bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dental Students’ Attitudes Toward Homeless People While Providing Oral Health Care
Authors: Habibian Mina , Elizondo Laura , Mulligan Roseann
Published: June 2020

Homeless people have multiple barriers in accessing health care services, and health care providers’ negative attitudes toward homeless people have been suggested as part of the problem. Studies on dental students’ attitudes toward homeless people are lacking, so our aim was to understand dental students’ attitudes. Dental students under the supervision of faculty members spent one day per week for seven weeks at the University of Southern California Union Rescue Mission Dental Clinic providing comprehensive dental services to homeless patients. Students completed the attitudes towards the homeless questionnaire (ATHQ) before and after the rotation with an experience evaluation questionnaire at the end. Data were collected over two years. A total of 242 students completed the questionnaires. The score on the ATHQ after rotation increased slightly but statistically significantly (70.36 pretest/71.38 posttest, P=0.01). Students’ age, gender, and prior contact with the homeless population were not related to their attitudes toward homeless patients. Eighty‐five percent agreed that the rotation made them feel more comfortable treating homeless patients, and 98 percent agreed that the patients made their experience enjoyable. Results suggest that dental students had positive attitudes toward the homeless and their scores on the ATHQ improved slightly after providing care.
The Dental Values Scale: Development and Validation
Authors: Langille Angela D. , Catano Victor M. , Boran Thomas L. , Cunningham Donald P.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to produce a valid scale for use in measuring the values of dental students and practitioners—the lack of which has impeded research on professionalism in dentistry. Following standard scale development procedures, we had focus groups of dental practitioners (N=23) develop a ninety‐nine‐item pool of value terms related to dentistry. Next, Canadian dentists (N=449) rated the relevance of each item through an online survey. They also rated the values in a generic values measure, Schwartz's Values Scale. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified twenty‐five items representing five values: Altruism, Personal Satisfaction, Conscientiousness, Quality of Life, and Professional Status. These values correlate with related dimensions from Schwartz's measure; they also correspond to the values in the American Dental Education Association's statement on professionalism. We then administered the new Dental Values Scale to dental students (N=96) to determine the relationship between practitioner and student values. First‐year students were higher in Conscientiousness, Altruism, and Personal Satisfaction than practitioners, but these values decreased over time to those held by the dentists. We discuss the implication of these results and the potential value of the new scale for dental education.
Evaluation of a 3‐D Interactive Tooth Atlas by Dental Students in Dental Anatomy and Endodontics Courses
Authors: Wright Edward F. , Hendricson William D.
Published: June 2020

Advances in information and communication technology continually offer innovations to assist faculty in their efforts to help students learn new information or develop new skills. However, faculty members are often hesitant to incorporate these innovations into their courses out of fear that these new methods may not provide the anticipated outcomes. Hence, students are often the subjects of educational trials to evaluate curriculum innovations by comparing a new teaching/learning method to traditional lecture‐based instruction. The most typical finding is that students can learn equally well by either method. However, two questions that have not been studied extensively in dental education are whether dental students will actually use computer‐based educational resources made available to them and whether students perceive these materials to provide a value‐added learning experience. Accordingly, the goals of this study were to determine whether first‐year dental students (D1), second‐year dental students (D2), and third‐year dental students (D3) would 1) use an interactive tooth atlas, available on a DVD, as a study aid and 2) perceive that the atlas provided sufficient value‐added benefit for their dental anatomy (D1), preclinical laboratory endodontics (D2), and clinical endodontics (D3) courses to recommend adding it to their school's comprehensive electronic resources. A low percentage of the students (14 percent; 40/289) voluntarily downloaded the atlas from a DVD to their laptops prior to the addition of incentives in the form of atlas‐related examination questions. Even after incentives were added, only 43 percent of the students (126/289) downloaded the DVD. After using the atlas, students responded to the statement “Using the 3D Interactive Tooth Atlas was beneficial for me” on a 0 to 10 scale with 0 representing strongly disagree, 5 representing unsure, and 10 representing strongly agree. The mean rankings were 5.34 for D1s, 6.79 for D2s, and 7.28 for D3s. Students also responded to the statement “The atlas should be added to our school's VitalBook” (digital library of curriculum materials). The mean rankings for this statement, using the same 0–10 scale, were 5.15 for the D1s, 6.63 for the D2s, and 7.26 for the D3s. Based upon these findings, the course directors decided not to add this atlas to the students’ electronic resources.
What Dental Schools Can Learn from College Experiences of American Indian Students
Authors: Lopez Naty
Published: June 2020

