Student perspectives and opinions on their experience at an undergraduate outreach dental teaching centre at Cardiff: a 5-year study

Community-based education programmes in the context of dental education: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Community education programmes are vital tools for teaching skills, such as understanding the larger cultural, economic and social determinants of health and how these factors impact people's health. It is currently unclear whether community education programmes in the field of dentistry deliver adequate value. This review aims to scope, collate and analyse globally published evidence concerning community education programmes in dentistry from inception, to gain an understanding of the intentions for these programmes and establish whether outcomes have shifted over time from the original intentions.

METHODS

Arksey and O'Malley's framework for scoping reviews was employed to guide the reviewers. A systematic search of electronic databases and the reference lists in key papers was conducted.

RESULTS

A systematic search concerning community education in dentistry identified a total of 140 papers for full-text evaluations. After further exclusions, 115 articles were selected for data charting. There was a lack of clarity in the literature concerning programmes' definitions and strategies for achieving intentions. Origins, intentions and motivations of the programmes were identified. The literature largely focused on assessing students' clinical treatment skills, contradicting the programme's original idea and intentions. Only a few studies incorporated patient and community perspectives, and the majority of assessments were self-reported, primarily by students.

CONCLUSIONS

There is broad interest in integrating community education into dental curricula to teach complex concepts, dental public health principles and to ensure professional skills development. We identified issues in the literature around programme definitions, strategies, measurement approaches and programme success requiring additional research.

Dental students' clinical and academic experience during placement in a UK tertiary care children's hospital

INTRODUCTION

There are well-recognized difficulties across UK dental schools in recruiting paediatric patients who are willing to attend, have manageable dental disease, and do not require the behaviour management skills of an experienced dentist. This presents a concern for the skill development of the future workforce. At the School of Dentistry in Liverpool, the challenge to enable students to develop these core skills is supported by attendance at a tertiary care children's hospital. The present study investigates whether attendance of final-year dental students at a children's hospital affects perceptions of their surgical experience, self-reported preparation for working independently as a dentist, and understanding of specialist care.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A self-administered online survey was distributed to final-year dental students (2020-2021). Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered using mixed item formats for descriptive analysis. Questions addressed themes including experience of primary tooth exodontia, understanding of general anaesthetic dental care and multidisciplinary patient management.

RESULTS

The response rate was 90% (n = 66). Attendance was beneficial to student learning and experience; responders reported increased surgical experience, self-confidence and understanding of multidisciplinary care. Students developed insight into future career pathways.

CONCLUSION

The present study supports the use of external clinic rotations, known as outreach placements, for dental student training. The findings support existing literature demonstrating the value of outreach placements in providing an experience not available in dental school environments. Dental students' perceptions of their surgical experience, knowledge of specialist care, and preparedness for independent practice may be enhanced by attendance to outreach placements.

Difficulties Faced by Undergraduates While Conducting Endodontic Therapy

BACKGROUND

Dentistry is a complex field that utilizes both theoretical and practical knowledge along with a distinct coordination of the hand, brain, and eye of an individual, forming a major part of endodontic therapy. Assessing the understanding and practical knowledge of undergraduates from time to time is essential in evaluating the success of the undergraduate education system. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the challenges that are associated with endodontic therapy and are faced by undergraduate students at College of Dentistry, Qassim University.  Methodology: Ninety-seven undergraduates who had completed their preclinical training and had done endodontic treatments were included in this questionnaire-based study. The Chi square test and Fisher's exact test have been used to determine whether or not there is a significant difference on a categorical scale between two or more groups of study parameters.

RESULTS

According to our results, de-roofing of the pulp chamber and recognizing the canal orifices are the two areas that need more consideration. The gender-wise difference in the challenges faced by the students while performing the majority of steps during endodontic treatment was found to be insignificant. However, a significant difference was noted in relation to the complete deroofing of the pulp chamber (p-value=0.04) and locating the canal orifices (p-value=0.04). Moreover, fifth year students rarely faced difficulties in performing anesthesia and rubber dam placement, whereas fourth year students faced difficulties in both procedures.

CONCLUSION

The study concludes that de-roofing the pulp chamber and identifying the orifices of canals are two areas where more attention should be given while training undergraduate dental students.

Confidence-level of foundation dentists in the North West of England in the placement of preformed metal crowns using the Hall technique

INTRODUCTION

The Hall technique is a biological caries management approach commonly used within the field of paediatric dentistry. The technique involves the placement of a preformed metal crown (PMC) without local anaesthetic, caries removal or tooth preparation. Despite being widely taught across dental schools in the United Kingdom, evidence from the literature suggests that PMCs are seldom used in general dental practice, even by newly qualified dentists. This study aimed to evaluate the experience and self-reported confidence of Foundation Dentists (FDs) in the North West of England in the placement of preformed metal crowns using the Hall technique.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to 117 Foundation Dentists in the North West of England.

