Abstract
Purpose The integration of interprofessional education within dental hygiene curricula as required by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) standards states that graduates must be prepared to function effectively within collaborative, team-based healthcare environments. The purpose of this study was to evaluate dental hygiene students’ perceptions of an interprofessional hospital rotation, focusing on its perceived value, sense of interprofessional belonging, and acquired knowledge.
Methods A cross-sectional study design was used to assess student perceptions following participation in an interprofessional hospital rotation. The survey instrument consisted of 16 items, including demographic, Likert-scale items and open-ended questions. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, while the open-ended responses were organized thematically to identify key insights regarding the rotation’s impact.
Results Students overwhelmingly reported that the rotation was a valuable experience for both themselves (100%) and patients (100%). A strong sense of belonging was observed, with 93.8% of students feeling they were an integral part of the healthcare team and 81.3% believing their contributions were valued by other providers. Additionally, 100% reported increased awareness of the oral health needs of hospitalized patients, while 81.3% indicated greater understanding of how medical conditions influence oral health. Analysis of the open-ended responses revealed three major themes: recognition of the importance of oral care in hospitalized patients, a desire for improved communication and rotation structure, and overall positive and rewarding experiences.
Conclusion Interprofessional hospital rotations provide significant educational value for dental hygiene students by enhancing their knowledge, fostering a sense of belonging, and increased confidence in providing patient care. These findings support the integration of hospital-based interprofessional experiences into dental hygiene curricula, aligning with CODA standards and preparing students to succeed within collaborative, team-based healthcare environments.
- dental hygiene education
- dental hygiene students
- medically compromised patients
- oral health education
- interprofessional collaboration
INTRODUCTION
Regular, high-quality oral care practices in hospitalized patients are linked to a reduced occurrence of hospital-acquired pneumonia.1 However, despite this connection, approximately 70% of hospitalized individuals do not receive adequate oral care.1 Neglecting oral care in hospital settings remains common, despite its significant impact on patients’ well-being overall. Following a hospital admission, the oral health of hospitalized individuals can deteriorate rapidly due to various factors. Critically ill patients often require mechanical ventilation due to impaired breathing from surgical interventions or complex medical conditions. Additionally, prolonged intubation or medications administered during hospitalization can contribute to xerostomia. In the hospital setting, the quality of oral care varies, depending on the level of training, engagement, and prioritization of oral care by health care staff.2
Evidence suggests that improving oral care and following structured oral care protocols are the most effective strategies for preventing hospital-acquired pneumonia.3 Despite their expertise, dental hygienists have historically been underrecognized as essential members of the health care team, but are now emerging as key contributors to interprofessional hospital teams.4,5 They have been shown to play a crucial role in improving oral care and promoting the adoption of standardized oral care protocols across health care organizations.5 With their specialized training, dental hygienists are well-equipped to conduct oral health assessments, provide oral care, and educate staff, patients, and caregivers.5
Collaborative Practice to Enhance Care
Recognizing the established link between oral health and overall patient outcomes, there is an increasing need for interprofessional collaboration in health care settings, with dental hygienists positioned to serve as key contributors to comprehensive patient care.1,4,5 Interprofessional collaboration is widely recognized as essential for delivering high-quality health care, as the integration of diverse professional perspectives fosters a comprehensive approach to treatment and improves the quality of care provided to patients.6 Evidence suggests interprofessional teams enhance communication, increase efficiency, and positively influence patient outcomes.7 Despite this, the contributions of dental hygienists within these collaborative teams are often underrecognized, resulting in a limited understanding of their role and the value they bring to optimizing patient care.8
Building on the growing recognition of dental hygienists’ potential contributions to interprofessional teams, it is essential to consider how dental hygienists’ perceptions of their role influence their integration, effectiveness, and overall impact on patient care. Evidence suggests that dental hygienists’ perceptions within interprofessional settings can significantly affect their confidence and ability to contribute effectively to collaborative care.8 When dental hygienists feel valued and included in interprofessional environments, confidence levels and motivation to participate in patient care increases, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes.9 Collaborative practice agreements further support this integration by expanding dental hygienists’ scope of practice beyond traditional clinical practice boundaries.10 These agreements enable dental hygienists to take a more active role in patient care, ensuring that oral health is incorporated and prioritized within a comprehensive care approach.10
