Standardizing Dental Hygiene Education: Faculty and Student Perceptions on Calibration Techniques

PURPOSE: Faculty calibration is essential for ensuring consistency in dental hygiene education. This study evaluated faculty and student perceptions of calibration strategies that were implemented at a midwestern university to ensure consistent teaching across classroom and preclinical settings. METHODS: This study utilized a purposeful sample of dental hygiene faculty and students from one midwestern university. Electronic surveys; distributed to study participants via weblink, were created to determine faculty and student perceptions of the effectiveness of the calibration techniques that were implemented to standardize education between classroom learning and the associated preclinic sessions. Additional questions within the survey were included to determine preferred techniques as well as gather suggestions for continued calibration improvement. RESULTS: Participants included 10 faculty members and 46 dental hygiene students. Results showed high perceived effectiveness across cohorts. Ninety percent of faculty agreed that the techniques enhanced their calibration. Student consensus was also strong, with 100% of the 2026 cohort and 95% of the 2027 cohort in agreement that their learning was enhanced. Median scores for all strategies ranged from 4 to 5 for faculty, with similar high ranges for students, and no statistically significant difference in perceptions between the groups. Instructional videos and weekly calibration emails were noted as the preferred methods. CONCLUSION: Findings suggested that the calibration strategies enhanced faculty calibration and student learning, as evidenced by the study participants at this university. The study supported the continued use of these techniques for teaching calibration and recommends further research to explore their effectiveness at other institutions.