Developing dental hygiene students as future leaders in legislative advocacy.
The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of a legislative advocacy project on the knowledge, values, and actions of dental hygiene students enrolled in a leadership course. A quasi-experimental design was employed with a convenience sample of twenty-one undergraduate and seventeen graduate students. The data collection instrument was designed by the authors with three scales (knowledge, values, and actions), a section on barriers to future advocacy actions, and two open-ended questions. Content validity of the instrument was established before it was administered with an online survey tool. Students scored their pre-project and post-project status on the three scales. Cronbach's alphas revealed internal consistency of the three scales at 0.95 or higher. Pre-project scores and post-project scores were analyzed by parametric tests and confirmed using nonparametric tests. Knowledge, values, and actions statements were statistically significant; however, actions were rated the lowest. Multiple barriers for future advocacy actions were identified. Implementation of a legislative advocacy project in an undergraduate and graduate leadership course can positively influence the development of knowledge, values, and actions; however, mentorship in the professional association is needed after graduation to continue the development of future leaders.
Department of Dental Hygiene, Idaho State University, 921 S. 8 Ave., Stop 8048, Pocatello, ID 83204; rogoelle@isu.edu.
Ellen J
EJ
Rogo
Leciel K
LK
Bono
Teri
T
Peterson
D000328:Adult; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008119:Lobbying; D008611:Mentors; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016730:Program Development; D064890:Social Determinants of Health; D012945:Social Values; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students; D055815:Young Adult
dental hygiene education; dental hygiene students; leadership training; legislative advocacy; public policy