American Indians continue to be underrepresented in dental education. They also remain an understudied group. This qualitative study used interviews to explore the positive and negative experiences of thirty American Indian college students studying at a large public university; these students from eighteen tribal nations ranged from eighteen to forty‐four years of age. The intent was to identify challenges they face and factors that contribute to their resilience and persistence in their education. Results show that these students deal with issues related to financing their education, absence from family, alienation from friends, large classes, and lack of guidance and direction. A desire for improvement in their personal lives, parental involvement and encouragement, integration into a community of fellow American Indian students, and having a place of meeting and support were reported as contributing to their persistence. Students expressed preferences for smaller classes and closer relations with faculty members, as well as the need for advisors and orientation at the start of college life. To improve their recruitment and retention programs for American Indian students, dental schools should utilize the high value these students place on education and learn to involve their parents and communities in their efforts.
Evaluation of a Comprehensive Tobacco Cessation Curriculum for Dental Hygiene Programs
Authors: Davis Joan M. , Stockdale Margaret S. , Cropper Martha
Published: June 2020

Dental health care providers continue to offer inconsistent and limited tobacco use cessation (TUC) interventions even though smoking‐related morbidity and mortality continue to be a substantial health concern. Our purpose was to conduct a comprehensive, three‐year (2003–06) TUC curriculum evaluation that included assessment of existing TUC education offered; dental hygiene educators’ readiness to incorporate TUC education into the curriculum; and development of a pre‐test/post‐test assessment instrument and faculty development program. This curriculum study was carried out alongside a research study to evaluate the effectiveness of a peer‐reviewed tobacco curriculum (Tobacco Free! Curriculum). Faculty members (baseline n=97; third‐year n=42) from the twelve dental hygiene associate degree programs in Illinois participated in the study, which included a pre‐treatment survey, six hours of on‐site TUC curriculum training, and a post‐treatment survey to determine the attitudes, perceived barriers, and current practices in tobacco education. Results showed an average increase of eighty‐five minutes spent on tobacco education in the dental hygiene curriculum, a large positive increase in the percentage of faculty members who formally assessed the use of 5As and 5Rs (21 percent to 88 percent), and a dramatic increase (+100) in the percentage of faculty members who taught or included most of the thirteen TUC content areas following the introduction of the curriculum and training program.
Students’ Attitudes Toward Integrating Problem‐Based Learning into a D.D.S. Pharmacology Curriculum
Authors: Gregson Karen , Romito Laura M. , Garetto Lawrence P.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to determine student perceptions of the methods used to teach pharmacology content via problem‐based learning (PBL) cases with respect to students’ comprehension and application of pharmacology content, confidence in their own pharmacology knowledge after completion of PBL instruction, and confidence in treating clinical patients who are taking multiple medications. Our hypothesis was that the most effective presentation of pharmacology content is one that focuses on broad drug classes and includes a pharmacology assignment, a post‐assignment group discussion and consensus, and a graded group response for the assignment. Via a five‐question survey instrument, we assessed the students’ perceptions of pharmacology education and learning of pharmacology concepts through PBL. Survey responses were anonymous, and results were reported as aggregate data. The survey statements were answered on a five‐point Likert scale with 1 indicating strong disagreement and 5 indicating strong agreement. The percentage of each class that completed the survey was as follows: first years, 96 percent (n=97); second years, 92 percent (n=94); third years, 87 percent (n=91); and fourth years, 95 percent (n=73). A trend in the data shows that the closer the student is to graduation, the less he or she valued the pharmacology knowledge taught in PBL. Their responses seem to indicate that the newer teaching methods, a pharmacology assignment, a post‐assignment group discussion and consensus, and a graded group response for the assignment employed in PBL cases lead to better understanding of pharmacology concepts and confidence in the students’ own pharmacology knowledge.
Effect of Community‐Based Clinical Teaching Programs on Student Confidence: A View from the United Kingdom
Authors: Lynch Christopher D. , Ash Peter J. , Chadwick Barbara L. , Hannigan Ailish
Published: June 2020