RESULTS

Forty-six questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 39%. The results revealed that 80.4% of FDs felt "somewhat," "quite" or "extremely" confident with the Hall technique at the point of graduation. This increased to 85.3% upon completion of Dental Foundation Training.

CONCLUSION

Foundation Dentists' self-reported confidence in the Hall technique was reasonably high both at the point of qualification and upon completing Dental Foundation Training. Nevertheless, many of the Foundation Dentists felt that they would benefit from further postgraduate training on the technique.

Comparison of self-perceived competence of recent dental graduates from the Universities of Otago and Dalhousie

INTRODUCTION

This study investigates and compares the self-perceived competencies of recent dental graduates from the University of Otago (UoO) (Dunedin, New Zealand) and Dalhousie University (DU) (Nova Scotia, Canada).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A validated survey was emailed to recent graduates from the UoO (December 2019) and DU (May 2020). Chi-squared statistical analysis examined the differences between groups.

RESULTS

The response rate was 73% from the UoO class and 75% from the DU class. Out of 59 competencies, 11 items showed a significant difference. Orthodontics and the surgical aspects of dentistry were the main areas where significant differences have been observed between the two cohorts. Out of the four items in orthodontics, a significantly higher proportion of DU graduates felt more competent than graduates from UoO in three items ("performing orthodontic treatment planning," "performing space maintenance/regaining" and "performing orthodontic full-arch alignment"; p < .001). Similarly, graduates from DU felt significantly more competent in three of the eight items in the oral and maxillofacial surgery domain ("managing complications of oral surgery," "performing soft-tissue biopsies" and "managing trauma to the dentofacial complex"; p < .001), all requiring surgical training and skills.

CONCLUSION

Of the differences identified, graduates from DU reported higher levels of self-perceived competence compared with their UoO counterparts, especially in the orthodontics and oral and maxillofacial surgery domains. This could be because DU students have more practice in these specialties during their training. The results suggest that increased exposure for UoO students in these areas may be beneficial to their self-perceived competence.

Dental students' experience of conscious sedation: A qualitative review of student reflections

INTRODUCTION

The UK General Dental Council (GDC) requires dental graduates to competently identify, manage and refer patients with dental pain and anxiety. This study aimed to explore sedation training experience quantitatively and qualitatively through individual reflective logs.

MATERIALS & METHODS

A single-centred mixed-methods evaluation of teaching, within a UK university conscious sedation department. Fourth-year dental students undertook lectures and supervised clinical sessions following the undergraduate curriculum. Patient attendance patterns, individual experience and group experience were analysed descriptively. Reflective log sheets were analysed by Thematic Framework Analysis.

RESULTS

Seventy-two students participated. Of 153 booked patients, 79 (51.6%) attended of which 74 (48.4%) were treated by undergraduates. The mean performed inhalation sedation and intravenous sedation cases per student were 1 and 0.8, respectively. Three students (4%) assisted only. Group experience varied. Three themes arose from reflections: consolidation of theory and learning; confidence through experience; and responding to challenges.

DISCUSSION

Whilst experience quotas were not met, GDC requirements for increasing students' knowledge and confidence within CS were met. Practical experience enhanced learning. "Hands-on" experience was most valuable for self-reported confidence but learning by proxy also aided development. Students recognised challenges, but not the implications for themselves or their career. Strategies to reduce barriers to experience require research.

CONCLUSION

Whilst variable, all students were provided learning opportunities. Physical experience gave the greatest confidence. Opportunities afforded by the undergraduate curriculum allowed students to learn and develop through consolidation of theory, response to challenges and ultimately the gaining of confidence.

Symposium Article: University experiences of marine science research and outreach beyond the classroom

Climate and ocean literacy are two of the most important challenges facing society today. However, many students lack exposure to these topics upon entering college. As a result, these students must rely on learning climate literacy and ocean conservation through experiences outside of those provided in the traditional undergraduate classroom. To fill this gap, we initiated a marine science professional development program to expose undergraduate students to ocean literacy principles and climate change concepts through marine ecology research and educational outreach. This study evaluates the effects of our undergraduate experiential learning for individuals involved in our research team, our educational outreach team, or both. Clemson University alumni that participated in our program were surveyed to determine educational and professional gains in three areas related to: (1) knowledge; (2) careers; and (3) attitudes. Multiple linear and logistic regressions were used to understand the relationships between gains and program type, mentor experience, and duration of program enrollment. In addition, we evaluated demographic covariates including age, ideology, and gender. Our study found that perceived knowledge of marine science and science communication skills increased with positive mentor experience. Alumni that rated their experience with their mentors highly also indicated that the program was important to their careers after graduation. Students who participated in any program for a prolonged period were more likely to indicate that marine science was important to their careers. These students were also more likely to continue their education. Additionally, we saw that a sense of belonging and identity in science, as well as the understanding of climate change threat on the marine environment, all increased with longer program involvement, more than the type of experience (research versus outreach). Overall, we found that both the research and outreach programs offered opportunities for advancements in knowledge, careers, and attitudes. These results provide evidence that experiential learning has the potential to increase student engagement and understanding of climate change and ocean literacy communication as well as a sense of belonging in science-oriented fields.

