bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inclusion of Oral‐Systemic Health in Predoctoral/Undergraduate Curricula of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Medical Schools Around the World: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Hein Casey , Schönwetter Dieter J. , Iacopino Anthony M.
Published: June 2020

There is increasing evidence that oral health is a critical component of overall health and that poor oral health may lead to initiation or exacerbation of chronic inflammatory diseases/conditions and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Added to this is an increasing awareness that among non‐dental health care professions curricula (e.g., medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and allied health) there is an apparent lack of information regarding the interrelationships between oral health and overall health or recognition of the significance of oral health in achieving and sustaining general health outcomes. This study explored the amount of information related to oral‐systemic science currently being taught in the predoctoral/undergraduate professional curricula of pharmacy, nursing, and medical schools in English‐speaking universities around the world. The Oral‐Systemic Health Educational Curriculum Survey was circulated online to associate or academic deans at medical, nursing, and pharmacy schools in universities across Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. The survey found that 53.7 percent of the respondents ranked the inclusion of oral‐systemic science as somewhat important, 51.2 percent reported no or limited requirements to incorporate oral health education within their curricula, and 59.6 percent rated their current curricula in oral‐systemic health as inadequate. The majority of students in these programs are not being instructed to examine the mouth, nor are they being taught how to perform an oral examination. Despite growing awareness of emerging evidence of oral‐systemic relationships and recommendations that all health care providers should contribute to enhancing oral health, this knowledge base appears to be substantially deficient in the curricula of pharmacy, nursing, and medical students in many universities. This study provides the first formal documentation that the curricula of non‐dental health care professions, specifically in medicine, nursing, and pharmacy, do not contain adequate content related to oral‐systemic health.
Evaluation of a Pilot Bridging Program to Enable Australian Dental Therapists to Treat Adult Patients
Authors: Calache Hanny , Hopcraft Matthew S.
Published: June 2020

This study evaluated a pilot educational bridging program designed to provide dental therapists in Australia with the appropriate knowledge and skills required to enable them to translate their current clinical scope of practice to adult patients. Ten dental therapists completed a bridging program consisting of forty‐two hours of didactic content, fourteen hours of clinical observation, forty‐two hours of clinical practicum under direct supervision, and 105 hours of clinical experience with supervision by mentoring dentists. Process and impact evaluation was undertaken at various stages of the program by participants and supervising dentists. Self‐reported confidence and knowledge for dental therapists had increased at the completion of the course. Supervising dentists reported high levels of knowledge for dental therapists after completing the course and said that the course adequately prepared the dental therapists to translate their current clinical scope of practice to treat adult patients. Eight of the ten participants successfully completed the assessment at the completion of the course and were permitted by the Dental Practice Board of Victoria to extend their clinical scope of practice to adult patients aged twenty‐six years of age or more. The dental therapists thought that the educational model was relevant in developing their clinical skills. The evaluation indicates that this model is an effective method of extending the scope of practice for dental therapists and has important implications in enhancing the flexibility of the dental team.
Increasing Predoctoral Dental Students’ Motivations to Specialize in Prosthodontics
Authors: Zarchy Marisa , Kinnunen Taru , Chang Brian M. , Wright Robert F.
Published: June 2020

This study provides data about factors that influence dental students’ decision of which specialty to pursue and describes program changes in prosthodontics designed to expand student interest in a prosthodontics training program. Of 176 current and recently graduated students at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 167 responded to the e‐mail survey for a 94.9 percent response rate. Using the Pearson chi‐square analysis, we analyzed nine factors to determine their contribution to these students’ choice of specialty. Two factors, lecture and faculty/mentoring, were highly significant (p<0.006) regarding impact on the students’ introductory experience with prosthodontics. When choosing a specialty, 44 percent of all students ranked “enjoyment of providing the specialty service” as the most important factor. Students wishing to specialize in prosthodontics, however, ranked four significant factors: enjoyment of providing the specialty service (p<0.037, p<0.057); faculty influence (p<0.0002, p<0.0001); length of program (p<0.039, p<0.006); and cost of program (p<0.023, p<0.004). Respondents also ranked the nine American Dental Association‐recognized specialties regarding their perceptions of future salary and impact on the dental profession. They ranked prosthodontics fourth for future salary and fifth for impact on the profession. At the same time that this study was being conducted, key changes were being made in the graduate prosthodontics program; those appear to have had a positive impact on students’ interest in pursuing prosthodontics as a specialty.
Introduction to the 75th Anniversary Issue of the Journal of Dental Education
Authors: Brown L. Jackson
Published: June 2020

