PROBLEM STATEMENT: Dental hygiene clinicians provide essential preventive and therapeutic services to their patients. Although it is known that having a racially concordant healthcare provider improves patient outcomes, Black/African American (B/AA) clinicians are grossly underrepresented in the healthcare workforce. One of the reasons may be the challenges they experience selecting, entering, and completing dental hygiene education. Looking at the barriers through the lens of B/AA dental hygiene clinicians may help recruit and educate underrepresented clinicians, therefore, improving the presence of B/AA dental hygienists in the workforce.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the personal experiences of B/AA dental hygienists during their journey toward dental hygiene education.
METHODS: The study received exempt approval status from the MCPHS University Institutional Review Board with the protocol number IRB-2022-2023-146. Purposeful, convenience sampling to recruit B/AA dental hygienists on social media. On-camera interviews were conducted using a pre-determined in-depth interview guide. Member-checking was utilized for transcript reviews to reduce recall and revisiting bias.
RESULTS: Twenty-three participants were interviewed by the time saturation was achieved. The participants represented various US regions and a variety of work settings. Three major themes were identified: heavy financial burden on the families while in school, lack of representation, and the need for mentorship and peer support. The qualitative thematic analysis currently continues to reveal the sub-themes, identify representative quotes, and ensure the rigor and trustworthiness of findings.
CONCLUSION: The study identified multiple perceived barriers B/AA dental hygienists experienced during their journey into the profession. Information obtained in the study can assist dental hygiene academic institutions in revising their recruitment and student support strategies. The study outcomes may be influential in improving healthcare access for minority populations through an increase in the diversity of the workforce.
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