Work engagement among Dutch dental hygienists

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the level of work engagement among Dutch dental hygienists. Methods A total of 1,520 questionnaires were randomly distributed to the members of the Dutch Dental Hygienists' Association (Nederlandse Vereniging van Mondhygiënisten). The questionnaire consisted of the short form Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, a hypothesized three‐factor structure of work engagement (Vigor, Dedication, and Absorption). Participants ranked statements about how they felt at work on 7‐point rating scales (0 = never to 6 = always). Results From a sample of 490 dental hygienists (32 percent) with a mean age of 38.2 years [standard deviation (SD) = 10.1], the mean level of work engagement was 4.77 (SD = 0.90). The mean score on the dimension of Vigor was 4.74 (SD = 0.74), Dedication was 5.08 (SD = 0.89), and Absorption was 4.48 (SD = 1.12). A significant correlation was found between the dimension Absorption and age (r = −0.11, P