This issue of the Journal of Dental Education is a celebration of its seventy‐fifth year as the premier journal for intellectual discourse on all aspects of dental education. It is a well‐deserved celebration because it is broader than the journal itself. It is a celebration of excellence, success, and, above all, improved oral health for the American people and beyond. You will read wonderful history, powerful analyses, and insightful judgments in this anniversary issue, produced by some of our best and brightest. In this introduction, I add a few words about our journal and the role it has played in this celebration. Then, I will try to provide a little context about why we are celebrating. Finally, I will provide a brief glimpse of the remarkable experience ahead for readers.
Dental Education's Involvement with Dentists’ Learning in Practice: Data and Theory
Authors: Chambers David W.
Published: June 2020

A careful reading of the Journal of Dental Education from its founding in 1936 and of the Proceedings of the American Association of Dental Schools (the predecessor of the American Dental Education Association) from 1924, as well as other documents, allows us to describe the role dental schools have played in supporting the learning of dentists following graduation from formal programs. This article is in two parts. First, data are presented showing the emergence of continuing dental education in the 1960s and its continual growth. The exception to this pattern is that dental schools shared in the initial bloom but experienced an inexorable decline beginning in the 1980s. In the second part, it is shown that scholarship regarding how dentists learn over multiple settings and as they acquire greater mastery of their discipline has also failed to develop. Reasons are given for both phenomena, reasons that include competitive external factors and point to intrinsic weaknesses in the scholarship of dental education.
Use of Virtual Patients in Dental Education: A Survey of U.S. and Canadian Dental Schools
Authors: Cederberg Robert A. , Bentley Dan A. , Halpin Richard , Valenza John A.
Published: June 2020

The use of virtual patients in dental education is gaining acceptance as an adjunctive method to live patient interactions for training dental students. The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which virtual patients are being utilized in dental education by conducting a survey that was sent to sixty‐seven dental schools in the United States and Canada. A total of thirty dental schools responded to the web‐based survey. Sixty‐three percent of the responding dental schools use virtual patients for preclinical or clinical exercises. Of this group, 31.3 percent have used virtual patients in their curricula for more than ten years, and approximately one‐third of those who do use virtual patients expose their students to more than ten virtual patient experiences over the entirety of their programs. Of the schools that responded, 90.5 percent rated the use of virtual patients in dental education as important or very important. An additional question addressed the utilization of interactive elements for the virtual patient. Use of virtual patients can provide an excellent method for learning and honing patient interviewing skills, medical history taking, recordkeeping, and patient treatment planning. Through the use of virtual patient interactive audio/video elements, the student can experience interaction with his or her virtual patients during a more realistic simulation encounter.
Parenting Responsibility Expectations of Senior Australian Dental Students: Do the Next Generations' Family Responsibilities Impact Workforce Planning?
Authors: AlSharif Ala'a , Kruger Estie , Tennant Marc
Published: June 2020

Over the past twenty‐five years, there has been a substantial increase in work‐based demands, thought to be due to an intensifying, competitive work environment. However, more recently, the question of work‐life balance is increasingly attracting attention. The purpose of this study was to discover the attitudes of the next generation of dentists in Australia to parenting responsibility and work‐life balance perceptions. Questionnaires on work‐life balance were distributed to all fourth‐year students at three dental schools in Australia. A total of 137 (76 percent) surveys were completed and returned. Most respondents indicated that they would take time off to focus on childcare, and just over half thought childcare should be shared by both parents. Thirty‐seven percent felt that a child would have a considerable effect on their careers. Differences were seen in responses when compared by gender. The application of sensitivity analysis to workforce calculations based around changing societal work‐life expectations can have substantial effects on predicting workforce data a decade into the future. It is not just the demographic change to a more feminized workforce in Australia that can have substantial effect, but also the change in social expectations of males in regards to parenting.
Dental Students’ Motivations and Perceptions of Dental Professional Career in India
Authors: Aggarwal Amit , Mehta Sonia , Gupta Deepak , Sheikh Soheyl , Pallagatti Shambulingappa , Singh Ravinder , Singla Isha
Published: June 2020

