title: Measuring the short-term effects of incorporating academic service learning throughout a dental hygiene curriculum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Academic service learning (ASL) provides the venue for dental hygiene education to take oral healthcare services directly into communities while at the same time promoting professional responsibility within the student bodies. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively examine the change in pre-existing attitudes and behaviours of dental hygiene students following the incorporation of ASL activities throughout a five-semester dental hygiene curriculum.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-seven first-year dental hygiene students who participated in ASL from the graduating classes of 2008-2010 participated in the study. A survey instrument developed by Shiarella, based on Schwartz's Helping Behaviors Model, was used to assess students' attitudes towards community service. Additionally, questions were developed using Shinnamon's Methods and Strategies for Assessing Service-Learning in the Health Professions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Internal estimates of reliability for scales (Cronbach's α) were all >0.8. The results revealed statistically significant improvements over time in enhanced learning (P = 0.0001), self-awareness (P = 0.0001), sense of volunteerism (P = 0.013), impact on career choices (P = 0.001) and decrease in personal costs (P = 0.0001). There were no significant changes in other subscales over time. Further investigating these domains revealed minimal to no changes in attributes of service learning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Service learning integrated into the dental hygiene curriculum can enhance learning and improve students' self-awareness, sense of volunteerism, career choices and perception of personal costs. In concert with the literature on ASL, these experiences throughout the curriculum have potential for increasing students' awareness of community need and their roles as oral health professionals.
authors: Division of Dental Hygiene, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Simmer-Beck
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Gadbury-Amyot
authors: K B
authors: KB
authors: Williams
authors: N T
authors: NT
authors: Keselyak
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Branson
authors: T V
authors: TV
authors: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001364:Awareness; D002321:Career Choice; D003153:Community Health Services; D003479:Curriculum; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008952:Mobile Health Units; D024382:Professional Role; D012649:Self Concept; D012941:Social Responsibility; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D014838:Volunteers / Q000523:psychology; D035862:Vulnerable Populations
keywords: access to care; civic engagement; community-based education; dental hygiene; dental hygiene education; dental hygiene profession; service learning