In the academic and professional sphere, individuals possessing a doctoral degree are held with high regard and are viewed as equals amongst those with similar accolades. It is indisputable that having a doctorate, whether professional or academic, leads to career advancement, salary compensations, research opportunities, and training to be able to educate graduate level hygienists. (1) Specifically, dental hygienists equipped with a doctoral degree are key contributors to the upward growth of the dental hygiene knowledge base because of the unique and individualized research that is conducted, as well as grant writing skills gained while in a doctoral program. (2) Although dental hygienists that pursue a doctoral degree currently have to seek out education in an alternate discipline, this can be beneficial because it allows hygienists to bring a perspective outside of dentistry while still contributing to scientific literature. (2) Unfortunately, without a doctoral program in dental hygiene, the profession has struggled to move forward because growth and development of modern information that guides clinical practice is dependent on research often produced in doctoral programs.(2,3) If dental hygienists are to be a part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team and if research is a driving force behind the advancement of dental hygiene principles, then academic and professional doctoral programs in dental hygiene must be established.
Dental Hygiene and the Interdisciplinary Healthcare Team
With the rates of periodontal disease in adults exceedingly high and tooth decay being the number one chronic condition in both children and adults across the United States, it is no wonder that dental hygienists need to be more involved at the local, state, and national level to increase access to care. (2,4) The current dental hygiene model trains hygienists in a two-year entry level program. This is necessary to gain practical clinical skills, but it is in higher level education where leadership, education, critical thinking, and decision-making skills are acquired. (5) Hygienists provide valuable care in clinical settings, however there are still large populations with social determinants that keep them from accessing the oral healthcare they need. (4) By encouraging hygienists in their undergraduate degree programs to seek advanced degrees like a doctorate, opportunities may present for hygienists to participate in research, decision-making, or policy reform to address disparities that exist within oral health care. (2) Dental hygienists that possess a doctoral degree will not only have their clinical foundation, but will also possess leadership, administrative, and research skills that will allow them to work within interdisciplinary healthcare teams in settings like educational institutions, healthcare agencies, and hospital administration. (1,5) This will ultimately help bring communities toward oral and systemic wellness through disease prevention programs and the promotion of healthy lifestyles. (1,6)
Research as a Means to Advancement
Research is the only way to learn new information and see the dental hygiene profession continually advance. As previously stated, the current entry level dental hygiene degree model does not alot for enough time to complete original research pertinent to the growth and development of oral health related topics. (3,7) Research fundamentals are introduced in undergraduate curricula, but it isn’t until graduate and doctoral level education where original research is conducted. (3) Most dental hygienists will graduate from their undergraduate program and begin providing care in clinical practice settings. Dental hygienists need to understand that all of the information provided to them in their undergraduate curricula stemmed from research principles. It is research that guides the care provided by clinicians and engaging in research will ultimately create a well-equipped, advanced hygienist that is educated in current scientific literature. (3) Another critical component to providing research education at the graduate and doctoral level is having enough qualified educators to do so. Research has shown the significant impact educators have as mentors for undergraduate students to pursue higher level education. (1) Without mentorship, students will be unaware of the potential academic and research opportunities that exist within dental hygiene if graduate and doctoral degrees are achieved. The current dental hygiene model sets students up for success in the clinical practice setting but fails to encourage students to seek out academic and research growth through continuation of their education. (1) By providing students with tangible information behind seeking out a doctoral degree, advanced research specific to disciplines within dental hygiene has the potential to grow exponentially.
Conclusion
With the terminal degree in dental hygiene currently a Master’s Degree, students wanting to continue their education onto the doctoral level in this discipline cannot. If dental hygiene as a profession wants to be involved with healthcare reform in taking active strides toward increasing access to care nationwide, then establishing a doctoral program will provide students with the necessary skills to work alongside other healthcare professionals. Providing an academic space for students to conduct individual research will help various sectors in healthcare to understand what a critical component oral health has on an individual’s systemic health. With increasing numbers of dental hygiene students pursuing graduate level education, creating a doctoral program will help dental hygiene gain more credibility as a true profession that brings a large knowledge base outside of the clinical practice setting. (1,3)
References
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Gurenlian, J. A. R., & Spolarich, A. E. (2013). Advancing the Profession Through Doctoral Education . The Journal of Dental Hygiene , 87(1), 29–32. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://jdh.adha.org/content/87/suppl_1/29.
Oral conditions. Oral Conditions - Healthy People 2030. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2022, from https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/oral-conditions
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