Introduction
It has been well established that barriers to professional growth and development exist, namely a lack of professional socialization among healthcare providers. Upon entering a field of study in healthcare, individuals singularly identify themselves with a specific career they have chosen and aim to provide care within the boundaries established by that profession. (1) Although this is the nature of working in certain sectors of healthcare, it does not foster an environment of interprofessional collaboration when providers are expected to work individually to meet the specific needs of their patients. (1) Instead, breaking the stereotypes of professional identities and increasing interprofessional education, could help improve the quality of care provided to patients from a comprehensive healthcare team. (2)
Stereotypes in Dental Hygiene
Stereotypes in healthcare settings can be a roadblock to how providers communicate with and view one another. Dental hygienists along with a number of future healthcare providers will enter their programs with preconceived values and beliefs about their field of choice. (3) One stereotype that dental hygienists often face is the idea that their sole responsibility is to simply “clean teeth” in a dental office setting. The scope of practice for dental hygienists is vast and most are given autonomy with treatment planning, administering anesthetic, and providing care under general supervision. Often, hygienists will enter the workforce in clinical practice, as that is what they are socialized to in their education without respect to the fact that they could be advantageous in a number of healthcare settings. With the large role hygienists play in advocating for a patient’s oral-systemic health, the need for increased interprofessional socialization is evident in order to get hygienists into various healthcare facilities and expand access to care. Initiatives like social events, meetings, and conferences between students and working professionals must be taken in order for everyone to understand what each provider could bring to a team and begin breaking down stereotypes. (2)
Interprofessional Education
Healthcare providers aim to become experts in their field and working alongside other professionals will assist in furthering knowledge, fostering professional growth, and learning new skills. (4) Dental hygienists will attend conventions and continuing education events that are specific to dental professionals. Although training is necessary to stay abreast of the latest research, trends, and information, interprofessional education with providers outside of dentistry could broaden the viewpoint on patient care and allow for a multidisciplinary approach. (1) Research published by the National Library of Medicine identified poor communication among healthcare providers as one of the leading causes of medical errors and patient safety issues. (5) If there were more opportunities for professional socialization so that education could be openly shared across the spectrums of healthcare, would this improve the quality of patient care? (6) In dental hygiene, being able to talk to a patient’s health care providers (cardiologists, primary care physicians, endocrinologists) so that oral health concerns that may be contributing to systemic health issues could be expressed, would ultimately create a well-rounded team. Essentially, this socialization would allow providers to assume a dual identity, where they are practicing their specialty but are also educated on the role that other providers could have in helping treat their patients. (1)
Conclusion
Professional and social growth is the outcome of providers from various spectrums collaborating to achieve a common goal. Stereotypes will inevitably be a barrier, but understanding that identities as providers can evolve and being willing to learn and share as a team of professionals across spectrums will ultimately be what increases access to care for patients. (7) The same goes for dental hygienists in healthcare facilities outside of the traditional dental clinic. Hygienists do not have to be defined by dental clinics and breaking these stereotypes through interprofessional education could, in turn, create opportunities for dental hygiene care to be provided elsewhere. Having the opportunity to socialize as professionals is necessary in order to continue advancing healthcare and to truly respect each individual’s expertise as a member of a patient’s team.
References
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