Students’ motivations in choosing a career in the health professions are of great interest for educators and admission committees, particularly in the field of dentistry. This study conducted in four private dental institutions in India was designed to investigate dental students’ motivations in their choice of dentistry as a career and their perceptions regarding dentistry in India. A total of 400 questionnaires were distributed, and 369 students responded in a combination of selected responses to the questions, for a response rate of 92.3 percent. In the results, 53.7 percent of the students reported pursuing dentistry because it offers stable work (p<0.002); 38.7 percent because the profession is highly paid; and 7.6 percent due to the ease in finding a regular job in dental schools or hospitals. The survey also found that 44.4 percent of the students pursued dentistry because they can determine their own hours of work and 36.6 percent said they liked to be their own boss. Among these students, 64.5 percent said they were content to be joining dentistry as a professional course, but 35.5 percent were discontented (p<0.001). Regarding the specialties, 79.1 percent said they want to become specialists in the field of dentistry (p<0.001); oral surgery was the leading choice followed by orthodontics. Only 11.7 percent reported wanting to pursue dentistry for research purposes. Overall, this study found that financial and professional factors were the chief criteria for students’ pursuing dentistry in India; however, the strongest influence in the choice of dentistry was the students’ parents or family.
A Problem‐Based Learning Tutorial for Dental Students Regarding Elderly Residents in a Nursing Home in Japan
Authors: Matsuka Yoshizo , Nakajima Ryu , Miki Haruna , Kimura Aya , Kanyama Manabu , Minakuchi Hajime , Shinkawa Shigehiko , Takiuchi Hiroya , Nawachi Kumiko , Maekawa Kenji , Arakawa Hikaru , Fujisawa Takuo , Sonoyama Wataru , Mine Atsushi , Hara Emilio Satoshi , Kikutani Takeshi , Kuboki Takuo
Published: June 2020

This educational trial was an eight‐day problem‐based learning (PBL) course for fourth‐year predoctoral students at Okayama University's dental school who interviewed elderly residents living in a nursing home. The purpose of this PBL course was to introduce geriatric dentistry to the students by allowing them, independently, to discover the clinical problems of elderly patients as well as the solutions. The sixty‐five students were divided into nine small groups and received patient information (age, gender, degree of care needed, medical history, food type, medications, and oral condition) in datasheets before visiting the nursing home. Each group of students directly interviewed one patient and the caregivers and identified the patient's medical, psychological, and social problems. After the interview, the students participated in a PBL tutorial to delineate a management approach for the patient's problems. To measure the efficacy of this program, the students completed a questionnaire before and after the course regarding their level of understanding of and attitudes toward geriatric dentistry, clinical research, and self‐study. The results showed that student's perceptions of their knowledge about and attitudes toward oral health care for the elderly significantly increased after the PBL course, which suggests that such tutorials should be an option for dental curricula.
Lesson Plan on New Method of Teeth identification Introduced at Dental Schools in Malaysia and Pakistan
Authors: Akram Ashfaq , Salam Abdus , Bashir Ulfat , Maarof Nooreiny , Meerah Subhan M.
Published: June 2020

This article describes a new tooth notation system designed to be implemented for educational purposes in dental schools in Malaysia and Pakistan for identification of teeth and subsequently dental communication for wellness of dental patients. Its format is constructed as a lesson plan to present an uncomplicated tooth notation system by first letter of each tooth class (I‐incisor, C‐canine, P‐premolar, and M‐molar) to describe and communicate dental information. The new system is a promising and potential educational lesson that is innovative in its contents, easily understandable, and usable in dental charting as indicated by the results of a pilot study. However, further studies are required to investigate the strength of this new system.
Can Patients Help Teach Professionalism and Empathy to Dental Students? Adding Patient Videos to a Lecture Course
Authors: Schwartz Barry , Bohay Richard
Published: June 2020

A key aspect of predoctoral dental education involves ethics/professionalism and interpersonal communications. Empathy is an integral aspect of both. This study at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, examined predoctoral students’ perspectives to determine the impact of new educational methodologies designed to integrate patients’ voices into a patient management lecture course. Videos of patients describing their dental experiences were added along with classroom discussion and students’ reflective journals on the topics raised. Early results indicate that students perceived this innovation enhanced the teaching of professionalism, raised their awareness of the importance of empathy, and was a well‐received addition to the course.
Program Design Considerations for Leadership Training for Dental and Dental Hygiene Students
Authors: Taichman Russell S. , Parkinson Joseph W. , Nelson Bonnie A. , Nordquist Barbara , Ferguson‐Young Daphne C. , Thompson Joseph F.
Published: June 2020

Since leadership is an essential part of the oral health professions, oral health educators can play an essential role in establishing a culture of leadership and in mentoring students to prepare them for future leadership roles within the profession. However, leadership training for oral health professionals is a relatively new concept and is frequently not found within dental and dental hygiene curricula. The purpose of this article is to propose several models for leadership training that are specific to the oral health professions. The authors hope that providing an overview of leadership programs in academic dental institutions will encourage all U.S. and Canadian dental schools to begin developing a culture that promotes leadership development.
Early Failure of Class II Resin Composite Versus Class II Amalgam Restorations Placed by Dental Students
Authors: Overton J.D. , Sullivan Diane J.
Published: June 2020

