bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Creating the Dental School Faculty of the Future: A Guide for the Perplexed
Authors: Bertolami Charles N.
Published: June 2020

Building the faculty of the future has to be rooted in understanding the nature of future oral health delivery practices. Unfortunately, no one can reliably predict that future. Accepting any given scenario inevitably requires a leap of faith, but the cost of guessing wrong is high. In considering full‐time academic careers, students are often not well prepared to make such a definitive choice. When dental educators ask dental students to consider academic life, what we are really doing is trying to induce them to make a very dramatic break with their settled career aspirations, which have already been firmly established in the minds of many of our students. The reality is that being a full‐time professor of dentistry is more like being a professor in any other university discipline than it is like being a dentist in practice. Thus, the appeal of dental school to most applicants as a pathway to a practice/business career and existing admissions practices unintentionally bias the system against identifying future educators. Dental education is now engaged in a predictable blend of temporary, short‐term, intermediate, and long‐term approaches to finding faculty. Among these approaches are the following: cannibalizing other dental schools, collaborating with other professional schools, recruiting retired dentists, and growing our own faculty based on positive role modeling. The high cost of a dental education and the relatively low compensation of dental faculty are disincentives for some students who might otherwise consider dental education as a career option. However, the differential compensation between faculty members and owner/proprietors of dental practices may be misleading because of the business risks the latter assume. Understanding this means that dental schools might be more successful in finding future faculty by focusing on dental school applicants who fit the profile of employees rather than businesspeople because the lifetime differential in income nearly vanishes when comparisons are made between the categories of faculty member and employed dentist. At present, educators rely on a lack of self‐knowledge among students in the hope that some who thought they wanted to be dentists will discover that they are ill‐suited for practice and can be converted to becoming educators instead. It is not an optimal arrangement. Among practical suggestions to enhance recruitment of faculty are innovations in imprinting students early with the identity of being an educator and, in association with this concept, assisting with financing the education of future teachers. Ultimately, success in the dental educational enterprise will depend on attracting individuals who are intrinsically captivated by teaching as a moral vocation.
The Pipeline from Dental Education to Practice: The Pennsylvania Experience
Authors: Schwartz Myron R.
Published: June 2020

The pipeline from Pennsylvania dental education to Pennsylvania practice, rural practice, and low service area practice is described and analyzed. The article contends that pipeline development is an effective vehicle in meeting the public health mandate of ensuring access to dental care for all residents. Data from the American Dental Association served as the basis for addressing the two major research questions: 1) what are the educational origins of the dentist workforce in Pennsylvania, in rural areas of Pennsylvania, and in underserved areas of Pennsylvania? and 2) what is the proportion of Pennsylvania‐educated dentists who practice in Pennsylvania, in rural areas of Pennsylvania, and in underserved areas of Pennsylvania? As an overall assessment, one can consider the Pennsylvania dental pipeline inadequate to meet the Commonwealth's public health goals. The pipeline is not adequately developed to repopulate the current Pennsylvania‐educated dentist workforce, especially in the most needy areas. Understanding the prospects for further pipeline development is best achieved by considering the pipeline within the context of the practice model of dentistry and the current and future supply of dentists.
Correlation of Admissions Criteria with Academic Performance in Dental Students
Authors: Curtis Donald A. , Lind Samuel L. , Plesh Octavia , Finzen Frederick C.
Published: June 2020

Our purpose was to compare admissions criteria as predictors of dental school performance in underachieving and normally tracking dental students. Underachieving dental students were identified by selecting ten students with the lowest class grade point average following the first year of dental school from five classes, resulting in a pool of fifty students. Normally tracking students served as a control and were randomly selected from students who had completed their first year of dental school not in the underachieving group. Admission measures of college grade point average (GPA), science grade point average (SGPA), academic average (AA), Perceptual Ability Test (PAT), college rigor, and academic load in college were evaluated with descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analysis with first‐year and graduating GPA as the dependent variables. Admissions criteria were generally weak predictors of first‐year and graduating GPA. However, first‐year dental school GPA was a strong predictor (R2=0.77) of graduating GPA for normally tracking students and a moderate predictor (R2=0.58) for underachieving students. Students who completed the first year of dental school having a low GPA tended to graduate with a low GPA. Therefore, remediation and monitoring would be important during the dental school experience for these students.
The Integration Seminar: A First‐Year Dental Course Integrating Concepts from the Biomedical, Professional, and Clinical Sciences
Authors: Kingsley Karl , O'Malley Susan , Stewart Tanis , Galbraith Gillian M.
Published: June 2020