Dental hygienists are passionate about collaborating with other health care professionals to provide comprehensive patient care.11 A variety of interprofessional experiences in dental hygiene education have been reported in the literature, including educational case studies, asynchronous trainings, courses on collaborative practice models, clinical rotations, and service-learning experiences.11-14 These opportunities aim to prepare students for effective collaboration within diverse healthcare teams. Interprofessional clinical experiences have been shown to foster a sense of belonging, enhance students’ sense of being valued as part of the health care team, and build both clinical knowledge and confidence in their skills.15
Fostering Interprofessional Belonging
Dental hygienists not only provide oral care but also facilitate knowledge transfer among health care professionals, helping to create a culture of interprofessional collaboration while caring for hospitalized patients.5,15 Health care and dental hygiene professionals who contribute their specialized expertise collaboratively can advance inclusion and strengthen interprofessional team dynamics.15 With the goal of enhancing patient care, a dental hygiene student hospital rotation was developed through a collaborative practice agreement between the Mayo Clinic and Rochester Community and Technical College. This initiative aimed to deliver high-quality oral care to hospitalized patients while providing students with meaningful interprofessional learning experiences. Involving health care professionals from a variety of disciplines within the collaborative care team promotes an environment of interprofessional belonging and may contribute to reducing oral health inequities within hospital settings.15 The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dental hygiene students’ perceptions of the hospital rotation, with a focus on the sense of belonging, perceived value, and acquired knowledge.
METHODS
This cross-sectional study was approved as exempt research by both the Mayo Clinic Institutional Review Board (24-008614) and the Rochester Community and Technical College Institutional Review Board (2025-0001). Student surveys were completed anonymously at the conclusion of the interprofessional hospital rotation.
Study Design
Rochester Community and Technical College, in collaboration with the Rochester Mayo Clinic, developed a hospital rotation for dental hygiene students. This initiative aligns with the goals of the Rochester Community and Technical College Dental Hygiene Program, which aims to foster interprofessional collaboration, improve public oral health, and promote disease prevention among diverse populations.
Sixteen second-year dental hygiene students enrolled in Dental Hygiene Practice III (DH2531) participated in this rotation and were survey participants. Throughout the semester, students engaged in weekly rotations within the hospital’s gastroenterology and respiratory care units. Upon arrival, students were assigned patients and reviewed contraindications for care with nursing staff such as nausea, combative mental status, or COVID positive status. Based on this review, students conducted oral assessments based on the Modified Eilers Oral Health Assessment Guidelines and oral cancer screenings, provided oral care such as toothbrushing and interdental cleaning, applied lip moisturizing medicaments, cleaned intraoral prostheses as indicated, and recommended oral rinses to reduce bacterial load or address xerostomia. A licensed dental hygienist, employed by both Mayo Clinic and Rochester Community and Technical College and practicing under a Minnesota Collaborative Practice Agreement, supervised the students and ensured proper documentation of all care provided in the patient’s electronic health record. Referrals to dental or other health care professionals were documented based on individual patient needs.
Survey Instrument
A cross-sectional study design was utilized, incorporating both quantitative data and open-ended responses to capture students’ perceptions of their interprofessional hospital rotation experience. A blended approach was chosen to minimize response bias and provide a more comprehensive understanding of student perspectives. The survey instrument employed an affective assessment approach to evaluate dental hygiene students’ perceptions of the interprofessional hospital rotation. Several survey items were adapted from the Methods and Strategies for Assessing Service-Learning in the Health Professions Survey, with modifications to align more closely with the clinical dental hygiene context and the specific goals of the interprofessional hospital rotation.16 While many items retained the original structure and themes related to perceived value, interprofessional belonging, and acquired knowledge, others were modified to address dental hygiene specific skills, patient care confidence, and discipline-specific knowledge relevant to interprofessional practice. The Methods and Strategies for Assessing Service-Learning in the Health Professions Survey was used with permission; the instrument is available open access at the Barbara A. Holland Collection for Service Learning and Community Engagement (SLCE).16 It was adapted to create the survey instrument for this study due to its established validity and reliability in evaluating experiential learning, student perceptions, and interprofessional engagement within healthcare settings, which made it an appropriate foundation for modification. The survey was pilot tested with eight doctoral students representing diverse backgrounds in health care and education. Feedback was incorporated into the final survey instrument.