Preparing dental students for independent practice: a scoping review of methods and trends in undergraduate clinical skills teaching in the UK and Ireland

Introduction The governing bodies for dentistry in the UK and Ireland require dentists, at graduation, to possess the knowledge, skills and attributes which enable them to practise safely, without supervision. The means by which dental schools achieve this may differ and may undergo modification in response to changes in the expectations of governing bodies and challenges within the teaching environment. It is therefore important to identify which of these approaches works well and to disseminate good practice described in the literature.Objectives To use a scoping review to identify from the published literature the methods used to teach clinical dental skills, including innovations, motivations for changes, and factors affecting the delivery and quality of teaching.Method Scoping review methodology was used to select and analyse 57 articles published between 2008 and 2018.Results Innovations in didactic teaching were facilitated by advances in IT and development of virtual learning environments, which promoted independent, self-directed learning. Pre-clinical practical teaching took place in clinical techniques laboratories utilising mannequin heads, with a minority of dental schools using virtual reality simulators in addition. Clinical experience was gained mainly in multi-disciplinary clinics and offsite outreach teaching centres. Insufficient numbers of suitable patients, increasing student numbers and a fall in teaching staff contributed to a reported reduction in clinical experience of certain treatments.Conclusions Contemporary clinical dental skills teaching produces new graduates who possess excellent theoretical knowledge, are prepared and confident in basic clinical skills, but are lacking in experience of complex treatments which may result in a reduced preparedness for independent practice.

The community and public dental services: a mixed-method exploration of the workforce

Aims This exploratory study is the first in a series of two examining the working conditions of the community and public dental services in the UK to provide insight, context and understanding on their current status.Methods Secondary analysis of census data was supplemented by qualitative analysis of interview data from community and public dental service dentists. Demographic and working conditions data were examined and interview participants discussed their role, service and patients, potential service improvements and how they saw the services developing.Results Overall, dentists were satisfied with their role but did not feel secure in their job and worked more hours than they were contracted to. Interviews identified three key themes: 1) personal - aspects affecting the interviewee on a personal level; 2) patients - aspects affecting patients; and 3) service - aspects relating to the service. Services had changed and were seen, in part, to have become more efficient, but some clinicians thought the focus had moved away from patients.Conclusions Overall, clinicians enjoyed their role, but while services were seen to provide good patient care, dentists felt under pressure. Changes to general dental practice, management practices and increased funding were believed likely to improve the services.

Professional standards in dental education

The importance of quality-assured teaching development is recognised within the new 'Graduating European Dentist' curriculum. In addition, educators within higher education are now increasingly required to demonstrate good standing in terms of education and educating their profession. Standards and expectations exist within the discipline of medicine, but there is little in the way of a general professional standards document for dental education that accounts for the multitude of training and teaching development pathways available to the wider dental team. As such, this paper aims to examine models from established professional development frameworks that may be applied to standards for dental education, highlight important considerations for the development of standards for professional dental educational team development, and provide guidance for individuals wishing to plan, record, map and reflect on their professional educational development.

Pre-Outplacement Perceptions of Dental Students Regarding Rural Oral Health Practice and Associated Factors

Rural outplacement programs have been offered by Australian universities to encourage dental students to consider rural careers. The dental curricula should be designed to provide graduates with a good understanding of oral health issues that rural oral health care workers face. Pre-outplacement perceptions of dental students on rural practice are considered imperative to review and update the outplacement programs; however, they have not been investigated in detail. An online, anonymous, voluntary survey was conducted among the first-year dental students. The responses were solicited on the level of awareness and understanding of rural oral health, intention to practice in rural locations and factors informing the appeal of rural dental practice. The mean of a seven-point Likert scale revealed that most students had some level of perceived knowledge and awareness of rural communities and oral health. Students with rural affiliation were more likely to have the intent to practise rurally after graduation (p = 0.001). For short-term rural practice, students overall expressed positive intention. Greater job opportunities were the main motivating factor, while the distance from family and friends was the main deterring factor for practising rurally. Rural affiliation influences the intent to practise rurally on graduation. The pre-outplacement perceptions, in this study, are comparable with post-outplacement observations reported in the literature.

The confidence of undergraduate dental students in Saudi Arabia in performing endodontic treatment

Objective:

This study examined the endodontic experience, perceptions of endodontic practice, and self-rated confidence of dental students enrolled in Taibah University, Saudi Arabia.