This study describes the planning, implementation, and evaluation of a seminar course designed to facilitate discussion and understanding of cross‐disciplinary concepts by first‐year dental students. Dental and medical schools are implementing integrated curricula in which clinical courses are taught early in the curriculum and the clinical and basic sciences are taught not only concurrently, but in an integrated manner. This first‐year course, Integration Seminar, was developed to cross traditional subject and departmental boundaries with the intent of fostering dental care providers who understand the interdependence of the major concepts within these areas. This report describes the development and structure of the Integration Seminar. Furthermore, student perception of this course was determined by evaluating year‐end course surveys, and student performance outcomes were measured by comparing student scores on the National Board Dental Examination Part I (NBDE‐I) prior to and after the inception of this course. We determined that a substantial majority of students recognized the integrated nature of the course. In addition, NBDE‐I scores were significantly higher for the cohorts of students who had participated in the course, although this observation is likely dependent upon many other factors. This report may thus provide a course model for other schools with a similar goal of achieving an integrated curriculum.
Comparison of Student Satisfaction in Public Versus Private Dental Schools in Brazil
Authors: Chapper Ana , Campani Simone A. , Paiva Verônica da S. , de A. de Assis Camila , Garcia Eduardo , Silva Fernando A. Abreu e
Published: June 2020

This study compared perceptions of the teaching and learning process of twenty‐four senior dental students from a public school and fifteen from a private school by means of a questionnaire with direct questions. Another five students in each group completed a qualitative survey with five open‐ended questions. The questionnaires assessed perceptions of the interaction between didactic and clinical content, the role of professors during the course, and their future professional practice in Brazil. Quantitative data were summarized as means and standard deviations and statistically analyzed with the Student t test, P<0.05. Qualitative data were analyzed using a content analysis method. The results revealed that the students in the private school had more positive perceptions than those in the public school of how much the didactic classes contributed to professional practice, the level of motivation for the topics discussed, and how well coursework related to clinical practice. Both groups mentioned the importance of the clinical component of learning and perceived that professors showed little commitment to the professional preparation of dental students. Students’ perceptions of their preparation to work in different Brazilian communities and with different segments of society varied widely. The qualitative analyses confirmed students’ dissatisfaction with their learning. No difference was found between students in the public and private schools in their assessment of how well prepared they were to enter the working market. These findings indicate that measures should be taken to improve the quality of teaching and the satisfaction of dental school students in Brazil.
Does Faculty Development Enhance Teaching Effectiveness?
Authors: Hendricson William D. , Anderson Eugene , Andrieu Sandra C. , Chadwick D. Gregory , Cole James R. , George Mary C. , Glickman Gerald N. , Glover Joel F. , Goldberg Jerold S. , Haden N. Karl , Kalkwarf Kenneth L. , Meyerowitz Cyril , Neumann Laura M. , Pyle Marsha , Tedesco Lisa A. , Valachovic Richard W. , Weaver Richard G. , Winder Ronald L. , Young Stephen K.
Published: June 2020

Academic dentists and members of the practice community have been hearing, for more than a decade, that our educational system is in trouble and that the profession has lost its vision and may be wavering in the achievement of its goals. A core of consistently recommended reforms has framed the discussion of future directions for dental education, but as yet, most schools report little movement toward implementation of these reforms in spite of persistent advocacy. Provision of faculty development related to teaching and assessment strategies is widely perceived to be the essential ingredient in efforts to introduce new curricular approaches and modify the educational environment in academic dentistry. Analyses of the outcomes of efforts to revise health professions curricula have identified the availability and effectiveness of faculty development as a predictor of the success or failure of reform initiatives. This article will address faculty development for purposes of enhancing teaching effectiveness and preparing instructors for potential new roles associated with curriculum changes. Its overall purpose is to provide information and insights about faculty development that may be useful to dental schools in designing professional growth opportunities for their faculty. Seven questions are addressed: 1) What is faculty development? 2) How is faculty development accomplished? 3) Why is faculty development particularly important in dental education? 4) What happens when faculty development does not accompany educational reform? 5) Why are teaching attitudes and behaviors so difficult to change? 6) What outcomes can be expected from faculty development? and 7) What does the available evidence tell us about the design of faculty development programs? Evidence from systematic reviews pertaining to the teaching of evidence‐based dentistry, strategies for continuing professional education, and the Best Evidence in Medical Education review of faculty development outcomes are presented to answer this question: does faculty development enhance teaching effectiveness? Characteristics consistently associated with effective faculty development are described.
Routine HIV Testing in Dental Practice: Can We Cross the Rubicon?
Authors: Vernillo Anthony T. , Caplan Arthur L.
Published: June 2020

The latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines recommend routine HIV screening for a large segment of the population, given that the individual understands that an HIV test will be performed unless he or she declines testing (opt‐out testing). The CDC recommendation calls for the elimination of formalized requirements for written consent and pretest counseling to encourage more Americans to voluntarily accept testing. Knowledge of HIV infection can increase early access to care and treatment and reduce further transmission. A rapid non‐invasive test for HIV infection (OraQuick Advance) from oral fluid has recently become available. It offers two distinct advantages: 1) results are available within twenty minutes, thereby eliminating a long waiting period; and 2) it has high sensitivity and specificity comparable to blood testing. A preliminary positive test result must be confirmed with a Western Blot by an outside laboratory or physician. Important ethical and legal issues must be resolved before the successful implementation of HIV testing in the dental setting. An educational emphasis on broader coverage of HIV testing is also needed within the dental school curriculum. The integration of HIV testing into dental practice is discussed as well. A policy of screening patients in dental offices will contribute to a major advance in public health.
Perceptions About Conflicts of Interest: An Ontario Survey of Dentists’ Opinions
Authors: Schwartz Barry , Banting David , Stitt Larry
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to explore the opinions that general dental practitioners in Ontario have regarding various situations that may be perceived as a conflict of interest. Standard quantitative analyses were employed to assess the association of attitudes and opinions concerning conflict of interest with gender, length of practice, and prior interpersonal communication, ethics, and religious training through a survey of general practice dentists in Ontario. Positive associations were found between the recognition of conflicts of interest and the number of years of dental practice, interpersonal communication training, and the reading of ethics‐related articles in journals. Opinions vary on what is and is not a conflict of interest. Dental education has shaped a better understanding of these issues; however, for many dentists, previous education has not been totally adequate to guide them through conflict of interest situations. Age and mode and length of practice appear to have a direct effect on awareness of conflict of interest issues. Dentists need specific instruction and clearer direction regarding conflict of interest issues, so that they can better manage situations deemed to be conflicting and thereby earn and maintain patient trust in the profession.
The Correlation of Student Performance in Preclinical and Clinical Prosthodontic Assessments
Authors: Curtis Donald A. , Lind Samuel L. , Brear Sheila , Finzen Frederick C.
Published: June 2020

Tracking student performance in preclinical and clinical courses can be helpful in developing and refining a curriculum. Our objective was to correlate student performance on three fixed prosthodontic examinations taken by eighty junior dental students. Examinations included a knowledge‐based objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), a manual skills exercise completed on a typodont (Typodont), and a competency casting exam (Casting CE) on a patient. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the OSCE and Typodont exam scores, as independent variables, were not statistically significant predictors (P=0.07; P=0.87, respectively) of Casting CE exam performance, which was the dependent variable. Correlations were weak for the OSCE (r=0.21) and nearly nonexistent for the Typodont exam(r=0.03) when compared to the Casting CE. Our results indicate a weak correlation between an OSCE‐based knowledge exam measuring students’ knowledge of critical errors in preparations and castings and a competency exam involving the preparation of a full veneer crown. Results also indicate virtually no correlation between a typodont preparation examination designed to provide a measure of students’ clinical skill and a clinical competency exam involving the preparation of a full crown.
The Influence of “New Science” on Dental Education: Current Concepts, Trends, and Models for the Future
Authors: Iacopino Anthony M.
Published: June 2020

