dental offices remains a public health concern in the United States. We examined factors associated with ED visits for nontraumatic dental conditions or NTDCs and ED visits for any other reason among children and adolescents. METHODS: A retrospective secondary data analysis of ED visits was conducted using the 2014-2015 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) data. NTDCs were further categorized as diseases of hard tissue (eg dental caries), pulp/periapical (eg root canal infections), gingival/periodontal (eg conditions that affect the supporting tissues) and other. We included patient/socioeconomic characteristics, disposition, time of visit, and the Grouped Charlson Comorbidity Index (GRPCI) in our analysis. Bivariate associations were tested using chi-squared test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: There were 70 616 194 ED visits in 2014-15, with 465 353 (0.7%) visits for NTDCs. Statistically significant differences were observed for all patient characteristics tested, except for gender when comparing children visiting the ED for NTDCs and children visiting for any other reason. Medicaid was the expected payer for nearly 60% of all ED visits, and the uninsured shared a larger proportion of NTDC visits (19.4%) than other visits (8.8%). Late adolescents (aged 18-21) accounted for over 50% of NTDC visits but only one-fifth of all other types of ED visits. Late adolescents (18-21 years old) who were uninsured had a significantly higher proportion of NTDC visits. Of all NTDC visits, 19.1% were related to hard tissue disease, 25.3% pulp/periapical, 7.9% periodontal disease, and the remaining were grouped as other dental diseases. CONCLUSIONS: The ED use for NTDCs is more common among late adolescents, Medicaid and uninsured groups. Examining and implementing new approaches that improve access to routine dental care for these groups may help in reducing inefficient ED use related to NTDCs.

Caregivers' Comprehension of the Terms Decay and Cavities: A qualitative analysis.

Purpose: Tooth decay and cavities are the most common oral health consequences for young children that may result from inadequate oral health literacy (OHL) or understanding of their caregivers. The purpose of this study was to describe the understanding of terms related to decay and cavities among caregivers of preschool-aged children.Methods: English-speaking caregivers with children aged <6 years were recruited from two private dental practices located in Washington State. A qualitative analysis was performed using responses regarding the terms decay and cavities as part of the 36 item Oral Health Literacy Inventory for Parents (OH-LIP). Responses were recorded, transcribed, coded, and assigned to domains and categories.Results: Responses from 111 participants were included in the analysis. About one fifth of the participants (19.8%, n=22) indicated that they did not know what decay was or provided an incorrect response. The majority (71.2%, n=79) made the association that decay was something bad that happens to the teeth. However only a minority of the participants (9%, n=10) correctly identified decay as destruction of the tooth surface because of bacterial action. When asked to define the word cavities, more than half (68.5%) indicated that cavities were something harmful to teeth, while only about one quarter (27%, n=30) correctly identified cavities as resulting from the decay process.Conclusion: Knowledge disparities related to the terms decay and cavities among caregivers suggest that more education is needed regarding the tooth decay process and factors causing dental caries to ensure timely preventive services are received. Gaps in oral health literacy should be addressed by health care professionals. Dental hygienists are in an ideal position to educate caregivers as well as non-dental health care professionals who provide services to caregivers and children.

Dental hygiene and public health students' perception of an online interprofessional education applied learning activity.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To pilot an online interprofessional education (IPE) applied learning activity (ALA), to understand students' socialization and values towards IPE teams, and evaluate the IPE learning activity for future implementation. METHODS: A pre-and post-test design was used to assess interprofessional socialization and values utilizing the (ISVS-9A/9B) surveys before and after the IPE ALA among dental hygiene (DH) and Master of Public Health (MPH) students (n = 86). Three statements from the ISVS-9A/9B surveys were not included due to the nature of the activity. The IPE ALA was a case study related to a federally funded community health center seeking funding for a dental van within 14 local targeted communities (i.e., children, senior citizens, special needs). Student groups were randomly assigned to one targeted community and completed questions that required application of prevention, systems thinking and management and solutions of oral health issues. Students collaboratively developed an executive summary and presentation through an online learning platform. RESULTS: A total of 73 DH (n = 38) and MPH (n = 35) students (84.8% response rate) completed the ISVS 9-A (modified), and 57 students DH (n = 33) and MPH (n = 24) students (66.3% response rate) completed the ISVS-9B (modified) and IPE activity evaluation. A positive change (pre-post) was observed based on the students' responses (p < 0.05) and 64% agreed that the skills obtained from the IPE ALA would help them in their careers. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, student learners' ISVS toward IPE improved after engaging in the online ALA. The use of online platforms is one low resource strategy to integrate IPE experiences into allied health and dental education.

