In-Depth Interview of Senior Dental Hygienists Regarding Various Career Paths for Future Dental Hygienists

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.

다양한 진로모색을 위한 치위생학과 학생과 선배 치과위생사의 심층면담

이 연구는 치과임상 이외의 분야에 진출한 치과위생사들을 대상으로 심층면담을 통해 졸업을 앞둔 치위생(학)과 학생들에게 들려주고 싶은 조언을 다음과 같이 네 가지로 정리할 수 있었다. 치과임상 이외의 분야에 진출한 치과위생사들은 학생들의 졸업 후 진로가 치과임상에 국한되는 것이 아니라 다양한 분야로 진출할 수 있다는 것을 강조하였다. 치과임상 이외의 분야로 진출하더라도 치과임상 경험은 해보는 것이 필요하다는 공통된 의견을 주었다. 왜냐하면 치과위생사로서의 치과임상적인 경험을 발판으로 삼아야 우리분야에서 전문적인 역량을 발휘할 수 있기 때문이라고 하였다. 진로를 결정할 시기는 졸업을 앞두고 급하게 생각할 것이 아니라, 치과임상실습을 경험한 후 충분한 시간을 가지고 자신의 능력과 적성에 맞는 길을 생각해 보길 권하였다. 학교 '성적'보다는 자신의 '적성'을 찾고, 올바른 '인성'을 길러서 실제 현장에서 그 역량을 제대로 발휘할 수 있는 '실력'을 갖추기를 바랐다.