Over the past few years, community‐based clinical teaching programs have become established within many dental schools in the United Kingdom. One such primary care teaching unit was developed to support the dental undergraduate program at Cardiff University in 2002. Students visit this unit throughout their five‐year dental school training—as assistants/observers initially, but gaining about twenty‐eight days of clinical operating experience each within the unit during their final year of studies. The aim of this article is to report the effect of this teaching program on the confidence of students to perform a range of clinical treatments. The final‐year dental class of 2007–08 (n=55) at Cardiff University were asked to rate their confidence in their ability to perform thirty‐six selected clinical tasks on a five‐point scale prior to commencing their clinical operating experience at the community‐based clinical teaching program and again at completion of the one‐year program. Completed responses were received from forty‐seven students (response rate=85 percent). The same students completed the initial and the final surveys. After one year, there were significant increases (p<0.05) in student confidence in performing thirty of the thirty‐six selected clinical tasks. The largest positive change was in the area of endodontics: on a five‐point scale, there was an increase of one unit for incisor/canine endodontics, 1.04 units for premolar endodontics, and 1.17 units for molar endodontics. These increases were statistically significant (p<0.05). The next largest positive change was for the provision of bridgework: 0.98 unit increase in confidence for providing conventional bridgework (p<0.05) and 0.91 unit increase for resin‐retained bridgework (p<0.05). We conclude that clinical experience within a community‐based clinical teaching program can have positive effects on dental students’ confidence to perform a wide range of clinical tasks. Further work is needed to identify the benefits of this training on the clinical and professional development of young and recently graduated dentists.
A Review of Pediatric Dentistry Program Websites: What Are Applicants Learning About Our Programs?
Authors: Lin Jenn‐Yih , Lee Jung , Davidson Bo , Farquharson Kara , Shaul Cheryl , Kim Sara
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to examine website content provided by U.S. and Canadian pediatric dentistry residency programs, and 2) to understand aspects of program websites that dental students report to be related to their interests. Sixty‐eight program websites were reviewed by five interprofessional evaluators. A thirty‐six‐item evaluation form was organized into 1) program descriptive items listed on the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) website (n=21); 2) additional program descriptive items not listed on the AAPD website but of interest (n=9); and 3) items related to website interface design (n=5). We also surveyed fifty‐four dental students regarding their interest in various aspects of program descriptions. The results of this study suggest that pediatric dentistry residency programs in general tend to provide identical or less information than what is listed on the AAPD website. The majority of respondents (76 percent) reported that residency program websites would be their first source of information about advanced programs. The greatest gap between the available website information and students’ interests exists in these areas: stipend and tuition information, state licensure, and program strengths. Pediatric dentistry residency programs underutilize websites as a marketing and recruitment tool and should incorporate more information in areas of students’ priority interests.
Influence of the ICDAS E‐Learning Program for Occlusal Caries Detection on Dental Students
Authors: Diniz Michele B. , Lima Luciana Monti , Santos‐Pinto Lourdes , Eckert George J. , Zandoná Andrea G. Ferreira , de Cássia Loiola Cordeiro Rita
Published: June 2020

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of ICDAS training in a group of dental students for occlusal caries detection in permanent teeth. Premolars and molars (N=104) with occlusal surfaces varying from ICDAS scores 0 to 6 were cleaned, one occlusal site per tooth was selected, and a photograph taken to identify the site. Eight senior dental students examined the teeth twice with a one‐week interval between examinations during each of two phases: before and after the ICDAS e‐learning program. Teeth were histologically assessed for caries extension. Intraclass correlation coefficients for intra‐ and interexaminer repeatability were high, both before (0.75 and 0.72, respectively) and after e‐learning (0.82 and 0.78, respectively). The ICDAS scores decreased significantly from before to after e‐learning (p=0.0001). Correlation between ICDAS scores and histology scores was moderate (0.57 before e‐learning and 0.61 after). Although the ROC curve shows an improvement in the use of the ICDAS scoring after e‐learning, the difference was not significant (p=0.10). Specificity of the ICDAS scores significantly improved after e‐learning (77 percent vs. 36 percent), and sensitivity was reduced slightly after e‐learning (87 percent vs. 92 percent). The ICDAS e‐learning program improved the performance of the diagnostic skills of the investigated students for the detection of occlusal caries lesions.
Assessing Change in Health Professions Volunteers’ Perceptions After Participating in Special Olympics Healthy Athlete Events
Authors: Freudenthal Jacqueline J. , Boyd Linda D. , Tivis Rick
Published: June 2020

