치과위생사 이미지, 전공만족도 및 중도탈락의도의 구조적 관계

Structural relationship of dental hygienist image, major satisfaction, and dropout intention

Objectives: This study investigates dropout intention and the structural relationship between the dental hygienist role and satisfaction with the study major perceived by dental hygiene students. Methods: A survey was conducted on 269 dental hygiene students. The survey items covered general characteristics, department choice motivation, the desirability of dental hygienist career, practice clinical experience, perception of dental hygienist role, satisfaction with study major, and dropout intention. Independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U test, multiple linear regression analysis, and structural equation modeling were used for statistical analysis. Results: The dropout intention level of dental hygiene students was 2.4 out of 5.0. Satisfaction with study major partially mediates perception of dental hygienist role and dropout intention (direct effect=0.182, p=0.024, indirect effect=-0.437, p=0.010). Perception of dental hygienist role (β=-0.255, p=0.010) and satisfaction with study major (β=-0.661, p=0.010) showed a negative relationship with dropout intention. The factor most affecting dropout intention was satisfaction with study major. Dropout intention was high when selecting a major based on external motivations (β=-0.448, p<0.001). Conclusions: Perception of dental hygienist role and satisfaction with study major directly or indirectly affect dropout intention. Therefore, improving satisfaction with study major and improving the perception of dental hygienists will help reduce dropout intention.