(PO-193) The Lived Experiences of Clinical Adjunct Dental Hygiene Faculty

Author: Susan Vogell, Ed.D – Assistant Professor, Farmingdale State College
Submitter: Susan Vogell, Ed.D – Assistant Professor, Farmingdale State College

Objective
Clinical education is an integral part of a dental hygiene student’s education. Clinical adjunct dental hygiene faculty primarily teach in the clinical setting. Clinical adjunct dental hygiene faculty are often hired for their clinical expertise and may lack teaching experience. The transition from clinical practice to academia raises concern about the adequacy of support and preparation clinical adjunct faculty receive as they begin their new role as educators. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis was to explore clinical adjunct dental hygiene faculty members’ experiences of preparedness as they transitioned from clinical expert to novice educator.

Methods
Six clinical adjunct dental hygiene faculty who participated in this study were interviewed. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed. Transformative learning and identity theories were the conceptual frameworks utilized for this study.

Results
The data were analyzed and resulted in four key themes. These themes were support and mentorship, orientation, teaching facilitators, and educational methodology development.

Conclusion
The recommendations are to provide novice adjunct faculty members with a formal mentorship, extensive support, a formal orientation to the college and the department, and additional professional development opportunities related to teaching methodologies. Establishing a more supportive environment for new adjunct members can help increase belongingness, connection, and create professional identities as educators.