This study assessed perceptions of health professions student and faculty volunteers who participated with athletes at the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Healthy Athlete venues. The volunteers’ perceptions and expectations of the abilities of intellectually disabled athletes were measured by administering pre‐event and post‐event questionnaires consisting of demographic questions and the Prognostic Belief Scale (PBS). Invitations to participate in the study were sent to 165 students and faculty members; of those, eighty (48.5 percent response rate) responded to the pre‐event questionnaire, and sixty‐seven (40.6 percent response rate) responded to the post‐event questionnaire. Of the eighty respondents to the pre‐event questionnaire, fifty‐five (68.7 percent) also completed the post‐event questionnaire. The ANOVA comparing pre‐ and post‐event PBS scores between groups found a trend towards higher scores among the volunteers, but analysis did not demonstrate a significant effect in either group (p=.68) or the interaction of group by time (p=.46). Despite the findings from the PBS, participants’ statements suggest the experience had an impact on their perceptions and expectations. Although not statistically significant, this study found a positive trend pre‐ to post‐event in the volunteers’ perceptions of the abilities of athletes with intellectual disabilities. In addition to didactic and clinical education, volunteer experiences may enhance care providers’ knowledge, skill, and confidence levels for treating clients with intellectual disabilities.
The Arizona Model: A New Paradigm for Dental Schools
Authors: Smith Kneka P. , Woldt Janet L. , Cottam Wayne W. , Cederberg Robert A.
Published: June 2020

The traditional method for the delivery of didactic instruction and patient care in dental schools has come under fire from a number of sources over the past several years. The American Dental Education Association and others have outlined numerous issues impeding the swift progression of student learning through the dental curriculum. Declining state revenues allotted to dental education, the increasing shortage of dental faculty, and the management of student learning in an already overcrowded dental school curriculum have led to the investigation of strategies that address solutions to these and other shortcomings in the current milieu of dental education. To address these deficiencies, strategies for change have been suggested. This article describes the development, implementation, and assessment of a new dental school that addresses these and other challenges to the education of today's dental student, thus creating the Arizona Model. Following seven years of operation, outcomes analysis at the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health has shown positive trends in controlling educational costs, a shift to a modular curriculum, increasing student clinical experiences, and, consistent with the mission of the school, producing dentists who are well prepared for dental public health service.
Towards Building the Oral Health Care Workforce: Who Are the New Dental Therapists?
Authors: Blue Christine M. , Lopez Naty
Published: June 2020

In 2009, Minnesota Governor Pawlenty signed into law a bill approving the creation of a new dental team member: the dental therapist. The intent of this legislation was to address oral health disparities by creating a dental professional who would expand access to dental care in Minnesota. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of the first class of dental therapy students at the University of Minnesota and to ascertain the values and motivations that led them to choose a career in dental therapy. Four surveys were used to create the composite profile of the ten students in this first dental therapy class: 1) the California Critical Thinking Skills Test, 2) the Learning Type Measure, 3) the Attitudes Toward Healthcare Survey, and 4) a values and motivation survey that included demographic data. The results of the surveys revealed interacting influences of the students’ background, personal self‐concept, and environment leading to a career decision to pursue dental therapy.
The Development of a Dental Diagnostic Terminology
Authors: Kalenderian Elsbeth , Ramoni Rachel L. , White Joel M. , Schoonheim‐Klein Meta E. , Stark Paul C. , Kimmes Nicole S. , Zeller Gregory G. , Willis George P. , Walji Muhammad F.
Published: June 2020

There is no commonly accepted standardized terminology for oral diagnoses. The purpose of this article is to report the development of a standardized dental diagnostic terminology by a work group of dental faculty members. The work group developed guiding principles for decision making and adhered to principles of terminology development. The members used an iterative process to develop a terminology incorporating concepts represented in the Toronto/University of California, San Francisco/Creighton University and International Classification of Diseases (ICD)‐9/10 codes and periodontal and endodontic diagnoses. Domain experts were consulted to develop a final list of diagnostic terms. A structure was developed, consisting of thirteen categories, seventy‐eight subcategories, and 1,158 diagnostic terms, hierarchically organized and mappable to other terminologies and ontologies. Use of this standardized diagnostic terminology will reinforce the diagnosis‐treatment link and will facilitate clinical research, quality assurance, and patient communication. Future work will focus on implementation and approaches to enhance the validity and reliability of diagnostic term utilization.
Association Between National Board Dental Examination Part II Scores and Comprehensive Examinations at Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Authors: Lee Min Kyeong , Allareddy Veerasathpurush , Howell T. Howard , Karimbux Nadeem Y.
Published: June 2020

Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) uses a hybrid problem‐based approach to teaching in the predoctoral program. The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a formative examination designed to assess the performance of students in the problem‐based learning (PBL) curriculum. At HSDM three comprehensive examinations with OSCE components are administered during the third and fourth years of clinical training. The National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part II is taken in the final year of the predoctoral program. This study examines the association between the NBDE Part II and the comprehensive exams held at HSDM. Predoctoral students from the HSDM classes of 2005 and 2006 were included in this study. The outcome variable of interest was the scores obtained by students in the NBDE Part II, and the main independent variable of interest was the performance of students in the comprehensive exams (honors, pass, make‐up exam to pass). The Mann‐Whitney U‐test was used to examine the association between the grades obtained in the each of the three comprehensive exams and the NBDE Part II scores. Multivariable linear regression analysis was also used to examine the association between the NBDE Part II scores and the comprehensive exam grades. The effect of potential confounding factors including age, sex, and race/ethnicity was adjusted. The results suggest that students who performed well in the comprehensive exams performed better on the NBDE Part II, even after adjusting for confounding factors. Future studies will examine the long‐term impact of PBL on postdoctoral plans and career choices.
An Evaluation of Cone‐Beam Computed Tomography Use in Postgraduate Orthodontic Programs in the United States and Canada
Authors: Smith Bradley R. , Park Jae Hyun , Cederberg Robert A.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) in postgraduate orthodontic residency programs. An anonymous electronic survey was sent to the program director/chair of each of the sixty‐nine United States and Canadian postgraduate orthodontic programs, with thirty‐six (52.2 percent) of these programs responding. Overall, 83.3 percent of programs reported having access to a CBCT scanner, while 73.3 percent reported regular usage. The vast majority (81.8 percent) used CBCT mainly for specific diagnostic purposes, while 18.2 percent (n=4) used CBCT as a diagnostic tool for every patient. Orthodontic residents received both didactic and practical (hands‐on) training or solely didactic training in 59.1 percent and 31.8 percent of programs, respectively. Operation of the CBCT scanner was the responsibility of radiology technicians (54.4 percent), both radiology technicians and orthodontic residents (31.8 percent), and orthodontic residents alone (13.6 percent). Interpretation of CBCT results was the responsibility of a radiologist in 59.1 percent of programs, while residents were responsible for reading and referring abnormal findings in 31.8 percent of programs. Overall, postgraduate orthodontic program CBCT accessibility, usage, training, and interpretation were consistent in Eastern and Western regions, and most CBCT use was for specific diagnostic purposes of impacted/supernumerary teeth, craniofacial anomalies, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.
Attitudes of Postgraduate Orthodontic Students in India Towards Patient‐Centered Care
Authors: Madhan Balasubramanian , Rajpurohit Ajay Singh , Gayathri Haritheertham
Published: June 2020

The aim of our study was to assess the attitudes of postgraduate orthodontic students in India towards patient‐centered care. Two hundred and two students from eighteen dental schools across India completed the modified Patient‐Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS), a self‐administered eighteen‐item questionnaire that evaluates the practice orientation of the students in terms of doctor versus patient‐centeredness. The results revealed that the attitudes of the orthodontic postgraduate students in India were generally more doctor‐centered (mean PPOS score of 3.38). As compared to their male counterparts, the female students were more considerate of the role of psychosocial factors in health and the importance of warm doctor‐patient relationships (mean caring subscale score of 3.8 vs. 3.54, p<0.05). The third‐year students were relatively more patient‐centered than their first‐year colleagues (mean PPOS score of 3.56 vs. 3.27, p<0.05) and were more willing to share power and information with their patients (mean sharing score of 3.24 vs. 2.92, p<0.01). In general, the students became more patient‐centered as they progressed through their postgraduate course. The results of the study clearly imply the need for more active measures in order to develop a more patient‐centered orthodontic health care system in India.
Motivation Towards Career Choice of Brazilian Freshman Students in a Fifteen‐Year Period
Authors: Freire Maria do Carmo Matias , Jordao Lidia Moraes Ribeiro , de Paula Ferreira Naiara , de Fatima Nunes Maria , Queiroz Maria Goretti , Leles Claudio Rodrigues
Published: June 2020