Using the information from remake request slips in a dental school's predoctoral clinic, we examined the short‐term survival of Class II resin composite restorations versus Class II dental amalgam restorations. In the student clinic, resin composite is used in approximately 58 percent of Class II restorations placed, and dental amalgam is used in the remaining 42 percent. In the period examined, Class II resin composite restorations were ten times more likely to be replaced at no cost to the patient than Class II dental amalgam restorations. A total of eighty‐four resin composite restorations and six amalgam restorations were replaced due to an identified failure.
Quality Considerations in Dental Education in India
Authors: Virdi Mandeep S.
Published: June 2020

Undergraduate dental education programs have grown tremendously in India over the last five to six decades, mainly in the private sector, putting significant pressure on resources including faculty. This has raised concerns about the quality of dental education in the country. This article examines the concept of quality as applicable to higher education. It provides a roadmap for application of quality concepts, including steps for improving the effectiveness of teaching and applying Total Quality Management to dental education. It also makes suggestions for college‐level and structural‐level changes to meet the requirement of improved quality, which includes the addition of dental education as a subject in postgraduate dental programs.
Typodont Versus Live Patient: Predicting Dental Students’ Clinical Performance
Authors: Nunez David W. , Taleghani Mohsen , Wathen William F. , Abdellatif Hoda M.A.
Published: June 2020

In this study, the authors evaluated the accuracy and precision of non‐clinical testing for dental students’ crown preparation proficiency on a manikin‐mounted typodont as a predictor of performance on patients. Eighty‐six seniors at Baylor College of Dentistry were evaluated by three calibrated senior faculty members from the general dentistry department. Four areas of interest were evaluated: occlusal reduction; axial reduction; margins, design, and finish line; and operative environment. Standardized grading scales were utilized to evaluate these preparation components. The kappa agreement statistic was used to assess agreement for the areas, which were then compiled to get an overall performance score. A Bland‐Altman plot was generated and analyzed for agreement on overall performance between typodont and patient. Results of the analyses showed weak agreement between the two measurements for all four areas of interest with large variation in the differences. When the pairs of overall performance scores were compared, the Bland‐Altman plot indicated that the typodont composite score was often larger than the patient composite score, especially for poorer performing students. The authors conclude that students’ clinical performance on typodonts is a poor predictor of their clinical performance on patients since the students performed much worse on the clinical crown examination than on the typodont examination.
Leveraging the Power of Web 2.0 Tools: A Wiki Platform as a Multimedia Teaching and Learning Environment in Dental Education
Authors: Salajan Florin D. , Mount Greg J.
Published: June 2020

This article presents the development and implementation of a wiki‐based application for the delivery of educational content in dentistry. The Dental Procedure Education System (DPES) is a new web application that uses SharePoint to combine online collaborative authoring characteristic of wiki spaces with instructional video documentaries. Harnessing the wiki's versatility, DPES offers faculty members an avenue to develop an authoritative source of information for both students, through DPES Pro, and the public at large, through DPES Public. Principles of cognitive theory of multimedia learning, constructivist theory, and collaborative writing were employed in the development of DPES. An authoring protocol, with a clearly defined sequence of steps, was established in order to keep the production of the DPES procedures consistent and predictable. Initial, anecdotal user reports indicate that DPES is well received among dental students and faculty members. Expected outcomes and benefits of DPES use are discussed, and directions for research are proposed.
Predoctoral Fixed Implant Patient Satisfaction Outcome and Challenges of a Clinical Implant Competency
Authors: Moghadam Marjan , Dias Renata , Kuyinu Esther , Ferguson Michael B. , Mucciolo Thomas , Jahangiri Leila
Published: June 2020

Treatment with fixed and removable partial dentures has been the traditional method of addressing the replacement of teeth competencies in dental education. However, by 2013 the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) standards will mandate a competency in “replacement of teeth including fixed, removable, and dental implants.” In 2005, New York University College of Dentistry implemented a comprehensive implant program for predoctoral dental students. One of the outcome assessments of this program was to determine the level of patient satisfaction. Therefore, a patient satisfaction survey (n=103) assessed the use of implant treatment for the restoration of partially edentulous patients, measuring such dimensions of satisfaction as function, comfort, and esthetics. The results revealed that 96 percent of the patients surveyed were satisfied with their ability to chew, 91 percent were satisfied with the comfort of their restoration, and 86 percent were satisfied with the appearance of their restoration. Additionally, 90 percent of the surveyed patients who received implant‐retained crowns as part of their routine care were satisfied with the overall treatment experience, and 97 percent of them would recommend this treatment to a friend. The survey results validate implant‐supported crown treatment in predoctoral education. Although implant‐supported restorations are a valid treatment option that must be presented to patients during treatment planning, creating a clinical competency in implant therapy requires greater consideration. Therefore, the benefits and challenges of such a clinical competency are discussed.
Influence of Community‐Based Dental Education on Dental Students’ Preparation and Intent to Treat Underserved Populations
Authors: Piskorowski Wilhelm A. , Stefanac Stephen J. , Fitzgerald Mark , Green Thomas G. , Krell Rachel E.
Published: June 2020