Materials and Methods:

A questionnaire was distributed to 41 undergraduate dental students registered in endodontic courses in the 2015 academic year. The questionnaire evaluated their confidence performing nonsurgical root canal treatment. The level of confidence was classified using a 5-point scale as “very confident,” “confident,” “neutral,” “not very confident,” or “not at all confident.” The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA).

Results:

The participation rate was 93%. The maxillary incisor was the most common first tooth treated. The students were relatively confident, but their confidence levels were lower regarding endodontic radiology, evaluation of root canal obturation, and determining the correct recall period for the patient.

Conclusion:

The confidence of undergraduates in endodontics must be enhanced to increase their clinical competence when performing root canal treatment.

Top-Cited Articles from Dental Education Journals, 2009 to 2018: A Bibliometric Analysis

The number of citations an article receives is an important indicator to quantify its influence in its field. The aim of this study was to identify and analyze the characteristics of the 50 top-cited articles addressing dental education published in two journals dedicated to dental education (European Journal of Dental Education and Journal of Dental Education). The Web of Science database was searched to retrieve the 50 most-cited articles from the two journals in December 2018. The top-cited articles were analyzed for journal of publication, number of citations, institution and country of origin, year of publication, study type, keywords, theme and subtheme, and international collaborations. The results showed the 50 top-cited articles were cited between 24 and 146 times each. The majority of these top-cited articles (n=34) were published in the Journal of Dental Education Half (n=25) of the articles were by authors in the U.S. The most common study types were surveys (n=26) and reviews (n=10). The main themes of these top-cited articles were curriculum and learner characteristics. This bibliometric analysis can serve as a reference for recognizing studies with the most impact in the scholarship of dental education.

Attitudes of dental undergraduate students towards patient safety in a UK dental school

OBJECTIVES

Patient safety is an important issue in health care. In the United Kingdom, wrong site tooth extraction contributes to a significant proportion of adverse or harmful events, coined "never events." Therefore, patient safety within the field of dentistry is of paramount importance. This novel study aims to explore the teaching of patient safety to undergraduate dental students and their current attitudes to the subject.

METHODS

Focus groups were held at Barts' and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, QMUL in 2018 to ascertain the views and opinions of thirteen third-year dental undergraduate students.

RESULTS

Thematic analysis was performed on verbatim transcripts. Key themes were highlighted. All students could provide a complete definition of patient safety and of "never events," with examples. There was a strong emphasis upon awareness of one's own competence and the need for effective communication to maintain patient safety. Small group teaching and the requirement for standardization of teaching were encouraged. The challenge of incorporation of the patient safety concept into the clinical routine without causing repetition during teaching was highlighted.

CONCLUSION

The results show a positive attitude towards the concept and the teaching of patient safety. All students understood patient safety concepts and techniques used to prevent adverse or harmful events. This study proves that teaching on the subject was thought to be of value. It is crucial that the teaching of patient safety is introduced and built upon within the early years of dental undergraduate training so that its practice becomes second nature.

Rural placement experiences in dental education and the impact on professional intentions and employment outcomes-A systematic review

CONTEXT/INTRODUCTION

The availability of clinical dental services in rural locations is a major concern for many countries as dental care professionals gravitate to work in metropolitan areas. This systematic review examines the literature on Rural Placement Programs within dentistry and their impact on workforce intentions and employment outcomes. The review provides a detailed analysis of the methodological characteristics of the literature, considers the quality of the evidence and compares the outcomes within an international context.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The systematic review identified published literature between 2005 and 2016 from databases including EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, NursingOVID and Cochrane. The PRISMA protocol was adopted for the development of the study, and the Health Gains Notation Framework was implemented to assess the quality of the selected research papers.

RESULTS

Eleven studies considering Rural Clinical Placement Programs met the inclusion criteria. The studies were from Australia, South Africa, United States, Thailand and India. The evidence in this review indicates that well-designed, financially supported programmes that provide a perceived valuable clinical experience, good supervision and professional support in a rural environment can lead to dental students stating increased intentions to working in a rural location. However, there was a lack of evidence and research into whether these rural intentions result in positive action to take up employment in a rural location.

CONCLUSION

The evidence suggests that well-prepared rural clinical placements, which have experienced clinical supervisors, good professional student support from the dental school, provide a valuable clinical experience and are sufficiently funded, can increase intentions to work in a rural location upon graduation. However, there is a lack of evidence in dentistry into whether intentions translate into practitioners taking clinical positions in a rural location. Future research should be planned, which will undertake longitudinal cohort studies to identify factors that have an important influence on rural job choice.

Community Health Centre-Based Outreach Clinic for undergraduate dental education: Experience in Helsinki over 8 years

INTRODUCTION

The University Dental Clinic of the City of Helsinki (UDC) developed a Community Health Centre-Based Outreach Clinic, with emphasis on paediatric dentistry. This study aimed to summarise the experiences and explore the student perspectives of the health centre-based outreach teaching clinic.