Attitudes of Virginia Dentists Toward Dental Therapists: A pilot study.

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine perceptions of Virginia (VA) dentists toward mid-level dental providers, specifically dental therapists (DT), and determine whether membership in the American Dental Association (ADA) membership affected attitudes.Methods: A convenience sample of 1208 dentists in the state of VA were invited to participate in an electronic survey. The instrument consisted of 11 Likert type scale questions assessing attitudes toward DTs. Additional items included the appropriate level of education and supervision of a DT, and five demographic questions. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. A one-sample t-test was used to determine statistical significance for the Likert scale items.Results: An overall response rate of 12% was obtained (n=145). Most respondents were male (73%), members of the ADA (84%), and over the age of 40 (65%). Results suggest that most participants did not perceive (M=1.90, p<0.001) that a DT was needed in VA, and did not support (M=2.08, p<0.001) a DT model provider. Most participants (M=2.01, p<0.001) were not comfortable having a DT perform authorized procedures or ever employing one in their practice (M=1.82, p<0.001). Comfort having a DT perform authorized procedures (b=.63, p<0.001), but not years of practice (b=-.09, p=0.18), was significantly associated with support for this mid-level provider. Additionally, a lower tolerance towards DTs was associated with an increased likelihood of membership in the ADA (b=.14, p=0.04).Conclusion: Virginia dentists surveyed did not perceive a need for DTs and generally reported unfavorable attitudes towards this mid-level provider. Findings support the need for more research with a larger, more diverse sample population.

Innovative Collaborative Service-Learning Experience among Dental Hygiene and Nurse Practitioner Students: A pediatric oral health pilot study.

Purpose: Preventive oral health behaviors are essential for children during early stages of development. The purpose of this study was to pilot an innovative, collaborative service-learning (ICSL) experience for dental hygiene (DH) and primary care nurse practitioner (NP) students to address pediatric oral health.Methods: A convenience sample of DH and NP students (n=12) participated in the development, planning and delivery of an ICSL activity focusing on pediatric oral health to 44 pre-school aged children. A learning management system was used for the communicating, planning and evaluating the ICSL activity. The interprofessional socialization of the participants was measured using the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS-9A/9/B) survey prior to and following the ICSL experience. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.Results: Twelve students agreed to participate in the ICSL experience (DH= 9 and NP=3) and completed the pre and post ISVS-9A/9B surveys. There was a positive change in interprofessional socialization scales (0.42) after the ICSL experience (p=0.066) for all participants. Marginal statistically significant differences were identified among the DH participants (p=0.058) in their pre and post interprofessional socialization scores.Conclusion: Within the limitations of this pilot study, the ICSL experience had a positive impact on NP and DH students' socialization to interprofessional collaboration. This low resource, service-learning educational project has potential for easy integration within dental hygiene and advanced practice nursing curricula.

Application of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model to predict dental students' behavioral intention to use teledentistry.

Teledentistry is an innovative technology that can be used to improve access to care and oral health outcomes. Dental students' intention to use teledentistry after completing dental school has not been investigated. PURPOSE: The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) was used to predict intentions to use teledentistry among 4th-year U.S. dental students. METHODS: A cross-sectional approach was performed for a 7-week period in Spring 2019. All U.S. dental schools (N = 66) were invited to participate and 16 schools agreed to participate. An anonymous survey link was emailed to academic deans for dissemination to students. A total of 1416 4th-year dental students received the anonymous survey link and 210 students completed the survey (response rate = 14.8%). The survey included questions and scales that measured the UTAUT constructs of performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), facilitating conditions (FC), and behavioral intentions (BI). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24. The study was deemed exempt by institutional review board. RESULTS: The dental students' BI to use teledentistry was significantly predicted by PE (R2 = 33%, P < 0.01), EE (R2 = 24%, P < 0.01), SI (R2 = 24%, P < 0.01), and FC (R2 = 14%, P < 0.01). The UTAUT model was statistically significant in predicting the BI and explained 40% of BI variance (R2 = .40, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Dental students' perceptions about PE, EE, SI, and FC were associated with BI. Therefore, exposure to teledentistry while in dental school could increase the likelihood of use as a practicing provider.