This study examined the influence of community‐based dental education (CBDE) on dental students’ perceived ability to treat underserved patients and their selection of community dental clinics as a first career path. In a 2009 survey, fourth‐year dental students at the University of Michigan recorded their attitudes, skill level, and confidence in treating underserved patients before and after CBDE rotations and estimated what percentage of their practice they planned to devote to Medicaid‐eligible patients. The first career choices of graduates from 2005 to 2010 were also correlated with the number of weeks the students spent in CBDE rotations. The results showed an improvement in student skill and confidence in treating low‐income patients after the rotations. The examination of first career choices showed that, after three to five weeks of CBDE rotations, 5.6 percent of the students planned to practice in a community‐based dental clinic. However, in 2009 when rotations were increased to eight weeks and included multiple clinic types, 11.8 percent of the students in 2009 and 16.5 percent in 2010 selected a community‐based dental clinic as their preferred practice location. These findings suggest that CBDE improves dental students’ skill and confidence level in treating underserved patients and that more time spent in CBDE rotations, specifically more than five weeks in multiple clinic types, may increase the number of graduates who select practice in community‐based clinics as a first career choice.
Rethinking Tenure in Dental Education
Authors: Slayton Rebecca L. , Kachalia Parag R. , Lozano‐Pineda Juanita , Rolf David D. , Kovarik Robert E. , Dillon Joycelyn A.
Published: June 2020

In the midst of changes in the environment of academic dentistry over the past two decades, reform of traditional tenure is one way for dental schools to respond to these changes while maintaining scholarly, evidence‐based learning environments. Challenges facing academic dentistry today and in the future include a crisis in workforce capacity, difficulty attracting recent graduates into academic positions, overburdened faculty members with limited time for scholarly activity, loss of tenured faculty members due to retirement, and a potentially diminished voice for dental schools within the parent university. The purpose of this opinion article is to suggest ways to reform the current tenure system in dental education as a means of improving recruitment and retention of new faculty members while maintaining or increasing scholarly activity within dental schools.
Dental Hygienists’ Knowledge and Opinions of Oral‐Systemic Connections: Implications for Education
Authors: Bell Kathryn P. , Phillips Ceib , Paquette David W. , Offenbacher Steven , Wilder Rebecca S.
Published: June 2020

Although associations between periodontal and systemic health have been well established, there is little evidence regarding dental hygienists’ knowledge of the oral‐systemic connection. The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge levels of North Carolina dental hygienists regarding oral‐systemic connections and their attitudes and confidence about incorporating this knowledge into clinical practice. A survey was developed, pilot tested, revised, and mailed to 1,665 licensed dental hygienists in North Carolina. After three mailings, the response rate was 62 percent, with 52 percent (N=859) meeting the inclusion criteria. The majority (>80 percent) of the respondents correctly identified risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD), but were less knowledgeable about risk factors for osteoporosis and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Most knew that there is strong evidence linking periodontal disease with CVD (77 percent) and diabetes (70 percent). The majority felt that dental hygienists should be trained to identify risk factors for oral‐systemic disease (94 percent) and to actively manage patients with systemic disease (78 percent). Eighty‐eight percent felt that dental and medical professionals should be taught to practice collaboratively. These dental hygienists had a high level of knowledge in some areas of oral‐systemic disease but could improve their confidence levels and knowledge through expanded content in their educational programs and continuing education. Inter‐professional education and collaboration would also assist in integration of knowledge into clinical practice.
Clinical Reasoning in Dentistry: A Conceptual Framework for Dental Education
Authors: Khatami Shiva , MacEntee Michael I. , Pratt Daniel D. , Collins John B.
Published: June 2020

This study presents a conceptual framework for clinical reasoning by dental students. Using a think‐aloud method with six vignettes, the researchers interviewed eighteen dental students from two stages of training about oral health‐related problems influenced by biopsychosocial factors. Verbatim transcripts of the interviews were analyzed to identify the processes and strategies of clinical reasoning used by the students to produce treatment plans. The process included 1) rituals to collect information; 2) forward and backward reasoning to generate and test clinical hypotheses; 3) pattern recognition from integrated scripts of knowledge and experience; and 4) decision trees to assess options and outcomes. The process was supplemented by scientific, conditional, collaborative, narrative, ethical, pragmatic, and part‐whole reasoning strategies. Senior students showed a keen awareness of the contextual determinants of care and emphasized patients’ motivations for treatment. In contrast, junior students focused more on problems associated with individual teeth as they struggled to integrate the information within each vignette. In this article, the processes and strategies for reasoning used by both groups of dental students are abstracted and then illustrated by a model of clinical reasoning that accommodates the complicated contexts in which clinical problems usually arise.
Patient and Provider Acceptance of Oral HIV Screening in a Dental School Setting
Authors: Nassry David D. , Phelan Joan A. , Ghookasian Miganoush , Barber Cheryl A. , Norman Robert G. , Lloyd Madeleine M. , Schenkel Andrew , Malamud Daniel , Abrams William R.
Published: June 2020