METHODS

The study data were from the years 2010 to 2016. The dental procedures carried out by the third- to fifth-year dental students were based on electronic health record of patients. The students' self-perceived benefits and free-text comments on the outreach training were collected as part of a yearly questionnaire survey.

RESULTS

A vast majority of the paediatric dental procedures that are required for competencies of dental students were performed in the outreach clinic. The most common procedures were fillings with local anaesthesia followed by preventive procedures. The majority of the students were very motivated to participate in the outreach training and reported that it was a useful educational approach to broaden their understanding of oral diseases and clinical experience.

CONCLUSION

The outreach clinic gives dental students a chance to gain valuable clinical experience through the number and diversity of the dental procedures they carry out. They gain confidence and get an opportunity to get acquainted with the primary healthcare system and social determinants of oral diseases. Outreach appears to provide complementary clinical experiences that fulfil learning outcomes. Learning objectives should be taken into account when planning the outreach programme in order to offer meaningful and motivating education.

Belongingness in undergraduate dental education

Objective To undertake a detailed educational evaluation into dental students' experience of the concept of belongingness and their development as 'safe beginners' on an outreach placement at the University of Portsmouth Dental Academy (UPDA).Method The participants were asked two questions: Did you feel belongingness at UPDA?; and When in your year rotation did you feel this? They completed the educational evaluation anonymously in their last week of attendance. The quantitative data was handled with descriptive statistics and the qualitative data was analysed for recurring themes.Results A 95% response rate was achieved. Eighty six percent of respondents strongly agreed to feeling belongingness and 56% felt it after their first two weeks. Four themes were identified: 'Interaction with the preexisting people environment' (1a. Initial welcoming and warmth 1b. Continued interest in me as an individual); 'Developing collegiality' (2a. My group of fellow students 2b. Working with the dental team as a dentist 2c. The team of everyone at UPDA); 'In the clinical environment' (3a. Being a dentist with responsibility and respect 3b. The physical environment 3c. Becoming a reflective independent practitioner); and 'Leadership'.Conclusion Belongingness in dental education should be defined as:- a deeply personal and contextually mediated experience in which a student becomes an essential and respected part of the dental educational environment where all are accepted and equally valued by each other and which allows each individual student to develop autonomy, self-reflection and self-actualisation as a clinician.

The undergraduate preparation of dentists: Confidence levels of final year dental students at the School of Dentistry in Cardiff

Objective To investigate the self-reported confidence and preparedness of final year undergraduate students in undertaking a range of clinical procedures.Methods A questionnaire was distributed to final year dental students at Cardiff University, six months prior to graduation. Respondents rated their confidence in undertaking 39 clinical procedures using a 5-point scale (1 = can undertake on own with confidence, 5 = unable to undertake). Students also responded yes/no to experiencing four difficulties and to three statements about general preparedness.Results 71% (N = 51) responded of which 55% (N = 28) were female. Over half reported being 'anxious that the supervisor was not helping enough' (57%) and 'relying heavily on supervisor for help' (53%). Eighty percent 'felt unprepared for the clinical work presented' and gender differences were most notable here (male: 65% N = 33; females: 93% N = 47). Mean confidence scores were calculated for each clinical procedure (1 = lowest; 5 = highest). Confidence was highest in performing 'simple scale' and 'fissure sealant' (mean-score = 5). Lowest scores were reported for 'surgical extractions involving a flap (mean-score = 2.28)', 'simple surgical procedures' (mean-score = 2.58) and the 'design/fit/adjustment of orthodontic appliances' (mean-score = 2.88).Conclusions As expected complex procedures that were least practised scored the lowest in overall mean confidence. Gender differences were noted in self-reported confidence for carrying out treatment unsupervised and feeling unprepared for clinical work.

The effect of interprofessional team-based learning among nursing students: A quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND

Although interprofessional education has received attention in recent years as a means of providing opportunities for health-care professionals to learn with, from and about other disciplines and enhance the quality of patient care, evidence of its effectiveness is limited. Interprofessional team-based learning was introduced to make it possible for students in different healthcare disciplines to interact with each other, and to prepare them to function effectively within a team in their future career.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the effects of interprofessional team-based learning for undergraduate nursing students in terms of knowledge level, readiness for interprofessional learning, attitude towards various aspects of team learning, and perceived collective efficacy.

DESIGN

The study employed a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design.

METHODS

An interprofessional education program was given to students from two universities in Hong Kong who were in different healthcare disciplines including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, biomedical science, and Chinese medicine programs. The program was based on four phases of student learning- individual readiness assessment test, ice breaking session, team readiness assessment test, and application exercise. Nursing students involved in the program were invited to complete anonymous questionnaires to evaluate their interprofessional team experience.

