Indiana Dental Hygienist 2012 Licensure Survey Report

Abstract

The response rate for the survey was 47.6 percent. This response rate is notably lower than other health care re ‐ license surveys and the previous (2010) dental hygienist licensure survey. In the 2011 ‐ 2012 dental hygienist licensure period there were 4,583 total dental hygienists currently licensed in Indiana. Of the 4,583 total licenses, 4,078 listed an Indiana address on their license. There were 1,635 dental hygienists included in the sample for analysis. Individuals included for analysis were actively working in dental hygiene, responded to the electronic survey, and gave an Indiana practice address on their survey. Therefore, the sample analyzed in this report represents 35.7 percent of the total number of dental hygienist licenses in Indiana. When the mean age and length of licensure was compared between dental hygienists included in the sample and those who listed an Indiana address on their license but did not respond to the survey it was found that individuals in the sample were older (p < 0.001) and had been licensed for a longer period of time (p < 0.001).