In 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended routine HIV screening in health care settings regardless of the patient's level of risk. This pilot study was developed in response to the suggestion by some health care professionals that dental settings would be appropriate for expansion of HIV testing. This project consisted of two parts: oral fluid HIV testing of patients in the clinic of a dental school and a survey of the clinical dental faculty members’ attitudes about acceptability of routine HIV testing in the dental clinic. When patients’ agreement to participate in oral fluid HIV testing was examined, 8.2 percent of the patients contacted by the clinic administration staff completed testing. When approached by a faculty member or student during the dental visit admission and tested during the dental visit, however, 88.2 percent completed testing. Of the faculty members who took the survey, 27.4 percent were neutral, 26.4 percent were somewhat in agreement, and 32.1 percent were willing to incorporate HIV testing into routine dental care. In this pilot study, HIV testing of dental patients was most successful when a dental care provider approached patients about testing. If consent was given, the testing was performed during the visit. For the faculty members, the major barrier to testing was a lack of protocol familiarity.
Leadership Training for Postdoctoral Dental Students
Authors: Skoulas Angelique , Kalenderian Elsbeth
Published: June 2020

Harvard School of Dental Medicine launched a course on leadership for its postdoctoral dental students in 2010 in order to introduce them to the art of leadership and the latest theories and principles regarding becoming a leader. Nine four‐hour modules over a period of six months took the students on a journey of leadership self‐exploration by building awareness of their capacity in core leadership skills; providing them with tools and frameworks for developing effective leadership skills; encouraging the immediate practice of core skills; creating space for honest reflection; and providing inspiration with guest lectures. A constant toggle between the present and their future as leaders was built into the course. In the student evaluations, the course received an overall rating of 4.71 (5=excellent), and the students reported an enhanced interest in all topic areas. They reported that the ability to build trust with others was the most beneficial skill for a dentist, while viewing advocacy skills as the least beneficial. All the students indicated an intention to continue developing their leadership skills. Through the course, the students developed an understanding of their leadership strengths and limitations through case studies, role‐play, and self‐reflection, as well as gaining an understanding of team dynamics and cultural perceptions in the context of dentistry.
The Educational Value of Online Mastery Quizzes in a Human Anatomy Course for First‐Year Dental Students
Authors: Lee Lisa M.J. , Nagel Rollin W. , Gould Douglas J.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of online mastery quizzes in enhancing dental students’ learning and preparedness for anatomy examinations. First‐year dental students taking an integrated anatomy course at The Ohio State University were administered online mastery quizzes, made available for five days before each examination. The mastery quizzes were comprised of ten multiple‐choice questions representative of the upcoming examination in content and difficulty. The students were allowed to access this resource as many times as they desired during the five‐day window before each examination; the highest score for each student was added to his or her final course grade. The results indicate that almost all the students took advantage of this resource to reinforce content, clarify concepts, and prepare for the examinations. Statistical analyses of the students’ exam performance showed that the mastery quizzes neither improved nor reduced their exam scores, but multiple regression analyses showed that the initial mastery quiz scores had a predictive value for their examination performance, suggesting a potential for mastery quizzes as an intervention tool for such a course. Online mastery quizzes, when used effectively, may be an effective resource to further engage dental and other students in educational endeavors and examination preparation and as a predictor of success.
Perceived Influence of Community Oral Health Curriculum on Graduates’ Dental Practice Choice and Volunteerism
Authors: Altman Donald S. , Alexander Jeffrey L. , Woldt Janet L. , Hunsaker Deanna S. , Mathieson Kathleen M.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to determine if A.T. Still University Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health (ASDOH) curricular content regarding community oral health has influenced graduates’ dental practice choice and volunteering activities in their communities. At ASDOH, the community oral health curriculum consists of three components: 1) coursework in public health resulting in a certificate or master's degree in public health; 2) service‐learning activities in the Dentistry in the Community series of course modules, wherein students plan and implement community projects; and 3) community‐based clinical rotations of approximately ninety‐five days during the fourth year. To accomplish the purposes of the study, a survey was sent to ASDOH alumni who graduated between 2007 and 2010. Of the 208 graduates contacted, ninety‐four responded (45.2 percent). Of those who responded, 85 percent reported that the community oral health curriculum influenced their practice choice, and 76 percent reported that they volunteer. Additionally, 58 percent of the respondents reported that the amount of dental school debt they had incurred affected their career plans and professional decision making.
A Survey of Left‐Handed Dental Students and Interns in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al‐Johany Sulieman S.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to survey left‐handed (LH) dental students and interns concerning whether they face any problems in their dental education or in their practice of dentistry. The questionnaires were distributed in four dental colleges in different regions in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was comprised of sixteen questions to assess the following issues: demographic information, difficulties in dental school or dental practice due to left‐handedness, preferred hand in performing different dental procedures, and musculoskeletal complications. The study found that the percentage of LH dental students was around 7 percent (110 out of 1,660). More than half of these participants (n=56) reported that being LH is not a problem in general, while when performing the required dental work, around 51 percent (n=56) agreed to having a problem. The majority (68 percent; n=75) reported that they had a problem with having RH instructors, and 84.5 percent (n=93) responded that their institution is not properly equipped to accommodate LH students. Only 34 percent (n=37) agreed that using facilities of an RH dentist may cause musculoskeletal complications to an LH dentist. The results of this study suggest that dental schools should provide LH students with appropriate equipment and a proper learning environment.
Results from a New Global Oral Health Course: A Case Study at One Dental School
Authors: Seymour Brittany , Barrow Jane , Kalenderian Elsbeth
Published: June 2020

