Purpose: Thirteen states in the nation authorize dental hygienists to satisfy re-licensure requirements in part, by performing pro bono oral health services in lieu of participating in continuing education courses This study compared registered dental hygienists' donations of time and professional expertise, perceptions of volunteerism and motivational orientations as they practice in both the presence and absence of a practice act statute intended to incentivize volunteerism.
Methods: Volunteer behaviors, perceptions and motivational orientations of a non probability sample of 316 dental hygienists actively licensed by the states of Idaho or Utah, were assessed using an online survey which included the Self Determination Theory General Causality Orientations Scale (GCOS). Survey Monkey results were analyzed using Mann Whitney U tests, Chi-Square analysis and an Independent Samples t-test at the 0.05 level of significance.
Results: No statistically significant differences were found between dental hygienists' volunteer behaviors, perceptions of volunteerism or scores on the GCOS Autonomy and Impersonal subscales in the 2 states studied. Statistical analysis of dental hygienists' mean scores on the GCOS measure of Controlled motivational orientation yielded a significant difference (p=0.001) among Utah and Idaho dental hygienists.
Conclusion: Dental hygienists require evidence based practice statutes and regulations that keep pace with the need to provide universal access to comprehensive oral care. Additional research is required to determine the effectiveness of legislation intended to encourage registered dental hygienists' altruistic expressions. Dental hygienists are frequently unaware of opportunities to volunteer their services and how state practice act regulations impact those opportunities.
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