Advances in all aspects of science and discovery continue to occur at an exponential rate, leading to a wealth of new knowledge and technologies that have the potential to transform dental practice. This “new science” within the areas of cell/ molecular biology, genetics, tissue engineering, nanotechnology, and informatics has been available for several years; however, the assimilation of this information into the dental curriculum has been slow. For the profession and the patients it serves to benefit fully from modern science, new knowledge and technologies must be incorporated into the mainstream of dental education. The continued evolution of the dental curriculum presents a major challenge to faculty, administrators, and external constituencies because of the high cost, overcrowded schedule, unique demands of clinical training, changing nature of teaching/assessment methods, and large scope of new material impacting all areas of the educational program. Additionally, there is a lack of personnel with adequate training/experience in both foundational and clinical sciences to support the effective application and/or integration of new science information into curriculum planning, implementation, and assessment processes. Nonetheless, the speed of this evolution must be increased if dentistry is to maintain its standing as a respected health care profession. The influence of new science on dental education and the dental curriculum is already evident in some dental schools. For example, the Marquette University School of Dentistry has developed a comprehensive model of curriculum revision that integrates foundational and clinical sciences and also provides a dedicated research/scholarly track and faculty development programming to support such a curriculum. Educational reforms at other dental schools are based on addition of new curricular elements and include innovative approaches that introduce concepts regarding new advances in science, evidence‐based foundations, and translational research. To illustrate these reforms, the Marquette curriculum and initiatives at the University of Connecticut and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio dental schools are described in this article, with recognition that other dental schools may also be developing strategies to infuse new science and evidence‐based critical appraisal skills into their students’ educational experiences. Discussion of the rationale, goals/objectives, and outcomes within the context of dissemination of these models should help other dental schools to design approaches for integrating this new material that are appropriate to their particular circumstances and mission. For the profession to advance, every dental school must play a role in establishing a culture that attaches value to research/discovery, evidence‐based practice, and the application of new knowledge/technologies to patient care.
Portable Digital Video Instruction in Predoctoral Education of Child Behavior Management
Authors: Boynton James R. , Johnson Lynn A. , Nainar S.M. Hashim , Hu Jan C.C.
Published: June 2020

The goals of this exploratory study were to determine students’ assessment of portable digital video instruction (using the Apple® iPod®) and to compare examination performance among groups of predoctoral dental students who did and did not utilize portable digital video instruction as a supplement to a conventional pediatric behavior management lecture. Dental students received a one‐hour lecture on communication with the parent and child patient as part of their regular sophomore pediatric dentistry curriculum. Digital audio and digital video versions of this lecture were made available to all 113 students in the class. Eleven student volunteers were loaned portable digital video players (the iPod) containing the lecture for a two‐week period. Upon completion of the study period, the entire class participated in an anonymous fifteen‐minute post‐intervention written assessment including a thirteen‐item examination covering lecture material. Students who had used the iPod to review the digital video lecture material favored this medium as a pedagogical instrument and as a group performed significantly better on the examination than those who had not reviewed the digital material (p=0.034). In conclusion, portable digital instructional videos may be a useful educational methodology to help predoctoral dental students acquire knowledge in pediatric behavior management.
New Directions in Interorganizational Collaboration in Dentistry: The CAMBRA Coalition Model
Authors: Young Douglas A. , Buchanan Philip M. , Lubman Richard G. , Badway Norena Norton
Published: June 2020

Caries management by risk assessment (CAMBRA) represents a paradigm shift in the management of dental decay. It treats dental caries as an infectious disease that is curable and preventable. The science supporting CAMBRA has been present for quite some time; however, its clinical adoption, until recently, remained slow. This article analyzes the Western CAMBRA Coalition, a special collaboration of diverse groups of independent organizations based in the western region of the United States. This coalition, which has formed an interorganizational collaborative (IOC), has evolved over four years and has led to significant progress in the clinical adoption of CAMBRA. Theoretical perspectives of reasons and the conditions that drive organizations to collaborate will be applied to the CAMBRA model, concluding that IOCs offer great benefits in promoting CAMBRA as well as future innovations in dental treatments.
PBL Core Skills Faculty Development Workshop 2: Training Faculty in Group Learning Facilitation Skills Through Role‐Modeling and Role‐Play Activities
Authors: Wuenschell Carol W. , Dalrymple Kirsten R. , Shuler Charles F.
Published: June 2020

This report describes the second workshop in a series intended to prepare faculty for their roles in a newly instituted problem‐based learning (PBL) dental program. The Facilitation of Learning workshop was designed to familiarize participants with the role of the facilitator in the small‐group learning context, the skills required for facilitation, and identification of student behaviors requiring facilitator intervention. Methods included discussion of a subject‐specific scenario, role‐modeling of a mock student group by workshop leaders or PBL students, and role‐play by participants as facilitators of the mock group. An exit survey showed the majority of participants felt the workshop goals had been met. The opportunity to observe and participate in a realistically simulated PBL group was most commonly identified as an effective workshop element by attendees, with participant discussions and opportunities for input from experienced facilitators and students (when used) also cited as effective. Participant criticisms and suggestions that will likely contribute to program enhancement notably included expressed desires for further observation and practice prior to facilitation of a PBL student learning group and availability of ongoing follow‐up training and support for fledgling facilitators.
Does the Dental School Work Environment Promote Successful Academic Careers?
Authors: Trotman Carroll‐Ann , Haden N. Karl , Hendricson William
Published: June 2020