RESULTS

A total of 40 nursing students (9 male, 31 female) participated in the study. A statistically significant improvement was identified in their knowledge level (p<0.001), attitude towards readiness for interprofessional learning, team learning, and perceived collective efficacy (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that interprofessional team-based learning can enhance cross-disciplinary learning and outcomes resulting from team efforts.

Evaluation of an outreach education model over five years: Perception of dental students and their outreach clinical mentors

INTRODUCTION

The objective was to investigate changes in students' and clinical mentors' perceptions of a model for outreach education over a 5-year period, 2006-2010.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Two cohorts of last-year students of a dental problem-based curriculum and their clinical mentors in the Public Dental Service (PDS) were invited to respond to a questionnaire. In 2006, 85% of 54 students and 72% of their 54 mentors responded; 98% of 40 students and 88% of 41 of the mentors did so in 2010. Participants scored their level of agreement with different statements on a numeric rating scale and gave comments.

RESULTS

Dental students and their clinical mentors reported that they shared a consistent and favourable perception of this outreach education model over 5 years. The students reported increased professional confidence and self-reliance. Clinical mentors expressed a transfer of knowledge to their clinics. Differences in scoring were seen between students and mentors for two statements in 2006 and two statements in 2010 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The current model for outreach education received favourable and stable ratings over the 5-year period. This model resulted in that students perceived that they became self-reliant, which may facilitate their transition from being a student to becoming a professional. The current model supports exchange and professional development for students, faculty and outreach clinics. This leads us to look at outreach education as an opportunity to form a mutual learning community comprised of the outreach clinics and the dental school.

Attitudes of the first cohort of student groups trained together at the University of Portsmouth Dental Academy towards dental interprofessional education

OBJECTIVE

This study explored, and compared, the attitudes of student groups trained at the University of Portsmouth Dental Academy (UPDA) in 2010/2011 towards dental interprofessional education (IPE).

METHODS

The study population consisted of fifth-year student dentists (n = 80) from King's College London Dental Institute, second- and third-year dental hygiene and therapy (n = 38) and first-year dental nursing (n = 14) students from UPDA. A 19-item, validated and dentally modified questionnaire, 'Readiness for Inter-Professional Learning Scale (RIPLS)', was administered. RIPLS contains three subscales: teamwork and collaboration, professional identity and roles and responsibilities. Mean (x¯) and standard deviation (SD) of the scores were calculated, following reversal of negative items. All the analyses were carried out using SPSS version 20 and STATA version 11.

RESULTS

An overall response rate of 71% (n = 94) was achieved. In reference to teamwork and collaboration, all groups strongly indicated that IPE can contribute to learning teamwork skills (x¯ = 24.98, SD = 3.5) and improving relationships with team members (x¯ = 12.93, SD = 1.63); however, the scores did not differ between the groups (P = 0.09 and P = 0.16, respectively). Concerning professional identity, student dentists had significantly higher preference for a discipline-based approach (P = 0.002); were more likely to agree that 'it is not necessary for undergraduate dental and dental care professional students to learn together' (P = 0.01); and perceived that 'clinical problem-solving skills can only be learnt effectively with other students from their own discipline' (P = 0.02) than dental hygiene and therapy students. In relation to roles and responsibilities, participants demonstrated a strong sense of their own professional role. Student dentists reported that they had 'to gain more knowledge and skills' than dental hygiene and therapy (P = 0.01) and dental nursing (P = 0.01) students. Dental hygiene and therapy students were less likely than student dentists to agree that 'the role of dental nurses and hygienists was to mainly provide support for dentists' (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that IPE was perceived as beneficial in relation to teamwork; however, the study raises issues regarding professional identity and roles. Educators should consider differing perceptions of professional roles and identities when planning and delivering interprofessional programmes.

Dental students' perceptions of their experience at a residential outreach centre

INTRODUCTION

The Portsmouth Dental Academy delivers an interprofessional education to dental students on outreach placement from King's College London Dental Institute.

AIM

To establish what the dental students' attitudes to the placement are and how these correlate to the perceptions of the staff who work with them.

METHOD

Using Delphi consensus procedures, a simple, closed, two-question questionnaire was developed. The questionnaire was completed by the students and then, to triangulate the results, was subsequently applied to staff who teach and assist them on clinic.

RESULTS

To the question: Why do you think the experience that is commonly termed the 'Portsmouth experience' is so successful 'in the eyes of the students'?, the students ranked first the response: 'Students gain experience in primary dental care clinical practice under the current NHS contract - UDAs and KPIs'. To the second question: What do you think the students most enjoyed about working in Portsmouth?, the students ranked first: 'A sense of independence - being made to make their own decisions'.

CONCLUSION

The students' major perception of the 'Portsmouth experience' centres around the placement being a realistic preparation for their future practising career. This is combined with a strong sense of belonging when studying and working at the Academy.