The survey consisted of 16 items, including three demographic questions, ten statements rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1=“strongly disagree” to 5=“strongly agree”), and three open-ended questions. The Likert-scale items allowed for quantitative analysis, with four questions measuring perceived value, two assessing interprofessional belonging, and four evaluating acquired knowledge. The open-ended questions provided qualitative insights, enabling students to elaborate on their experiences and perceptions of the hospital rotation.
Participant Preparation
Prior to their interprofessional hospital rotations, the students participated in interprofessional education (IPE) training through a formal partnership with Bridges Health, a non-profit organization that designs and delivers free health, wellness, and social care services while transforming the future health care workforce through interprofessional collaboration. As part of this structured IPE curriculum, students engage in orientation sessions and curriculum-based learning experiences that emphasize collaborative practice, communication, and an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of various health professions. This preparation helps to equip dental hygiene students to effectively integrate into the interprofessional environment, enhancing their competence in patient-centered care and their readiness to function within complex health care systems. Before participating in the hospital rotation, students were required to complete Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) training, online training modules mandated for all hospital employees and trainees, and four simulation exercises with live actors and manakins designed to familiarize students with the hospital environment and complex medical conditions they could encounter.
Data Analysis
Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, were used to analyze survey responses. Data analysis was conducted using an online learning management platform (D2L Brightspace; Kitchener, ON, CA), which provided frequency distributions for each survey question. The responses provide insight into students’ perceptions of the hospital rotation, including their sense of interprofessional belonging, perceived value of the experience, and acquired knowledge. The data highlights trends in students’ attitudes and experiences, offering a comprehensive overview of the impact of the hospital rotation on their professional development.
RESULTS
Of the dental hygiene students invited to participate in the study (n=16), all of the students completed the survey for a response rate of 100%.
Demographic Characteristics
Demographic characteristics for the survey respondents are presented in Table I. The majority of participants identified as female (93.7%, n=15) and of White ethnic descent (93.7%, n=15). Most respondents were between 20 and 24 years of age (62.5%, n=10).
Participant Demographics (n=16)
Perceived Value
Participants consistently reported that the hospital rotation was a valuable learning experience for both themselves and the patients they served. All respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the rotation was valuable to them (100%, n=16), with 43.7% (n=7) strongly agreeing and 56.3% (n=9) agreeing. Similarly, participants unanimously perceived the rotation as valuable for patients (100%, n=16), with 62.5% (n=10) strongly agreeing and 37.5% (n=6) agreeing. Additionally, most participants indicated an increased awareness of the oral health needs of hospitalized patients, with 87.5% (n=14) strongly agreeing and 12.5% (n=2) agreeing. Frequencies and percentages of responses for each Likert scale item are presented in Table II.
Descriptive Analysis of Survey Results (n=16)
Interprofessional Belonging
The rotation fostered a strong sense of interprofessional belonging among participants. The majority felt they were an integral part of the interprofessional health care team, with 81.3% (n=13) strongly agreeing and 12.5% (n=2) agreeing. Similarly, most (81.3%, n=13) believed their contributions were valued by members of other professions, with 43.8% (n=7) strongly agreeing and 37.5% (n=6) agreeing. Participants also reported greater awareness of the roles of other health disciplines, with 75.0% (n=12) agreeing or strongly agreeing, while 18.8% (n=3) were neutral and 6.2% (n=1) disagreed.
Acquired Knowledge
Participants demonstrated increased knowledge and confidence related to providing oral care to hospitalized patients. The majority (81.3%, n=13) reported acquiring knowledge about how medical conditions influence oral health, while 18.8% (n=3) were neutral or disagreed. Understanding of the impact of medications on oral health was also enhanced, with 75.0% (n=12) agreeing or strongly agreeing, 6.2% (n=1) neutral, and 18.8% (n=3) disagreeing. Furthermore, the majority reported high levels of confidence in performing specific tasks: 87.5% (n=14) felt confident conducting oral health assessments, and 93.8% (n=15) felt confident performing oral care on hospitalized patients.
Qualitative Findings
Open-ended responses highlighted three main themes: the importance of oral care in hospitalized patients, opportunities to enhance the rotation structure, and the overall positive experience of the students. Participants emphasized the meaningful impact of providing oral care, noting patient gratitude and the role of oral health in overall wellness. Suggestions for improvement included better communication with hospital staff, more frequent or longer rotations, and access to patient information prior to care. Overall, students described the rotation as rewarding and valuable, supporting both professional growth and interprofessional collaboration. A summary of these themes from the open-ended questions on the interdisciplinary hospital rotation are presented in Table III.
