Abstract
The study to provide a reference base in developing education programs for detailed management strategies that can help overcome clinical practice stress in dental hygiene students by identifying the association of factors associated with clinical practice stress with emotional labor and communication competence. We conducted a self-administered survey of dental hygiene students from April to May, 2022 who completed clinical practice while enrolled in three colleges located at Gyeongsangbuk-do. Two hundred questionnaires were used in the analysis. Clinical practice stress exhibited a significant positive correlation with emotional labor and a significant negative correlation with communication competence. A multiple regression analysis revealed emotional labor and communication competence as significant factors affecting clinical practice stress. The variance explained by these variables was 32%. Interdisciplinary research is warranted using various variables to reduce clinical practice stress. Furthermore, the development and implementation of education programs before clinical practice are considered crucial to minimize experiences of negative emotional labor and to build up effective communication competence.