Scientific Program

An assessment of dental hygienists’ prescribing practices in Alberta

Alexandra Sheppard, BA, MEd, RDH
Sharon Compton, PhD, RDH

In 2008, Alberta registered dental hygienists received authorization to prescribe specific Schedule 1 drugs for dental hygiene care upon completion of an education course approved by the regulatory body. This study used an online survey to explore the prescribing practices of eligible dental hygienists, as well as the barriers they encountered when writing prescriptions.

Assessment of older adults with and without dental implants living in assisted or independent facilities

Sharon Compton, PhD, RDH
Kimi Khabra, MSc(DH), RDH
Erin Fedyna, BSc(DH) student

Patients and dentists have increasingly accepted dental implants to restore edentulous spaces. Daily care for dental implants is more complex and vital to promote implant longevity and health. Research is limited on dental implant status in residents of assisted or independent living facilities. This pilot study assessed the oral health status of older adults with and without dental implants living in assisted or independent facilities in Alberta.

Barriers to and facilitators of access to oral health care for Ukrainian newcomers

Heather Doucette, DipDH, BSc, MEd

The war in Ukraine has resulted in a mass exodus of Ukrainians from their country. Many have sought resettlement in Canada. There is a lack of research, particularly qualitative, on the oral health care experiences of newcomers to Canada both in their country of origin and once in Canada. The increase in Ukrainian newcomers to Canada requires an exploration of barriers to and facilitators of access to oral health care to inform policy.

Development of professional identity in dental hygiene students: a scoping review

Christine Ta, BScDH, MEd (ALGC), RDH
Sharon Compton, PhD, RDH

Development of a strong professional identity early in the training and education of dental hygiene students can contribute to the development of their interprofessional identity in the workplace. Other health professions report extensively on professional identity. However, little is known about professional identity development among dental hygiene students. This scoping review sought to determine what is currently known about professional identity and the link between professional and interprofessional identity specifically among dental hygiene students.

Exploring interprofessional education for collaborative practice (IPECP) in oral health education: a scoping review

Lindsay Van Dam, BA, MHS, PhD student, RDH

Interprofessional education for collaborative practice (IPECP) in pre-licensure education promotes professional and interprofessional socialization. Within IPECP, students develop understanding of their professional role and begin forming an interprofessional identity where collaborative attitudes, behaviours, and skills are cultivated. It is not well understood how oral health students are involved in IPECP and prepared for collaborative practice. This review assessed the literature on IPECP models used within oral health pre-licensure education, guided by the research questions: 1) What IPECP experiences enable professional/interprofessional socialization and interprofessional identity development? 2) What IPECP experiences best enable developing collaborative skills, behaviours, and readiness for collaborative practice?

Future health professionals' reflections on becoming interprofessional collaborative practitioners

Laura Macdonald, PhD, RDH
Lilly Koenig, RDH

Interprofessional education (IPE) prepares health science learners to be collaborative health practitioners upon graduation. However, sustained team-based IPE is challenging given the crowded and differing schedules of academic programs. Even so, a Canadian health sciences faculty established a longitudinal cohort, team-based curriculum focussed on the six Canadian interprofessional collaborative (IPC) competency domains. Students from nine programs engaged in IPC learning teams over the first two years of their education. This study evaluated that curriculum using Barr’s modification of Kirkpatrick’s education evaluation typology, specifically learner satisfaction and modification of attitudes/perceptions and acquisition of knowledge/skill.

Oral health perspectives of a Métis women’s kinship group in northeastern Alberta

Paulette Dahlseide, BSc (dental hygiene specialization), MSc (dental hygiene), RDH

There are notable gaps in health research arising from a failure to reflect population demographics and the diversity of Indigenous peoples in Canada. Notably, Métis people are a distinct Indigenous population in Canada, yet their experiences of health are under-represented across many health disciplines, including oral health. The purpose of this study was to co-create a deeper understanding of the oral health experiences and perceptions of a Métis women’s kinship group in northeastern Alberta.

A national investigation of barriers to pursuing further education among Canadian dental hygienists

Sharon Compton, PhD, RDH

This project, using focus groups and a national online survey, investigated the levels of interest in and barriers to pursuing further education among Canadian dental hygienists who practised with a diploma as their highest educational credential.