To channel students’ interest in global oral health and prepare them to respond adequately to the health effects of globalization as future practitioners, new courses in dental curricula may be needed. This article documents the results of Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM)'s new course, Global Oral Health: Interdisciplinary Approaches. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first course of its kind in dental education. HSDM developed learning objectives for the course based on the literature, the training and experience of HSDM global health faculty, and the mission of the HSDM Global Health Initiative. Dental residents and public health students enrolled, and some dental students audited. The discussion–based critical thinking course examined the extensive relationship between oral health and global health, and concept development was determined by in–class participation. After taking the course, students’ assessments of their global oral health knowledge increased on average 100 percent. Nearly all students reported that they were very likely to use the concepts of global oral health in their careers and that they would definitely recommend the course to others. This course model seems to have met the expectations of students and faculty, and its fundamentals appear to be readily transferrable to other dental schools.
Teaching Atraumatic Restorative Treatment in U.S. Dental Schools: A Survey of Predoctoral Pediatric Dentistry Program Directors
Authors: Kateeb Elham T. , Warren John J. , Damiano Peter , Momany Elizabeth , Kanellis Michael , Weber‐Gasparoni Karin , Ansley Tim
Published: June 2020

The International Dental Federation and World Health Organization have promoted the use of Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) in modern clinical settings worldwide. In the United States, the practice of ART is not believed to be widely used, which may be a result of little attention given to ART training in predoctoral pediatric dentistry curricula in U.S. dental schools. This study investigated the extent of clinical and didactic instruction on ART provided in U.S. dental schools by surveying the predoctoral pediatric dentistry programs in 2010. Of the fifty–seven directors asked to complete the survey, forty–four responded for a response rate of 77 percent. Of these forty–four programs, 66 percent reported providing clinical training on ART, though only 14 percent provide this training often or very often. The types of ART training provided often or very often included interim treatment (18 percent) and single–surface cavities (14 percent) in primary teeth. However, ART was said to be rarely taught as a definitive treatment in permanent teeth (2 percent). Attitude was a major predictor, for clinical training provided and using professional guidelines in treatment decisions were associated with a positive attitude towards ART. These predoctoral pediatric dentistry programs used ART mainly in primary, anterior, and single–surface cavities and as interim treatment. As ART increases access of children to dental care, the incorporation of the ART approach into the curricula of U.S. dental schools should be facilitated by professional organizations.
Current Cariology Education in Dental Schools in Spanish–Speaking Latin American Countries
Authors: Martignon Stefania , Gomez Juliana , Tellez Marisol , Ruiz Jaime A. , Marin Lina M. , Rangel Maria C.
Published: June 2020

