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Fenway’s Jacqueline Nicole Petit Publishes Study in International Journal of Dental Hygiene

Fenway Health Dental is excited to announce that Jacqueline Nicole Petit, Dental Hygienist, recently published her dissertation work in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene. The study, titled A survey of the prevalence and predictors of workplace bullying towards the dental hygienist, found that workplace bullying (WPB) is experienced by 1 in 5 clinical dental hygienists. Dental hygienists in their early years are more likely to have reported workplace bullying than those with more years of practice, Nicole’s research showed.

“My research was focused on the prevalence and predictors of work place bullying towards the dental hygienist,” explains Nicole. “I chose this topic because I experienced bullying from colleagues while working at a dental office in the past. I remember how it made me feel and how it impacted my work and emotions and how nobody should be treated in that manner, especially in dentistry where most offices are small and it takes teamwork to run a successful practice. I belong to a few dental hygiene forums where bullying was being discussed and I couldn’t believe how prominent it is – even in some of those forums, which I no longer am a member of. After hearing stories and experiencing it myself, I though it was a topic that needed to be highlighted.”

Out of a survey of 765 dental hygienists, mostly based in the US, results showed 21% of participants had experienced WPB now and then, 9.4% several times a week, and 2.9% almost daily.
“After a lot of researching, I found there was only one study done in the US about bullying in dentistry and three in Japan,” Nicole said. “Most of the research I found was related to nursing, I was shocked! Although my study focused on dental hygienists, I was contacted by other members of the dental team including dentists, dental assistants, and administrative staff about how they would have liked to be included. This research brought to light an issue that is affecting how clinicians are being treated in the workplace.”
Nicole has been asked to represent MCPHS University/Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene and present her research at the ADHA 2021 Annual Conference Graduate Student Clinicians Research Program. Should her research be chosen by the judges, she will have the opportunity to present her research at the 2022 International Association for Dental Research Conference.
Nicole’s research can be accessed here.
Please join us in congratulating Nicole for her great work on this important topic!

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