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KMID : 1023420150150020153
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Journal of Dental Hygiene Science
2015 Volume.15 No. 2 p.153 ~ p.158
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In-Depth Interview of Senior Dental Hygienists Regarding Various Career Paths for Future Dental Hygienists
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Kyung Hye-In
Kim Young-Woo
Eom Jae-Hyun
Lee Ji-Hui
Cho Eun-Jung
Park Go-Eun
Kim Nam-Hee
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Abstract
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The aim of this study was to provide practical information regarding career exploration to dental hygiene students. This study interviewed 15 senior dental hygienists (graduates of Y University Dental Hygiene program) who have worked in non-clinical fields for about three months from January 14, 2014 to April 28. The most frequently mentioned pieces of information that the senior dental hygienists wanted to convey to dental hygiene students were as followed. Contrary to popular belief, clinical experience was also required in non-clinical fields as the importance of clinical experience was quite often and widely emphasized and applied in such fields. High academic excellence and clinical performance were expected of junior dental hygienists and the senior dental hygienists expressed their hope for their juniors to pioneer new fields and areas of work that a dental hygienist can do. Most of the senior dental hygienists pointed out that to develop technical tools for career exploration as early as possible, such as during undergraduate years and to think about which career path to take, whether it is clinical or academic were significantly important factors for desirable career outcomes. Based on the results of this study, undergraduate dental hygiene students should be provided with opportunities to consider and explore various career paths during their undergraduate years and to communicate with their seniors for hands-on experience-based advices. This would in turn broaden each student`s perspective beyond their knowledge or thought about the professional filed of dental hygiene. It was found that the majority of the senior dental hygienists agreed that their clinical experience was the source of their self-competence as a dental hygienist. Our study could be utilized as a valuable resource for future dental hygienists who wish to work in non-clinical fields.
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KEYWORD
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Career exploration , Clinical experience , In-depth interview , Non-clinical fields
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