Identifying Leadership Development Needs of Dental Hygienists Using an Online Delphi Technique

Identifying Leadership Development Needs of Dental Hygienists Using an Online Delphi Technique

Kelly Gale Tanner | 2019

Abstract

Leadership is necessary for many aspects of the dental hygiene profession, including research, patient care, education, public health, and in regulatory and governmental affairs. Although dental hygiene research consistently demands the “need to develop leadership” within the dental hygiene profession, the amount of planned and intentional leadership education/training for dental hygienists is limited. The purpose of this online Delphi was to investigate the opinions of dental hygienists to understand leadership needs of dental hygienist and preferences of how the leadership skills should be developed. The study included dental hygienists with expertise in 7 areas of dental hygiene, clinical dental hygiene, administration, education, public health, entrepreneur, corporate, and research. Through the evolution of the online Delphi using a crowdsourcing platform, the most critical leadership skills and leadership skills development preferences were identified. The most critical leadership skill identified for dental hygienists was the ability to work with others at all levels, including speaking, writing, listening, and compromising when necessary for the overall good. The study showed that dental hygienists preferred leadership development delivered using a multi-prong approach that included effective training modules, seminars, books/videos and collaboration with mentors, coaches, and role models, while catering to an individual’s learning style. As dental hygienists develop leadership frameworks, sustainable leadership strategies should be interwoven into the methods by which leadership is imparted. By strengthening leadership, the profession of dental hygiene will have an influence on health systems to improve and influence oral and overall health.