Effect of Dental Hygiene Students’ Dental Hygienist Image and Professional Self Concept on Career Exploration Behavior

Objectives: To investigate the effect of image and self-perception in their profession on career exploration behavior among dental hygiene students. Methods: The subject's image of dental hygiene, self-perception of the profession, and career exploration behavior were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression. The final data of 250 people were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0 program. Results: The image of dental hygiene and self-perception of the profession were positively correlated with the quantity of career exploration. The variables influencing dental hygiene students' career exploration behavior were self-perception of the profession. Conclusions: Since the variables affecting the career exploration behavior of students in the Department of Dental Hygiene appeared as a professional self-perception, measures should be prepared to enhance the professional self-percentpion.