Intersections between clinical dental hygiene education and perceived practice barriers.

BACKGROUND: A growing body of research demonstrates the degree to which dental hygienists cite barriers to the provision of clinical therapy. Many of these barriers appear to be associated with challenges experienced in entry-to-practice clinical education. This review explores the intersection between clinical dental hygiene education and perceived barriers to the provision of effective clinical therapy. METHODS: Fifty full-text journal articles and eight graduate theses retrieved from PubMed, Education Source, SAGE Journals, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases were reviewed and thematically analysed. Results/DISCUSSION: Emergent themes revealed inconsistencies in dental hygienists' provision of clinical responsibilities; students' perceptions of calibration discrepancies in clinical dental hygiene education; clinical stressors influencing students' development of clinical skills; challenges in andragogic preparation; difficulty in recruiting qualified clinical educators; and challenges in students' transition to professional practice. Findings indicate time limitations, confidence, a desire for additional education, and a perceived lack of dentist support were leading barriers to dental hygienists' provision of clinical therapy. Dental hygiene students reported receiving inconsistent feedback from clinical educators and expressed a desire for greater clinical supervision and calibration. Clinical educators reported a desire for greater calibration efforts, faculty support, and andragogic preparation. CONCLUSION: A review of the literature demonstrates an association between the barriers cited to the implementation of clinical dental hygiene services in professional practice and challenges experienced within clinical dental hygiene curricula.