Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Current Issue
    • Archive
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Advertisements
    • Subscribing
  • About
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • JDH Reviewers
  • More
    • Alerts
    • Feedback

User menu

  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
Journal of Dental Hygiene
Visit the American Dental Hygienists' Association's main website
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
Journal of Dental Hygiene

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Current Issue
    • Archive
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Advertisements
    • Subscribing
  • About
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • JDH Reviewers
  • More
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
  • Visit jdenthyg on Facebook
  • Follow jdenthyg on Twitter
  • Follow jdenthyg on Instagram
  • Follow jdenthyg on Linkedin
  • RSS feeds
Research ArticleResearch

Dental Hygienists’ Attitudes and Experiences with Public Health Supervision in Iowa

McKenna J. Woodward, Julie Reynolds and Mary Kelly
American Dental Hygienists' Association December 2021, 95 (6) 23-30;
McKenna J. Woodward
Currently a dental student;
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: mjwoodward@uiowa.edu
Julie Reynolds
Assistant professor in the Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry; both at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, Iowa City, IA, USA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Mary Kelly
Dental public health consultant in Des Moines, IA, USA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • References
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

Purpose: Iowa is one of 42 states with a direct access dental hygiene workforce model. Public health supervision (PHS) in Iowa allows dental hygienists (DH) to provide services in community settings without a prior examination from a dentist. The purpose of this study was to assess the current PHS workforce in Iowa and add to the body of evidence on direct access DH care.

Methods: A 40-item mixed-mode survey was administered to all DH working under PHS in Iowa (n=126). Consent letters were mailed with directions to an online survey. Follow-up letters were sent to non-responders with an enclosed paper copy of the survey. Univariate analyses were performed to analyze the data.

Results: The response rate was 52% (n=62), with 69% (n=42) of participants currently providing services under PHS. The most common employer categories were local public health agencies (59%), community health centers (CHCs) (20%), and nonprofit clinics (10%). The most common types of services provided under PHS were dental screenings (95%), fluoride varnish (91%), and sealants (50%). The majority of supervising dentists worked in private practice (61%) and CHCs (27%). Most supervising dentists (71%) accepted some referrals; however, a majority of PHS participants (71%) reported that it was somewhat or very difficult to find dentists to accept patient referrals.

Conclusion: Most PHS DHs were employed by government agencies, however the majority of supervising dentists worked in private settings. Although most supervising dentists accepted at least some patient referrals, PHS DHs still experienced a high degree of difficulty referring patients for care.

  • access to care
  • direct access
  • public health dental hygienists
  • health disparities
  • oral health
  • workforce models
  • Received October 9, 2020.
  • Accepted February 18, 2021.
  • Copyright © 2021 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association

Log in using your username and password

Forgot your user name or password?

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

American Dental Hygienists' Association: 95 (6)
American Dental Hygienists' Association
Vol. 95, Issue 6
December 2021
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author
  • Complete Issue (PDF)
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Journal of Dental Hygiene.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Dental Hygienists’ Attitudes and Experiences with Public Health Supervision in Iowa
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Journal of Dental Hygiene
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Journal of Dental Hygiene web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Dental Hygienists’ Attitudes and Experiences with Public Health Supervision in Iowa
McKenna J. Woodward, Julie Reynolds, Mary Kelly
American Dental Hygienists' Association Dec 2021, 95 (6) 23-30;

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
Dental Hygienists’ Attitudes and Experiences with Public Health Supervision in Iowa
McKenna J. Woodward, Julie Reynolds, Mary Kelly
American Dental Hygienists' Association Dec 2021, 95 (6) 23-30;
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Similar Articles

More in this TOC Section

  • Comparative Effectiveness of Toothbrushing, Flossing and Mouthrinse Regimens on Plaque and Gingivitis: A 12-week virtually supervised clinical trial
  • Efficacy of Flossing and Mouthrinsing Regimens on Plaque and Gingivitis: A randomized clinical trial
  • Role of Manual Dexterity on Mechanical and Chemotherapeutic Oral Hygiene Regimens
Show more Research

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Keywords

  • access to care
  • direct access
  • public health dental hygienists
  • health disparities
  • oral health
  • workforce models

About

  • About ADHA
  • About JDH
  • JDH Reviewers
  • Contact Us

Helpful Links

  • Submit a Paper
  • Author Guidelines
  • FAQs

More Information

  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Email Alerts
  • Help

ISSN #: 1553-0205

Copyright © 2022 American Dental Hygienists’ Association

Powered by HighWire