Examining dental students’ profiles and perspectives contributes to discussions concerning dental education and practice. This study aimed, first, to investigate Brazilian dental students’ reasons for pursuing dentistry as an occupation and, secondly, to consider the professional expectations of freshman students at a Brazilian public university over a fifteen‐year period. A cross‐sectional study was performed using data from a self‐administered questionnaire to all first‐year students enrolled in the 1993–95 and 2006–08 periods at the Federal University of Goias, Brazil (n=376). A total of 296 students responded (response rate=78.7 percent). Frequency analysis and chi‐square tests were used to compare frequencies between the two time periods. Job conception was cited as the primary reason for pursuing dentistry, and the students considered oral health promotion and oral disease prevention as the primary purposes of dentistry. Most students intended to serve both high and low socioeconomic populations and both private and public practices after graduation. The majority cited an interest in specializing in clinical fields, orthodontics being the most frequent option. Significant trends included a greater interest in health promotion and public services and specializing in aesthetic dentistry and implantology in the 2006–08 period. This study revealed significant differences in the freshman students’ motivations and professional perspectives over time. Personal views and concepts about profession are major influencing factors for choosing dentistry as a career.
Dental Students’ Attitudes About Older Adults: Do Type and Amount of Contact Make a Difference?
Authors: Nochajski Thomas H. , Davis Elaine L. , Waldrop Deborah P. , Fabiano Jude A. , Goldberg Louis J.
Published: June 2020

This study was an extension of a previous study that considered dental student attitudes about older adults. In the current study, the association of student interactions with older adults, in both the dental school clinic and daily life, with their attitudes about this group was evaluated using the Aging Semantic Differential. A total of 311 dental students across all four years of academic standing were included in the study. The results showed that students’ interactions with older adults outside the clinic did not relate to positive attitudes; however, even after controlling for the age of the student and the frequency, type of individual, and context of interactions with older adults outside the dental clinic, the number of older adult patients seen in the clinic showed a significant positive relationship with attitudes towards older adults. These results reinforce the conclusions drawn in a previous study that dental students’ general attitudes about older adults may be changed, but that it is the exposure to older adults in a clinical setting that seems to be more critical in shaping these attitudes.
The Dead Center of the Dental Curriculum: Changing Attitudes of Dental Students During Dissection
Authors: Redwood Christopher J. , Townsend Grant C.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in dental students’ perceptions of professionalism, knowledge, and emotion over the period of dissection in a human anatomy course. Whether human dissection needs to be a part of the modern dental curriculum is often called into question, particularly with the plethora of electronic and other aids available to support the learning of anatomy. The influence of the dissection process on development of professional attitudes and emotional maturity has been studied in medical students, but how dental students react to this part of their education is less well known. To investigate this question, a survey was administered before and after the dissection course to two sequential year groups of dental students. It was found that these students had high levels of understanding of professional values before commencing dissection and continued to value the role of teamwork in aiding their learning over the survey period. The majority of students coped well with the assimilation of knowledge and developed coping mechanisms to handle the emotional aspects of dissection. The students remained excited by and interested in dissection, and the majority valued it as the most positive aspect of their anatomy course. The students increasingly valued the use of prosected specimens as an aid to learning. This study confirmed that significant changes occur in dental students’ attitudes during the period of dissection, which we believe contribute to the development of more empathetic and caring practitioners.
Dental School Faculty Teaching the Periodontal‐Systemic Connection to Medical Students: A Pilot Mini‐Elective
Authors: Heinrichs Edward P. , Famili Pouran
Published: June 2020

