Transitioning into a dental hygiene baccaleureate: Understanding and enhancing academic and social integration

TitleTransitioning into a dental hygiene baccaleureate: Understanding and enhancing academic and social integration
Faculty/College/UnitDentistry
StatusCompleted
Duration2 Year
Initiation04/01/2013
Completion04/01/2015
Project Summary

Our objective is to better understand and address the academic and social needs of dental hygiene students in the first year of their program. UBC offers a Baccalaureate degree in dental hygiene via two routes:

  1. a four-year Entry-to-Practice (ETP) Program for students without prior experience, and
  2. a two-year Degree-Completion (DC) Program for students with a dental hygiene diploma.

Our project aims to identify the needs of these two sets of students during their first year and to then tailor student support and faculty support accordingly. We seek to understand the relationship among students' academic backgrounds, previous and current study habits, social and emotional supports, overall wellbeing, and academic success. Ultimately, we intend to develop appropriate workshops, make potential curricular changes, and offer more adequate support to all students for successful transition into the Dental Hygiene Degree Program.

Funding Details
Year 1: Project YearYear 1
Year 1: Funding Year2013/2014
Year 1: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 1: Principal InvestigatorJudith Walker
Year 1: Funded Amount13,550
Year 1: Team Members

Jude Walker, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Education Research Lab, Faculty of Dentistry
Alex Hemming, Manager, Student Services, Faculty of Dentistry
HsingChi von Bergmann, Associate Professor, Education Research, Faculty of Dentistry

Year 2: Project YearYear 2
Year 2: Funding Year2014/2015
Year 2: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 2: Principal InvestigatorJudith Walker
Year 2: Funded Amount17,295
Year 2: Team Members

Judith Walker, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Education Research Lab, Faculty of Dentistry
Alex Hemming, Manager, Student Services, Faculty of Dentistry
Zul Kanji, Clinical Assistant Professor, Faculty of Dentistry
HsingChi von Bergmann, Associate Professor, Education Research, Faculty of Dentistry