Identifying Supports and Barries Among Dental Hygiene Students of Color in Program Completion and Serving their Respective Communities

Purpose--The purpose of this community health assessment is to assess the psychosocial and material needs of students of color in dental hygiene programs at Chabot College, Foothill College, and Diablo Valley College (DVC). Methods--Surveys were conducted with students enrolled in the three Bay Area community college programs (N=114). Key informant interviews were conducted with the program directors (N=3) and practicing dental hygienists of color who reside and work in the Bay Area (N=3). Findings--Descriptive results of the assessment do not indicate a significant difference in the needs of students of color versus white students to enter or complete such programs or identify any factors that support or hinder entrance into the field. Students of color placed greater importance on attention to diversity and cultural competence than did white students. A significant number of respondents (97%) indicated the private practice setting as their primary choice for employment. Qualitative results suggest that education and training models are geared towards dental board certification and licensure requirements, with little room to integrate or include public health or community-based models of care. Recommendation-- Pursue policy efforts to expand the scope of dental hygiene care to community-based and public health settings in order to meet the oral health needs of underserved communities of color.