Given the growing appreciation of systemic health, it is more important than ever that both medical and dental school graduates thoroughly understand the whole‐body implications of infection and inflammation. In a 2007 survey of academic deans at North American dental schools, the majority reported being confident about their students’ knowledge regarding periodontal‐systemic disease connections, but perceived that most nurses and physicians in their university/health science center, geographic location, and in general were not knowledgeable about oral health and its relationship to systemic disease. Though the respondents in this study reported their schools could be doing more to educate their students on this topic, their general confidence in their faculties’ knowledge and teaching abilities regarding oral‐systemic associations suggests that dental faculty members may be well positioned to educate medical students in this area. In January 2009, faculty members of the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine and School of Medicine explored this possibility by pilot testing a mini‐elective in which several dental school faculty members team‐taught medical students about conducting oral exams and the systemic effects of oral diseases. This article gives an overview of this elective and its outcomes.
Senior Dental Students’ Impact on Dental School Clinic Revenues: The Effect of Community‐Based Dental Education
Authors: Bailit Howard L. , McGowan Taegen L.
Published: June 2020

Junior and senior dental students generate a significant portion of dental school clinical revenues. Some deans and faculty members are concerned that school clinic income declines when students spend substantial time in community clinics on extramural rotations. This study uses data from eight dental schools to examine the difference in senior clinic operating revenues and expenses between schools with extensive community‐based dental education programs and those with limited community‐based dental education programs. The analysis shows that schools with extensive programs have substantially lower per senior student clinic losses. This is due to having fewer chairs per student and having a larger class size, thus generating more tuition revenues. The economic advantages of community‐based dental education programs for their schools are substantial.
Community‐Based Dental Education at The Ohio State University: The OHIO Project
Authors: Bean Canise Y.
Published: June 2020

In the late 1990s, Ohio's citizens expressed to the state leadership that access to dental care was their greatest unmet health need. State‐sponsored surveys continued to report that certain populations—the poor, disabled, and minorities—experience higher‐than‐average rates of dental disease and cannot access care. The Ohio State University College of Dentistry sought to respond to this need by securing a $1.5 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2002 and began an experiment in engagement with community partners unprecedented in its history. As the state's flagship dental institution, the college committed to a fundamental change in its clinical education of students and began a process of making dental education relevant to our citizens, exposing students to populations they were being trained to help, and bolstering the fragile statewide network of safety‐net clinics with providers. This case history offers an operational overview, including some challenges and successes, of one school's journey in community‐based dental education.
Faculty Impressions of Dental Students’ Performance With and Without Virtual Reality Simulation
Authors: Gottlieb Riki , Lanning Sharon K. , Gunsolley John C. , Buchanan Judith A.
Published: June 2020

This study compared faculty perceptions and expectations of dental students’ abilities using virtual reality simulation (VRS) to those who did not use virtual reality simulation (non‐VRS) in an operative dentistry preclinical course. A sixteen‐item survey with a ten‐point rating scale and three open‐ended questions asked about students’ abilities in ergonomics, confidence level, performance, preparation, and self‐assessment. The surveys were administered three times to a small group of preclinical faculty members. First, faculty members (n=12, 92 percent response rate) gave their perceptions of non‐VRS students’ abilities at the end of their traditional course. Secondly, faculty members (n=13, 100 percent response rate) gave their expectations of the next incoming class's abilities (VRS students) prior to the start of the course with traditional and VRS components. Finally, faculty members (n=13, 100 percent response rate) gave their perceptions of VRS students’ abilities after completion of the course. A Tukey's test for multiple comparisons measured significance among survey items. Faculty perceptions of VRS students’ abilities were higher than for non‐VRS students for most abilities examined. However, the faculty members’ expectations of VRS training were higher than their perceptions of the students’ abilities after VRS training for most abilities examined. Since ergonomic development and technical performance were positively impacted by VRS training, these results support the use of VRS in a preclinical dental curriculum.
The Impact of Service‐Learning on Two Groups of South African Dental Students
Authors: Bhayat Ahmed , Vergotine Glynnis , Yengopal Veerasamy , Rudolph Michael J.
Published: June 2020

