Ann Arbor, MI — June 28, 2010 — One of the first graduates of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry’s Dental Hygiene Degree Completion E-Learning Program received an award today for her research from the American Dental Hygienists’ Association during the group’s annual convention in Las Vegas.

Jennifer Stanley, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene last December, received the Sigma Alpha Phi Journalism Award for her work that detailed the skills and education that dental hygienists who have earned a baccalaureate degree need to become entry-level clinical researchers. Her study compared the competencies detailed in the School of Dentistry’s e-learning program and those noted in the Society of Clinical Research Associates certification program.

“My work demonstrates that clinical research is, indeed, a viable career option for dental hygienists with a baccalaureate degree,” Stanley said. “The findings will give dental hygienists who are considering a possible career in dental research important information they need to pursue this career path.”

Experienced dental hygiene researchers who were questioned cited two critical competencies needed to gain entry into clinical research. The first, mentioned by more than eighty-seven percent, was the ability to critically analyze professional literature. The other, cited by more than eighty-two percent, was possessing knowledge of the scientific method and evidence-based decision making.

“There were two notable discoveries that came from my research,” Stanley said. “One was mentoring, or having an opportunity to work with an experienced dental hygiene researcher. The other was the importance of pursuing a master’s degree.”

A dental hygienist with a bachelor’s degree already possesses the clinical skills and understands scientific methodology and protocols to become a clinical examiner, she said. “However, a master’s degree opens doors to more possibilities, such as becoming a principal investigator. If the master’s degree is accompanied by certification that is recognized by an organization that focuses on developing clinical research professionals, such as the Society of Clinical Research Associates,” Stanley continued, “the possible clinical research opportunities for a dental hygienist are further enhanced.”

Stanley works part-time in a private practice in Walled Lake, Michigan, and is an adjunct dental hygiene faculty member at Oakland Community College in Waterford, Michigan. Her winning manuscript will be published in Journal of Dental Hygiene sometime next year.

Contact: Sharon Grayden, Communications Director (734) 615-2600, dentistry.communications@umich.edu, or Jerry Mastey, Editor, School of Dentistry (734) 615-1971, jmastey@umich.edu.