Date of Graduation

2002

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

The first purpose of this survey was to identify what women's general and oral health topics were included in dental hygiene curricula. Such variables as the dental hygiene degree granted, whether it was an associate/certificate (A/C), baccalaureate (BS), or master's degree (MS) and the course status were included. The second purpose was to investigate and compare demographic data and related educational issues, such as sources of instruction used by faculty when teaching women's health, continuing education completed by faculty in the past two years on women's health, where and how students apply their women's health knowledge, perception of satisfaction, perceived need to change curricula topics, and importance. From the 256 mailings to entry-level accredited dental hygiene programs, there was a 62% (159/256) response rate. Demographic data revealed that the responding directors represented 84% of the A/C, 25% of the BS, and 6% of the MS degree programs. Of these, 62% represented technical and community college settings, 13% represented universities/colleges associated with a dental school, 21% represented universities/colleges not associated with a dental school, and 2% were located in other settings. Results demonstrated that one topic, oral cancer in women, was included more often in the A/C programs when compared with the BS programs (significant difference). Another topic, oral candidiasis, was more often included in the BS than the A/C degree programs (not significant). There was no definitive rationale for these results. Possible explanations include the A/C curricula is at its maximum capacity for including additional topics, the perceived additional curricula time in the BS program is an advantage, the possibility of specialized dental and basic science faculty when associated with a dental school, and the opportunity to complete a course on women's health topics. The topics, eating disorders and behaviors and HIV/AIDS and other STDs, were topics most included in both the A/C and BS programs. This may be explained by the high incidence and the common occurrence in the media of this conditions or diseases. The topic least included in both types of programs was lung, ovarian, breast, uterine, and cervical cancers. The master's degree data exhibited that 35% (7/20) of the women's general and oral health topics were not included in the graduate courses. A ‘working definition’ of women's health for the dental hygiene profession was developed from this research project. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

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