Outreach clinical dental education: the Portsmouth experience - a 4-year follow-up study

BACKGROUND

The Portsmouth Dental Academy (UPDA) was opened in September 2010 and was a development from the highly successful School of Professionals Complementary to Dentistry (2004-2010). The aim of the Academy was to provide integrated team education for all dental professionals in a primary care setting. The dental students are on outreach from King's College London, and the dental care professional students are registered at the University of Portsmouth.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the dental students response to the residential outreach educational experience at the UPDA.

METHODS

A 49-item questionnaire divided into nine domains that provided both qualitative data and quantitative data were administered at the end of the longitudinal 10-week placement, to four successive cohorts of students in 2010-2014.

RESULTS

A 95% return rate was achieved. Students valued highly the quality of the clinical teaching. Through their experience, they felt they understood fully the role of the dentist in care planning in primary care and felt well prepared for dental foundation training. This educational success is unpinned with successful maintenance factors including a well-organised induction period and giving the students a sense of belongingness, empowerment and autonomy for their personal development as new graduates.

CONCLUSION

Within the limitations of the questionnaire study over the 4-year period, the students were very positive about all the aspects of this residential outreach education at the UPDA but particularly valued the immersion in clinical dentistry and the bridging from dental school to their dental foundation training.

Community-based learning in a challenging context: the development and evaluation of an outreach dental public health programme in Damascus University, Syria

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to describe the development and evaluation of an outreach dental public health (DPH) programme in Damascus University, in terms of developing undergraduates' required knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSA), improving the quality aspects of training and assessment (T&A), and achieving the satisfaction of served children and their social network.

METHODS

The outreach DPH programme offered opportunities to undergraduates to carry out outreach health-promotion activities, conduct and communicate the results of applied DPH research, and build partnership with students in other higher education sectors. A cross-sectional evaluation collected mixed qualitative and quantitative data, by a means of a short-essay and a self-completed questionnaire, from 400 third-year dental undergraduates, on KSA gained from outreach activities and quality aspects of T&A. The latter were compared with corresponding figures of other traditional dental programmes (TDP). Satisfaction with the outreach activities were collected from 215 children with special needs and 130 parents and school staff, by questionnaires.

RESULTS

The response rates were 74.8%, 100% and 100% for undergraduates, children and parents/school staff, respectively. The derived categories of students' gained KSA included the following: unique clinical skills, social responsibility, voluntarism, communication, team working, personal growth, reflection on career aspirations and self-satisfaction with the contribution to needy groups. Their satisfaction with quality aspects of T&A was significantly higher than TDP (P < 0.001). Children's and parents/school staff's satisfaction was high.

CONCLUSION

The outreach DPH programme in Damascus University is a successful example of developing undergraduates' required KSA, improving the quality aspects of T&A, and achieving the satisfaction of served community.

Evaluation of dental students' perception and self-confidence levels regarding endodontic treatment

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to obtain information about senior dental students' perceptions and self-confidence levels regarding endodontic practice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Anonymous survey forms were handed out to senior students at Yeditepe University, Faculty of Dentistry. The students were asked to score their level of confidence using a 5-point scale and comment about future practices.

RESULTS

The response rate of the survey was 88%. 11.9% expressed endodontics as the first branch in terms of difficulty. The majority (90.5%) indicated they would perform root canal treatments within their expertise limit in the future but refer difficult cases to an endodontist. Bleaching of endodontically treated teeth, managing flare-ups, placement of a rubber dam were procedures in which students reported the lowest confidence (2.55 ± 1.17, 3.24 ± 0.96, 3.24 ± 1.19, respectively). On the other hand, students felt the lowest confidence in the treatment of maxillary molars followed by mandibular molars (3.43 ± 1.02 and 3.93 ± 0.97, respectively). Students also reported the lowest confidence in root resorptions, endo-perio lesions, traumas, retreatments and apexifications (2.93 ± 1.16, 3.07 ± 0.89, 3.24 ± 0.85, 3.33 ± 1.7 and 3.36 ± 1.1, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The results showing students' lower confidence in more challenging aspects of dentistry may be related with the attitude of dental schools to refer these cases to post graduate students and instilling information about these cases on a theoretical basis only. Though there seems to be a tendency for students to refer challenging cases to a specialist in future, authorities should give priority to enhance the way information and experience is conveyed regarding various aspects of endodontic treatment.

Undergraduate students' experiences of outreach placements in dental secondary care settings

INTRODUCTION

Outreach teaching is delivered as part of the undergraduate curricula of many dental schools. Evaluations of outreach in primary care settings have found learning opportunities beyond those available in the dental school setting, but less is known about secondary care placements. The aim of this evaluation was to assess dental students' experiences of an undergraduate outreach placement in secondary care.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Questionnaire survey based on a single cohort of final-year undergraduate dental students at Cardiff University who had completed a 1-week outreach secondment to a District General Hospital.