This study sought to provide an overview of current cariology education in Spanish–speaking Latin American dental schools. Data collection was via an eighteen–item survey with questions about curriculum, methods of diagnosis and treatment, and instructors’ perceptions about cariology teaching. The response rate was 62.1 percent (n=54), and distribution of participating schools by country was as follows: Bolivia (four), Chile (four), Colombia (twenty–four), Costa Rica (one), Cuba (one), Dominican Republic (two), El Salvador (two), Mexico (six), Panama (two), Peru (four), Puerto Rico (one), Uruguay (two), and Venezuela (one). Forty percent of the responding schools considered cariology the key axis of a course, with a cariology department in 16.7 percent. All schools reported teaching cariology, but with varying hours and at varying times in the curriculum, and 77.8 percent reported having preclinical practices. The majority reported teaching most main teaching topics, except for behavioral sciences, microbiology, saliva and systemic diseases, caries–risk factors, root caries, erosion, and early caries management strategies. The most frequently taught caries detection methods were visual–tactile (96.3 percent), radiographic (92.6 percent), and the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) (61.1 percent). Respondents said their schools’ clinics make an operative treatment decision when radiolucency is in the inner half of enamel (42.3 percent) for radiographic criteria and when the lesion is visually non–cavitated (5.8 percent). All respondents reported that their schools teach preventive strategies, but only 43.4 percent said they tie it to risk assessment and 40.7 percent said they implement nonsurgical management regularly.
Knowledge of Oral Cancer Among Recently Graduated Medical and Dental Professionals in Amman, Jordan
Authors: Alami Arwa Yousef , El Sabbagh Rula F. , Hamdan Abdelhameed
Published: June 2020

Oral cancer is a devastating disease, and despite advances in treatment, the survival rate remains low. Early diagnosis can improve survival and outcomes. Delayed referrals are often due to the inadequate knowledge of general health professionals. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of oral cancer among recently graduated dental and medical professionals interested in working in a cancer center in Amman, Jordan. The study was conducted using a questionnaire to assess the knowledge of risk factors and the ability to correctly identify the oral lesions most commonly associated with oral cancer. A total of 112 individuals completed the questionnaire. The results revealed an inadequate level of knowledge of oral cancer among the study population, with significant differences between the dental and medical professionals. This study suggests there is a need for improvement of the undergraduate curriculum in oral cancer in both medical and dental schools in Jordan and for the provision of postgraduate and continuing education on this topic.
Learning Style Preferences of First–Year Dental Students at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Influence of Gender and GPA
Authors: Al‐Saud Loulwa Mohammed Saad
Published: June 2020

The aim of this study was to investigate the learning style preferences of a group of first–year dental students and their relation to gender and past academic performance. A total of 113 first–year dental students (forty–two female, seventy–one male) at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, participated. The Visual, Aural, Read–write, and Kinesthetic (VARK) questionnaire was used to determine the students’ preferred mode of learning. This sixteen–item questionnaire defines preference of learning based on the sensory modalities: visual, aural, reading/writing, and kinesthetic. More than half (59 percent) of the students were found to have multimodal learning preferences. The most common single learning preferences were aural (20 percent) followed by kinesthetic (15.2 percent). Gender differences were not statistically significant. However, a statistically significant difference was found in the mean values of GPA in relation to the students’ learning style preferences (p=0.019). Students with a single learning style preference had a lower mean GPA than those with multiple (quad–modal) learning style preferences. For effective instruction, dental educators need to broaden their range of presentation styles to help create more positive and effective learning environments for all students.
Disciplinary Competitiveness Analysis in International Stomatology Education
Authors: Wen Ping , Hong Xiao , Zhu Lu , Zhang Linglin , Gu Xuekui , Gao Zhihua , Chen Qianming
Published: June 2020

With economic and cultural globalization, the trend of globalization of higher education becomes inevitable. Using the concept of competitiveness, the authors established a principal component analysis (PCA) model to examine disciplinary competitiveness in stomatology of various higher education institutions worldwide. A total of forty–four universities entered the final list according to these calculations. Possible reasons for their selection were explored and explained at macro and micro levels. The authors further accessed various sources of data and summarized several suggestions for enhancing disciplinary competitiveness for other universities in pursuit of promoting their position in the global spectrum.
Who Succeeds at Dental School? Factors Predicting Students’ Academic Performance in a Dental School in Republic of Korea
Authors: Ihm Jung‐Joon , Lee Gene , Kim Kack‐Kyun , Jang Ki‐Taeg , Jin Bo‐Hyoung
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine what cognitive and non–cognitive factors were responsible for predicting the academic performance of dental students in a dental school in the Republic of Korea. This school is one of those in Korea that now require applicants to have a bachelor's degree. In terms of cognitive factors, students’ undergraduate grade point average (GPA) and Dental Education Eligibility Test (DEET) scores were used, while surveys were conducted to evaluate four non–cognitive measures: locus of control, self–esteem, self–directed learning, and interpersonal skills. A total of 353 students matriculating at Seoul National University School of Dentistry in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 consented to the collection of records and completed the surveys. The main finding was that applicants who scored higher on internal locus of control and self–efficacy were more likely to be academically successful dental students. Self–directed learning was significantly associated with students ranked in the top 50 percent in cumulative GPA. However, students’ interpersonal skills were negatively related to their academic performance. In particular, students’ lack of achievement could be predicted by monitoring their first–year GPA. Therefore, the identification of those factors to predict dental school performance has implications for the dental curriculum and effective pedagogy in dental education.