Demographic influences on dental hygiene admission: retrospective cohort study

Mya Badesha, BDSc student
Negar Sasani, BDSc student

Admission processes are multifaceted, evaluating candidates academically and personally through supplemental applications and multiple mini-interviews (MMI), which are crucial for assessing non-cognitive attributes essential for health care professionals. To ensure equity and fairness, understanding the influences of demographic factors on admissions is imperative. This study analyses how demographic factors impact admissions into the University of British Columbia’s Dental Hygiene Degree Program.

Enhancing interprofessional collaboration and oral health: the crucial role of dental hygienists in prenatal care

Juliana Faquim, DDS, MSc, PhD (public health)

Interprofessional collaboration has been recognized as valuable for enhancing the effectiveness of health care systems. It holds significant potential as an innovative strategy for addressing challenges within the health care model and workforce, ultimately contributing to the strengthening of the health system and the improvement of outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential impact of a prenatal care protocol on interprofessional collaboration and oral health-related quality of life.

Evaluating an interprofessional peer-to-peer nutrition curriculum for dental hygiene students

Jelena Karan, BDSc, MSc, DHP(C)

Interprofessional peer-to-peer (IP-P2P) pedagogy involves students from different health care disciplines with no formal teaching experience teaching peers with a similar education level. Students learn with, from, and about each other. This study assessed changes in dental hygiene students’ knowledge, skills, and perceptions of nutrition education before and after implementation of an IP-P2P educational model at the University of British Columbia.

Interactive technology-enhanced learning modules for preclinical dental hygiene

Xuan Nguyen, BSc, BDSc student

During the COVID-19 pandemic, educators moved their lectures online, yet passive teaching methods resulted in student disengagement. In response, course materials were redesigned to support a hybrid teaching approach, with interactive modules geared towards increasing engagement and critical thinking and enhancing personalized learning. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of newly developed interactive preclinical learning modules in enhancing student engagement and knowledge retention in the Dental Hygiene Degree Program at the University of British Columbia.

Student perception of interprofessional education in dental hygiene

Sonika Masih, BDS, MS, RDH
Julie Dittrich, MS, RDH

Interprofessional education promotes a team-based approach, lifelong collaboration in the profession, and integration of dental hygienists into primary health care teams, connecting oral health to overall health. This study aimed to identify dental hygiene students' perceptions of collaborating with other health professionals in providing care.

The dental hygiene program wellness experience

Kathy Yerex, BSc, MS, RDH
Laura Macdonald, PhD, RDH
Mary Bertone, BSc(DH), MPH, RDH

Students frequently hear about the importance of their wellness but translating words into action for a salutogenic learning environment demands more than mere theoretical discourse. Research has identified the pivotal role of well-being in facilitating academic success, underscoring the significance of nurturing a balanced approach to student life, particularly within the realm of future health professionals. This pilot project sought to integrate wellness activities into the Diploma in Dental Hygiene Program at the University of Manitoba and evaluate students’ perception of the impact of these activities on their sense of well-being and school/life balance.

Trauma-informed care: Implications in the dental office for oral health professionals and victims of trauma

Olivia Fournier, BDSc, RDH

Over the past couple of decades, there has been a focus on holistic care that highlights the struggles faced by vulnerable populations and those who are victims of trauma. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize current research on the effectiveness of trauma-informed care (TIC) in oral health care settings and to evaluate the use of TIC methodologies in general practice settings.

Canadian National Oral Health Research Strategy

Leigha Rock, BDSc, PhD, RDH

Earlier this year, the World Health Organization published its Global Strategy and Action Plan on Oral Health, 2023–2030, with a call for all countries to have a national oral health research strategy. In this context, the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research initiated the co-creation of an oral health research strategy for Canada. This work began in autumn 2022 and involved broad input from the oral health community. In June 2024, Canada’s first National Oral Health Research Strategy (NOHRS) was published. NOHRS is a call to the oral health community to contribute to this national and international effort to improve oral health and oral health care for all. A question-and-answer period will follow this presentation.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe the content of NOHRS
• Explain the reaction to NOHRS of a broad range of individuals and organizations on a national and international level
• Identify next steps and ways to become involved