Characteristics of dental hygienists based on Holland's career choice theory.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to survey 1,800 current licensed dental hygienists in the U.S. and identify broad and basic interest patterns within Holland's 6 General Occupational Themes.

METHODS

A national stratified random sample of 1,800 members of the American Dental Hygienists' Association was surveyed. Paper and online surveys included the Strong Interest Inventory and the Skills Confidence Inventory. Descriptive statistics and independent t-tests were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

A total of 928 participants (51.9%) completed and returned the paper survey, while 436 participants (24.4%) also completed the online surveys. Results support coding the dental hygiene profession as Investigative - Social - Realistic using the General Occupational Themes. Dental hygienists had the most significant mean differences in the Healthcare Services, Medical Science and Science Basic Interest Scales as compared to the General Representative Sample.

CONCLUSION

Holland's 6 General Occupational Themes have the potential to help guide student choice regarding dental hygiene as a career.