Dental hygiene students' clinical self-confidence and management of pediatric clients: Pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Dental hygiene programs must ensure students are competent and confident to meet the oral health needs of pediatric clients. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate dental hygiene students' perceived self-confidence to perform dental hygiene services and manage client behaviour. METHODS: The study was deemed exempt by the institutional review board. A mixed methods approach evaluated 36 first-year dental hygiene students' perceived self-confidence using an electronically delivered valid survey that consisted of 19 questions on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = not at all confident to 5 = totally confident) and 1 reflective question. RESULTS: The response rate for the survey was 100% (N = 36). Over 60% reported "totally confident" when completing a medical history; formulating and communicating a treatment plan; providing oral hygiene instruction; and applying fluoride varnish. Only 11% (n = 4) reported "totally confident" in exposing radiographs on pediatric clients. Roughly 42% (n = 15) reported "reasonably confident" and 28% (n = 10) reported "totally confident" when managing behaviour throughout the appointment. The multiple regression model explained 64% of the variance and was a significant predictor of managing behaviour, F (6, 29) = 8.70, p = 0.000. Reflective responses suggest that clients' age, appointment length, and dental procedures posed behaviour management challenges. DISCUSSION: The majority of students reported "reasonably" or "totally" confident when performing dental hygiene services. However, more clinical opportunities are warranted to increase self-confidence in managing pediatric clients' behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: A review of pediatric client content and experiences within dental hygiene programs is suggested to ensure graduates are prepared to meet pediatric needs.

CONTEXTE: Les programmes d'hygiène dentaire doivent veiller à ce que les étudiants soient compétents et confiants afin de répondre aux besoins de santé buccodentaire des clients pédiatriques. La présente étude pilote vise à évaluer la confiance en soi perçue par les étudiants en hygiène dentaire pour effectuer les services d'hygiène dentaire et gérer le comportement des clients. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Le comité d'éthique indépendant a déclaré l'étude exempte. Une approche de méthodes mixtes a permis d'évaluer la confiance en soi perçue par 36 étudiants de la première année d'hygiène dentaire au moyen d'un sondage valide livré par voie électronique, composé de 19 questions de type échelle de Likert en 5 points (1 = pas confiants du tout à 5 = complètement confiants) et une question à réflexion. RÉSULTATS: Le taux de réponse du sondage était de 100 % (N = 36). Plus de 60 % des répondants ont rapporté se sentir « totalement confiants ¼ à remplir un formulaire d'antécédents médicaux, à élaborer et à communiquer un plan de traitement, à fournir des instructions d'hygiène buccale et à appliquer un vernis fluoré. Seulement 11 % (n = 4) ont signalé être « totalement confiants ¼ à prendre des radiographies sur des clients pédiatriques. Environ 42 % des répondants (n = 15) ont signalé être « suffisamment confiants ¼ et 28 % (n = 10) ont signalé être « totalement confiants ¼ lorsqu'ils gèrent le comportement au cours du rendez-vous. Le modèle de régression multiple a expliqué 64 % de la variance et était une variable explicative significative pour la gestion du comportement, F (6, 29) = 8,70, p = 0,000. Les réponses à réflexion suggèrent que l'âge, la durée du rendez-vous, et l'intervention dentaire du client présentaient des défis de gestion du comportement. DISCUSSION: La majorité des étudiants ont signalé être « raisonnablement ¼ ou « complètement ¼ confiants lorsqu'ils effectuent des services d'hygiène dentaire. Cependant, il est nécessaire d'avoir un plus grand nombre d'expériences cliniques pour augmenter la confiance en soi lors de la gestion du comportement des clients pédiatriques. CONCLUSIONS: Un examen du contenu et des expériences avec les clients pédiatriques dans le cadre des programmes d'hygiène dentaire est proposé pour veiller à ce que les diplômés soient prêts à répondre aux besoins pédiatriques.