Perceptions and structural factors of clinical dental hygienists regarding the re-employment of career-interrupted dental hygienists: a qualitative study

Objectives: To explore the perceptions of clinical dental hygienists regarding the re-employment of career-interrupted dental hygienists, and to identify the factors influencing successful workplace re-entry. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured, in-depth interviews, with clinical dental hygienists. Data were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was performed. Results: Four main themes and eleven subthemes were identified. Career interruption and re-employment were perceived as outcomes of the interaction between life-cycle, workplace, and organizational factors. Participants expressed ambivalent perceptions towards re-employed dental hygienists, combining expectations based on prior experience, with concerns regarding reduced competence and workplace adaptation. Career interruption was viewed, not only as the experience of others, but also as a potential future for themselves, reflecting anxiety regarding career sustainability. Re-employment was considered to require organizational and institutional support, in addition to individual effort, with the perceptions of colleagues acting as an “invisible barrier” to workplace adaptation and retention. Conclusions: Re-employment of career-interrupted dental hygienists should be regarded as a multifaceted phenomenon shaped by organizational and structural contexts, rather than an individual issue. Effective support should include improvements in organizational culture, workplace relationships, and institutional support systems. These findings provide evidence for developing workforce management strategies and policies to promote sustainable employment in the dental hygiene profession.