The Shared Experiences of Novice, Full-Time Allied Dental Community College Educators

A well-prepared oral healthcare workforce is essential to the overall health of the general population. A knowledgeable and qualified workforce would be non-existent without strong academic programs and faculty to prepare oral health professionals. For over 20 years, the dental and allied dental educator workforce has been a concern for the oral health professions. Since most allied dental education programs are based in community and technical colleges, it is crucial to thoroughly understand the transition experiences of faculty teaching at these institutions. It is only through application and use of this knowledge that these faculty can be recruited, supported, and retained. This research focused on novice, allied dental faculty employed at community colleges in the United States. Focus groups with dental assisting and dental hygiene program directors and interviews with allied dental educators informed the findings. The major findings discovered from the focus groups and interviews revealed the experiences and challenges of new full-time allied dental faculty. Five major themes emerged: (1) New faculty accept their role without a clear understanding of the job; (2) New faculty experience fear, happiness, responsibility, pride, and surprise; (3) New faculty experience challenges related to technology, leadership, and work environment; (4) There is invisible labor placed on new and seasoned allied dental faculty; and (5) Novice allied dental educators experience stages similar to those found in the Nurse Educator Transition Theory but not always in a sequential manner.