Who you are and who you want to be: a pilot study of dental hygiene students' professional identity formation.

backgroundDental hygienists play a crucial role in providing successful community-based healthcare for patients. They should perform expected roles to address various tasks, in response to changing social contexts and needs. The value created by the role of a dental hygienist closely relates to job satisfaction, which is formed through daily clinical experiences, and in the process of professional identity formation, learners must internalise a value system. This study examined how dental hygiene students developed their professional identities during their undergraduate education.

methodsThis study adopted a case study approach based on an interpretivist paradigm. Ten dental hygiene students in their final year were selected, and semi-structured interviews were conducted regarding changes in their views on dental hygienists and their identities as health professionals. The data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach to identify the components of their professional identities and the factors influencing identity formation.

resultsStudents pre-professional identities were transformed into inter-professional collaborators with a more patient-centric and generalist perspective. The following three aspects of professional identity were identified: their own roles in promoting oral and general health, broadening the perspectives on professional competencies of dental hygienists, and the context of inter-professional collaborative practice. Additionally, this study identified some key factors influencing their identity formation, namely role models, clinical experiences, health care system, and social relationships with others. Among these factors, role models and clinical experiences were the most influential.

conclusionsThis study suggests that recognition of professional roles during preclinical education, and collaborative opportunities in clinical education are necessary to promote professional identity formation. Such learning opportunities enable students to reflect on the kind of dental hygienist they want to become. Moreover, for the students to continuously pursue their profession with a sense of fulfilment, educators need to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges the students would encounter as they transition from their undergraduate degrees to employment. This understanding is essential for developing and supporting communities where dental hygienists connect, help, and learn from each other.