A consistent theme in the national dialogue about future directions for the educational arm of dentistry is how best to cultivate a school environment that will be seen as attractive by members of the dental community who desire to serve their profession as teachers and scholars. As a first step toward stimulating broad‐based reflection on the working environment within dental schools, the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation (CCI) conducted a symposium titled “Change, Innovation, and the Quality of Faculty Work‐Life” at the 2007 ADEA Annual Session in New Orleans. Aspects of this article are based on the content of this symposium, which explored research on the perceptions and concerns of dental faculty regarding the current academic workplace and provided perspectives of university faculty about university life and career growth. This article reviews the findings from two interview‐based qualitative assessments of faculty perceptions of work‐life in dental schools and other schools of higher education, presents a preliminary summary of the first national survey of dental school faculty regarding their impressions of the academic work environment, and makes recommendations for enhancing the dental school work environment with an emphasis on those factors that influence career growth. Results from these three studies illustrate faculty perceptions about the promotion and tenure and performance evaluation processes; workload and quality of work‐life; and quality of institutional support.
Clinical Quality Assurance Surveillance and Targeted Interventions: Managing Unfavorable Trends in a Dental School Clinic
Authors: Hoover Terry E. , Kirk Jeffrey , Fredekind Richard E.
Published: June 2020

Dental schools establish quality assurance (QA) programs that are intended to improve patient care, comply with requirements of liability carriers and regulatory agencies, and maintain accreditation. Data collection, trend analysis, and interventions are typically used in QA programs to monitor and improve compliance. The purpose of this article is to discuss unfavorable trends and examine the effect of targeted interventions in three clinical operations: infection control, removable prosthodontics, and case reviews of students’ patient care in progress (interim case reviews) at a U.S. dental school. Infection control compliance was evaluated and interventions were implemented beginning in 2002 to correct unfavorable trends in two protocols: placement of students’ mobile supply cart and the use of overgloves. A predelivery esthetic consent was introduced in spring 2004 to decrease esthetic failures in removable prosthodontics. For interim case reviews, two areas received interventions going back to 2003: reevaluation following initial periodontal therapy and orthodontic screening. The data presented are not meant to show conclusive success of particular interventions, but to display broad trends and suggest methods to manage quality assurance parameters. These trends suggest we had better success with the interventions that were simple, valuable, measurable, and repeatable than with interventions that less fit these criteria.
Management of High Caries Risk and High Caries Activity Patients: Rampant Caries Control Program (RCCP)
Authors: Guzmán‐Armstrong Sandra , Warren John J.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this article is to describe the Rampant Caries Control Program established in the operative dentistry third‐year clinic at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. This program represents a new approach to the management of high caries risk and high caries activity patients who come to the school. The patients are referred initially to the third‐year operative clinic only for disease control (phase I) to help them decrease the caries risk and activity. The disease control phase has three important components: 1) caries risk assessment evaluation and reevaluation throughout their treatment, in which individual risk factors are identified and recommendations are made; 2) caries removal and placement of transitional restorations using fluoride release restorative materials (glass ionomers); and 3) chemotherapeutic agents and preventive treatment in which a therapeutic regimen for prevention and nonsurgical treatment is established according to each patient's individual risk factors. About 50 percent of patients have dropped from the program, 36 percent currently are under disease control treatment, and 14 percent have finished the disease control phase of the program. After the disease is controlled through modification of risk factors and activity, the patients can be referred for reevaluation prior to beginning the rehabilitation phase.
The Relationship Between Gender and Postgraduate Aspirations Among First‐ and Fourth‐Year Students at Public Dental Schools: A Longitudinal Analysis
Authors: Scarbecz Mark , Ross Judith A.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences and other predictors of postgraduate plans among U.S. dental students. A national sample of dental students was surveyed in their first and fourth years of dental school. Female first‐year students were less likely than male students to express interest in specialization in endodontics and oral surgery. Fourth‐year students who had a dental school mentor, a high GPA, and encouragement from significant others were more likely to apply for postgraduate training. Gender and first‐year interest in dental specialization did not affect the likelihood of applying for postgraduate training in the fourth year. Female fourth‐year students were more likely to predict that they would be an associate in a practice five years following graduation. The results suggest that mentoring and faculty encouragement are important influences on dental students’ plans for postgraduate education.
Faculty and Student Perceptions of Academic Integrity at U.S. and Canadian Dental Schools
Authors: Andrews Kenneth G. , Smith Linda A. , Henzi David , Demps Elaine
Published: June 2020

