Younger and older hygienists share the same sort of opinions about troop withdrawals from Afghanistan, whether health insurance should cover the cost of birth control for women, the legalization of same-sex marriages, and the cost of gas for our cars.
Generational differences showed up in the following topics:
- Younger hygienists said they voted Republican (36%), independently (31%) or as a Democrat (30%). Older hygienist said they voted as Democrats (35%), Republican (32%), or as an independent (30%)
- Younger hygienists were more “pessimistic” (65% to 54%) about the availability of “quality jobs” in the current economy. Older hygienists were more prone to say quality jobs were “plentiful” in their area (11% to 3%)
- Younger hygienists were more “supportive” of a “greater degree of insurance coverage for dental care among American consumers” (85% to 79%)
- A greater percentage of younger dental hygienists lacked confidence in dentists’ capabilities as clinicians and employers (16% to 9%).
- More older hygienists, while supportive of “independent” career models, were less likely to consider changing the direction of their practice setting (36% to 54%).