RESULTS

Fifty-five of the 57 eligible students completed the questionnaire. Outreach placements in secondary care were experienced to provide positive additional educational benefit and were considered to be worthwhile by many (but not all) students. Clinical opportunities and staff teaching varied by site.

DISCUSSION

In the current programme, the variability of student experience during secondments to secondary care means that some students report more benefit than others. However, even apparently negative experiences, such as cancelled operating lists, can contribute to the overall outcome in that they accurately reflect the reality of hospital practice.

CONCLUSION

Careful management of secondary care undergraduate secondments is needed to ensure worthwhile learning experiences.

So how do you see our teaching? Some observations received from past and present students at the Maurice Wohl Dental Centre

This study explores student perceptions of clinical teaching delivered at the Maurice Wohl Dental Centre, King's College London Dental Institute. An on-line survey together with two paper-based questionnaires were used to invite three immediate past cohorts of final-year dental students to reflect and comment on their experiences during their year of attendance. Supporting data from current student focus group and face-to-face interviews were also included in the study. The principal findings from these triangulated methodologies were that the overwhelming majority of students felt they got on very well with their teachers. The development of a positive professional relationship with the teacher appeared to motivate students to work better. Teaching thought to be overly didactic and authoritarian would not be well received. The principal teaching style identified at the Centre was considered to be supportive and nurturing, encouraging a self-motivated and reflective approach to clinical practice.

Evaluation of a community-based clinical teaching programme by current and former student dental therapists and dental hygienists: a pilot investigation

AIM

There has been considerable expansion in the involvement of community-based clinical teaching programmes (sometimes termed 'outreach teaching') in UK and other international dental schools. While there has been much interest in the role of this educational methodology in the professional and educational development of student dentists, there has been little, if no, consideration of this form of teaching in relation to dental care professional (DCP) students. The aim of this pilot investigation was to report the feedback and evaluation of current and former student dental therapists and dental hygienists on their experience on the St David's community-based clinical teaching programme at Cardiff.

METHODS

In Autumn 2009, a questionnaire was distributed by hand to the current second year student dental therapist and dental hygiene class at Cardiff (n = 18) and by post to the dental therapist and dental hygiene classes of 2004 (n = 16) and 2007 (n = 17). The questionnaire included both 'open' and 'closed' questions.

RESULTS

Thirty responses were returned (response rate = 59%; 2004 (n = 5, 31%), 2007 (n = 9, 53%), current class (n = 16, 89%)). Seventy percent of respondents (n = 21) reported that they found the community-based clinical teaching programme to be a pleasant working environment and close to subsequent independent practice. Seventy-seven percent (n = 23) reported that their confidence performing nonsurgical periodontal treatment had increased while at the programme. One respondent commented that the programme was '...an invaluable and insightful introduction to what it would be like working in practice. Without being given the experience, it would have been a big shock to the system when I started working in practice...'

CONCLUSION

This pilot investigation has revealed that current and former dental therapist and dental hygiene students are enthusiastic in their support for the inclusion of community-based clinical teaching programmes in their educational and professional development. Most former and current dental therapist and dental hygiene students noted the positive effects of this form of training on their subsequent clinical careers.

Ready for practice? A study of confidence levels of final year dental students at Cardiff University and University College Cork

AIM

The aim of this study was to describe the self-reported confidence levels of final year students at the School of Dentistry, Cardiff University and at the University Dental School & Hospital, Cork, Ireland in performing a variety of dental procedures commonly completed in primary dental care settings.

METHOD

A questionnaire was distributed to 61 final year students at Cardiff and 34 final year students at Cork. Information requested related to the respondents confidence in performing a variety of routine clinical tasks, using a five-point scale (1=very little confidence, 5=very confident). Comparisons were made between the two schools, gender of the respondent, and whether or not a student intended completing a year of vocational training after graduation.

RESULTS

A response rate of 74% was achieved (n=70). The greatest self-reported confidence scores were for 'scale and polish' (4.61), fissure sealants (4.54) and delivery of oral hygiene instruction (4.51). Areas with the least confidence were placement of stainless steel crowns (2.83), vital tooth bleaching (2.39) and surgical extractions (2.26). Students at Cardiff were more confident than those at Cork in performing simple extractions (Cardiff: 4.31; Cork: 3.76) and surgical extractions (Cardiff: 2.61; Cork: 1.88), whilst students in Cork were more confident in caries diagnosis (Cork: 4.24; Cardiff: 3.89) fissure sealing (Cork: 4.76; Cardiff: 4.33) and placement of preventive resin restorations (Cork: 4.68; Cardiff: 4.22).

CONCLUSION

  Final year students at Cardiff and Cork were most confident in simpler procedures and procedures in which they had had most clinical experience. They were least confident in more complex procedures and procedures in which they had the least clinical experience. Increased clinical time in complex procedures may help in increasing final year students' confidence in those areas.