The issues of cheating and plagiarism in educational settings have received a large amount of attention in recent years. The purpose of this study was to assess the degree to which academic integrity issues currently exist in the dental schools throughout the United States and Canada. An online survey was developed to gather data pertaining to this topic from two key groups in dental education: faculty and students. Responses were obtained from 1,153 students and 423 faculty members. The results of the survey clearly reveal that cheating is a significant problem in dental schools and that significant differences exist between students’ and faculty members’ perceptions of academic integrity. The challenge for dental schools is to identify effective strategies to prevent cheating opportunities and to implement and enforce effective means of dealing with specific examples of cheating.
Development and Interim Results of a Clinical Research Training Fellowship
Authors: Gordon S.M. , Dionne R.A.
Published: June 2020

While the ability to base clinical training and patient care on scientific evidence is highly dependent on the results of translational and clinical research, a shortage of trained clinical investigators delays advances upon which to base evidence‐based therapeutics. In response to this perceived shortage, a clinical research training program was developed in the Division of Intramural Research at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a prototype for training health professionals in clinical research methodologies and their application to oral‐craniofacial problems. All but one of the trainees initiated at least one clinical trial leading to a scientific publication. Of eleven fellows, ten completed the program with diverse outcomes: four trainees have entry‐level academic or equivalent research positions; three trainees continued on to Ph.D. programs; one is completing a postdoctoral fellowship combined with clinical specialty training; one is completing a clinical residency; and two are in clinical practice. Six of the trainees received NIH funding, or the equivalent, in the NIH Intramural Research Program. These outcomes suggest that a program focused on translational and clinical research training is a successful strategy for improving the future supply of clinical researchers to support evidence‐based practices and therapeutic innovation.
Tobacco Cessation Counseling Training with Standardized Patients
Authors: Walsh Sarah E. , Singleton Jacqueline A. , Worth Celeste T. , Krugler Jacqueline , Moore Regan , Wesley Gina C. , Mitchell Charlene K.
Published: June 2020

A pilot study was conducted to assess clinician receptivity to tobacco cessation counseling training methods using standardized patients. Additionally, the study assessed changes in clinician knowledge and behavioral intentions following the training. Medical and dental residents and dental hygiene students from the University of Louisville attended a one‐ to two‐hour lecture addressing the counseling strategies (the Five As/the Five Rs) and pharmacotherapy recommended in the U.S. Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline: Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence. Participants subsequently had three training encounters with standardized patients representing various stages of change including a patient ready to quit, a patient contemplating quitting, and a patient resistant to quitting. Thirty‐six participants completed a preprogram survey prior to the lecture and a postprogram evaluation that included questions about their attitudes and beliefs about tobacco, their comfort level with various aspects of tobacco intervention, and eight knowledge questions. Participants demonstrated a statistically significant increase in objective knowledge about the practices recommended in the Clinical Practice Guideline following intervention. Results also indicate a significant increase in subjective measures of participant receptivity, self‐reported comfort, and perceived skill with various aspects of tobacco intervention. Overall, participants were found to be very receptive to training sessions on tobacco cessation counseling with standardized patients. In light of the educational gains and positive response from participants, the use of standardized patients is a promising strategy for training on tobacco cessation counseling.
Effectiveness of Phase I Orthodontic Treatment in an Undergraduate Teaching Clinic
Authors: Bernas Andrew J. , Banting David W. , Short Lesley L.
Published: June 2020

In this retrospective study, the Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) index was used to objectively evaluate the effectiveness of Phase I (early) orthodontic treatment provided in an undergraduate teaching clinic. Pre‐treatment and post‐treatment casts of ninety‐three patients were analyzed. All patients selected for Phase I orthodontic treatment had Class I skeletal relationships and did not require complex orthodontic treatment such as growth modification or treatment of occlusions with missing or impacted teeth. The mean age of patients who received Phase I orthodontic treatment was 9.9 years. The mean initial PAR score for the sample was 29.70 ±9.84. The mean reduction in PAR score was 14.9 points corresponding to a 50.2 percent decrease in the PAR score following Phase I orthodontic treatment. Seventy‐three percent of the patients experienced at least a 30 percent reduction in their PAR score following Phase I (early) orthodontic treatment. The mean cost of $381.00 for the Phase I orthodontic treatment was found to be influenced by the length of treatment, type of Phase I treatment provided, age at start of treatment, and percentage reduction in PAR score. The greatest success rate for the Phase I orthodontic treatment occurred with either fixed or a combination of fixed and removable appliances. Over half of the patients recommended for Phase I orthodontic treatment in the undergraduate dental clinic were successfully treated and did not require Phase II treatment. For them, there was both a treatment and a financial benefit to the Phase I orthodontic treatment.
Factors Influencing Candidates’ Choice of a Pediatric Dental Residency Program
Authors: da Fonseca Marcio A. , Pollock Matthew , Majewski Robert , Tootla Ruwaida , Murdoch‐Kinch Carol Anne
Published: June 2020