Open-Ended Question Themes
DISCUSSION
As the population ages and chronic diseases become more prevalent, interprofessional care teams are becoming increasingly essential for addressing complex medical needs.17 Collaboration across disciplines enhances patient outcomes by providing safe, individualized, and comprehensive care.18,19
Despite what is known about improved patient health outcomes, dental hygienists are often under represented on these health care teams.20 Dental hygiene programs must equip students with the skills and confidence to function effectively within interprofessional teams, fostering a sense of belonging while improving patient care.17,19,20 Achieving this goal requires both curricular innovation and clinical practice experiences designed to prepare students for team-based health care environments.
The results of this study support the value of interprofessional hospital rotations in dental hygiene education. Students overwhelmingly recognized the rotation as a valuable experience for both themselves and the patients they served. These findings align with Simmer-Beck et al., who reported that service-learning rotations involving multiple disciplines enhance dental hygiene students’ self-awareness and appreciation of diverse patient needs.21 In the current study, students also reported increased awareness of hospitalized patients’ oral health needs, reflecting the findings of Aston-Brown et al., who noted that interprofessional experiences help students understand the oral health challenges faced by patients from various backgrounds.22
Interprofessional rotations further contribute to students’ ability to collaborate effectively with other health care professionals. Most students felt they were integral members of the interprofessional team, and the majority felt their contributions were valued. However, qualitative feedback highlighted opportunities for program improvement, including better communication with nursing staff and access to patient medical histories prior to providing care. These insights suggest that refining rotation logistics and information sharing could enhance team collaboration and optimize patient care.
In addition to fostering collaboration, the rotations enhanced students’ clinical knowledge and skills. Students reported greater understanding of how medical conditions and medications influence oral health and improved confidence in conducting oral assessments and providing oral care to hospitalized patients. These outcomes are consistent with Munz et al., who found that interprofessional collaboration strengthens students’ clinical performance and understanding of patient care within a team-based context.19
Looking forward, as dental professionals take on an expanding role in total health care over the coming decades, dental hygiene educators must continue adapting curricula to prepare students for collaborative, team-based practice.17 The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) 2-15 Standard emphasizes the importance of interprofessional education by requiring dental hygiene programs to provide students with opportunities to engage in collaborative learning experiences with other health care disciplines.23 Integrating hospital-based interprofessional rotations directly supports this standard by exposing students to real-world settings where they can develop communication and teamwork strategies as well as patient-centered care skills essential for integrated health care delivery. Evaluations of students’ experiences and perceptions, as conducted in this study, are critical for refining educational strategies, ensuring compliance with CODA expectations, and enhancing the overall impact of interprofessional hospital rotations on the next generation of dental hygiene professionals.
Limitations
This study had several limitations that may impact the interpretation and generalizability of the findings. The sample size was relatively small, which might not represent the broader population. Additionally, the study relied on self-reported data, which could introduce biases such as recall bias or social desirability bias. Furthermore, the research was conducted within a specific geographic or cultural context, limiting its applicability to other regions or groups. Future research should aim to address these limitations by employing larger, more diverse samples and alternative data collection methods to enhance the robustness and validity of the conclusions.
CONCLUSION
Results from this study demonstrated that interprofessional hospital rotations provide significant educational value for dental hygiene students by enhancing their knowledge, fostering interprofessional belonging, and increasing confidence in providing patient care. Students overwhelmingly perceived the rotations as beneficial for their learning. Exposure to interprofessional collaboration promoted greater awareness of the oral health needs of hospitalized patients and highlighted the critical role dental hygienists play within health care teams. These findings support the integration of hospital-based interprofessional education experiences as an essential component of dental hygiene curricula, aligning with the CODA Standards, which emphasizes the importance of preparing students for collaborative, team-based care.
IMPLICATIONS FOR DENTAL HYGIENE PRACTICE
Oral health is often overlooked in hospital settings, yet it is essential to overall patient care.
Enhanced interprofessional collaboration is necessary to optimize oral care delivery in the hospital. Dental hygienists are well suited for participating as members of interprofessional teams in hospital settings.
Dental hygiene education must continue expanding its curricula to prepare graduates to work in collaborative, team-based health care settings.
Footnotes
NDHRA priority area: Professional Development: education (interprofessional education).
DISCLOSURES
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
- Received March 23, 2025.
- Accepted October 17, 2025.
- Copyright © 2026 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association
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