The goal of this study was to identify the factors and program characteristics that influenced the program ranking decisions of applicants to pediatric dentistry residency programs. A questionnaire was sent to the first‐year resident class in 2005 with a response rate of 69.2 percent (n=260). Approximately 55 percent were female (104/180) and 61 percent were non‐His‐panic white (110/180). The respondents reported that they applied to an average of nine programs, of which five were ranked. Most applicants were interested in a program that had a hospital component with a duration of two years. A program's ability to prepare the resident for an academic career was a minimal influence for 48.6 percent (87/179), and 57.5 percent (103/179) were not interested in a master's or Ph.D. degree. Factors associated with program ranking included modern clinical facilities, high ratio of dental assistants and faculty to residents, availability of assistants for sedation and general anesthesia cases, availability of a salary or stipend, and amount of clinical experience. Important non‐clinical factors included hospitality during the interview, geographic location, and perceived reputation of the program. Opportunity to speak with the current residents in private, observing the interaction between residents and faculty, and touring the facilities were also highly considered. These findings may help program directors tailor their interviews and programs to suit the needs of applicants.
Accreditation of Dental Programs in Australia: A Thematic Analysis of Recommendations, 1996–2004
Authors: Arena Gina , Kruger Estie , Tennant Marc
Published: June 2020

For dental education to continue to grow in Australia, there is a need to understand the effect of new innovations and to reflect on the way the profession as a whole has adapted to the highly innovative environment that is modern dental education. The Australian Dental Council's (ADC) accreditation activities for undergraduate dental programs is one constant over the last ten years that can be used to provide some insight into the reactions of schools to threats and opportunistic solutions brought about by change. In this study, accreditation reports were analyzed to provide trends in the themes of accreditation findings over the last ten years. The hypothesis was that the themes emanating from the findings of accreditation will reflect changes over time as schools have adapted to the changing higher education environment. A total of 820 recommendations were collated from twenty‐one reports. From the recommendations collated, a series of themes were identified; predominant themes included staff, external relationships, funding, structure, documentation, curriculum, and communications. No clear trends in terms of recommendations were noted over the study period, and themes remained fairly consistent over the years. The outcome of the study did not support the hypothesis that changing trends in accreditation recommendations over the last ten years would reflect changes in the environment in which education providers are operating.
Exploring Dental Students’ Perceptions of Cultural Competence and Social Responsibility
Authors: Rubin Richard W. , Rustveld Luis O. , Weyant Robert J. , Close John M.
Published: June 2020

The improvement of basic cultural competency skills and the creation of a greater community‐minded spirit among dental students are important parts of dental education. The purpose of our study was to assess changes in dental students’ attitudes and beliefs about community service and changes in cultural competencies after participation in a two‐year program of non‐dental community service (Student Community Outreach Program and Education, SCOPE). During 2003–07, two identical twenty‐eight‐item surveys were administered to SCOPE participants/completers. In the first, students reported on their attitudes after program completion. In the second, students reported retrospectively on their attitudes prior to starting the program. One hundred twenty‐six post‐ and pre‐intervention surveys were matched and assessed for changes in student attitudes after program participation. Based on factor analysis, four distinct scales were identified: 1) community service, 2) cultural competence, 3) communication, and 4) treatment perspective. Over time, statistically significant changes (p<.05) in student attitudes and beliefs were found for scales 1 (p=.017), 2 (p=.001), and 3 (borderline significance, p=.057). Scale 4 showed no significant difference (p=.108). These scales indicate main focus areas to help guide future dentists in acquiring relevant sociocultural competencies and enabling community‐minded attitudes. Overall, this study provides support for the addition of a non‐dental community service‐learning program into the preclinical curriculum.
Team‐Based Learning Using an Audience Response System: An Innovative Method of Teaching Diagnosis to Undergraduate Dental Students
Authors: Pileggi Roberta , O'Neill Paula N.
Published: June 2020

A team‐based learning (TBL) approach was used to facilitate student learning and performance in a sophomore preclinical endodontic course. TBL is based upon the division of a class into small groups of students using a problem‐based learning approach. The purpose of this project was to improve student ability to diagnose diseases utilizing TBL combined with an audience response system (ARS). Three measures were used to assess the outcomes: 1) pre‐ and posttest scores, 2) a diagnostic skills assessment during the final examination, and 3) an attitudinal survey completed by the students. At the beginning of the course, second‐year students (n=64) were evaluated to determine entry‐level knowledge. Six groups of ten to eleven students each were pretested, followed by a parallel posttest following the implementation of the TBL experience. Students’ performance on the posttest (63.4 percent) showed improved results when compared to the pretest (36.9 percent). Students also exhibited improved diagnostic skills with the final examination. The results of the students’ attitudinal survey indicated an 80 percent agreement that TBL enhanced their powers of critical analysis.
Economic Outcomes of a Dental Electronic Patient Record
Authors: Langabeer James R. , Walji Muhammad F. , Taylor David , Valenza John A.
Published: June 2020

The implementation of an electronic patient record (EPR) in many sectors of health care has been suggested to have positive relationships with both quality of care and improved pedagogy, although evaluation of actual results has been somewhat disillusioning. Evidence‐based dentistry clearly suggests the need for tools and systems to improve care, and an EPR is a critical tool that has been widely proposed in recent years. In dental schools, EPR systems are increasingly being adopted, despite obstacles such as high costs, time constraints necessary for process workflow change, and overall project complexity. The increasing movement towards cost‐effectiveness analyses in health and medicine suggests that the EPR should generally cover expenses, or produce total benefits greater than its combined costs, to ensure that resources are being utilized efficiently. To test the underlying economics of an EPR, we utilized a pre‐post research design with a probability‐based economic simulation model to analyze changes in performance and costs in one dental school. Our findings suggest that the economics are positive, but only when student fees are treated as an incremental revenue source. In addition, other performance indicators appeared to have significant changes, although most were not comprehensively measured pre‐implementation, making it difficult to truly understand the performance differential—such pre‐measurement of expected benefits is a key lesson learned. This article also provides recommendations for dental clinics and universities that are about to embark on this endeavor.
Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Student Feedback on ePortfolio Learning
Authors: Gardner Karen M. , Aleksejuniene Jolanta
Published: June 2020

At the University of British Columbia, we introduced an ePortfolio assignment in the operative dentistry clinical simulation module and conducted a pilot study to explore the usefulness of ePortfolios as a learning tool for dental students. Qualitative assessments included student self‐reflections on the ePortfolio experience. In the quantitative evaluation, ePortfolio learning was hypothesized as a multidimensional experience with four dimensions: 1) an ePortfolio experience is valuable for learning operative dentistry; 2) an ePortfolio is time‐consuming, but overall a useful experience; 3) ePortfolio learning requires technical skills that are manageable; and 4) ePortfolio experience may be beneficial for lifelong learning. Overall, both quantitative and qualitative assessments demonstrated that students valued ePortfolio learning as a positive experience. In multivariate analyses (confirmatory factor analysis), the four‐dimensional model of ePortfolio learning was confirmed. Future studies are needed to validate or revise the four‐factor model of ePortfolio learning in different student cohorts.
Brazilian Dental Students’ Perceptions About Medical Emergencies: A Qualitative Exploratory Study
Authors: Carvalho Regina M. , Costa Luciane R. , Marcelo Vânia C.
Published: June 2020

Dental students have little understanding about medical emergencies, and there is very little in‐depth data about the importance they place on this important area that is fundamental to their professional training. This study aimed to identify the perceptions of a group of undergraduate dental students about the dentistry‐medical emergency interface. Twenty undergraduate dental students at the Federal University of Goias, Brazil, took part in this study. The data were collected through in‐depth interviews with these students and were interpreted using qualitative content analysis. Two themes emerged from this data analysis: dentistry as a comprehensive health science, and students’ knowledge, feelings, and attitudes about medical emergencies in the dental office. Based on the students’ perceptions, an interface between dentistry and medical emergencies in the dental office was proposed that is comprised of the following intertwined concepts: 1) dentistry is a health science profession that should focus on the whole patient instead of being limited to the oral cavity; 2) medical emergencies do occur in the dental office, but students’ minimal knowledge about these incidents and their etiology causes feelings of insecurity, dissatisfaction, and a limited appreciation of the dentists’ responsibility; and 3) the inability to perform proper basic life support (BLS) technique in the dental office is the ultimate consequence. Undergraduate health courses need to develop strategies to teach professionals and students appropriate behavior and attitudes when facing life‐threatening emergencies.