Service‐learning has become an important component in the education of medical and dental students around the world. Dental students at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, provide dental services to rural communities via the Phelophepa train or a Public Oral Health Facility (POHF). The Phelophepa train is a mobile primary health care facility offering dental, pharmacy, nursing, and medical services provided by health professions students. The objective of this study was to determine the impact this experience with service‐learning has had on dental students. Final‐year dental students in 2008 and 2009 participated in the study by completing a self‐administered questionnaire. There was a 100 percent response rate (N=55) on the demographic questions and a 98 percent response rate (N=54) on the opinion questions. Students on the Phelophepa train performed more extractions and examinations than those at the POHFs. Most students (95 percent), both on the train and at the clinics, reported that their clinical skills and efficiency had improved, and 96 percent felt more aware of the communities’ needs. Almost all the students (96 percent) reported that the experience had helped them define their personal strengths and weaknesses. Complaints they mentioned included large numbers of patients (87 percent), long working hours (60 percent), and equipment being inadequate (48 percent) or not working (40 percent). This program positively impacted these students and enhanced their personal growth and social responsibility by exposing them to the needs of rural and urban communities in South Africa.
Creating an Effective PBL Case in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at a Chinese Dental School: A Dental Education Primer
Authors: Zheng Jia Wei , Zhang Shan Yong , Yang Chi , Zhang Zhi Yuan , Shen Guo Fang
Published: June 2020

Problem‐based learning (PBL) is a widely accepted educational method centered on the discussion and learning that emerge from a clinically based problem; however, little has been reported on the details of PBL case‐writing in the dental education literature. This article outlines some principles of writing a PBL case as it is practiced at a Chinese dental school and presents, as an example, an actual case based on a clinical problem (ameloblastoma of the jaw) intended to provide a learning focus for predoctoral dental students. A good PBL case should allow for progressive, interdependent actions to be taken in the evaluation and overall management of the patient in context and should trigger inquiry and discussion among students in both the basic sciences (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, pathophysiology, etc.) and related clinical sciences. The epidemiological, sociological, and ethical considerations related to each problem should also be emphasized as an essential component of effective health care provision.
Reforming Undergraduate Dental Education in India: Introducing a Credits and Semester System
Authors: Virdi Mandeep S.
Published: June 2020

To make higher education in India more dynamic and responsive to a fast‐developing society and its aspirations, there has been widespread recognition of a need for reform. Among the proposed changes, expert committees and the National Knowledge Commission have recommended the introduction of a credits and semester system starting in undergraduate education. Technical institutions and some universities have already adopted this system. The country's dental schools are beginning to consider such a change, which would bring them more into alignment with the structure of dental education in North America and many countries in other parts of the world. Since dental schools in most developed countries follow a quarter/semester system, there is much evidence of the merits of such a system for dental education. After providing an overview of the present curriculum structure of dental education in India and the national move toward reform, this article presents the case for a new credits and semester system for undergraduate dental education in India.
Perceptions of Dental Students in India About Smoking Cessation Counseling
Authors: Rajasundaram Prakash , Sequeira Peter Simon , Jain Jithesh
Published: June 2020

Smoking kills 900,000 people every year in India. Many studies have shown that counseling from a health professional is an effective method of helping patients quit. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of dental students in Karnataka, India, towards smoking cessation counseling. A questionnaire study was conducted among a convenience sample of 329 dental students comprised of III year and IV year students and interns in three dental colleges in Karnataka, India. Of the 329 students who completed the questionnaire, twenty‐two (7 percent) were current smokers, and fifteen (5 percent) were ex‐smokers. Although 94 percent responded they were giving antismoking advice to their patients, only 47 percent said they had been taught antismoking advice suitable for patients. While a majority (95 percent) planned to advise patients about tobacco use in their professional careers, significantly fewer (66 percent) indicated that such counseling would help patients to quit. This study of dental students and interns found that a majority intended to provide smoking cessation counseling in their professional career and agreed it is part of their professional role.
A New Predoctoral Endodontic Module: Evaluating Learning and Effectiveness
Authors: Friedlander Lara , Anderson Vivienne
Published: June 2020

The teaching of advanced endodontic courses at the predoctoral level is common, but it can be difficult to assess teaching effectiveness. Advanced modules placed later in the dental curriculum provide the opportunity to introduce a new topic, revisit and reinforce concepts learned previously, and instill the notion of lifelong learning. At any level, the introduction of new techniques to novices must be based on recognition of their prior knowledge and experience and their need for explicit direction, stepwise instruction, and comprehensive feedback. Assessment of students’ performance should not only provide insights into what they know and can do, but also steer them towards desired outcomes. In addition, assessment can provide valuable feedback on teaching effectiveness. In this article, we describe a module piloted for inclusion in the University of Otago (New Zealand) fourth‐year dental curriculum. This involved the use of tapered hand and rotary nickel‐titanium files for root canal preparation and was taught through a didactic program (lectures and problem‐based learning seminars) and a series of preclinical hands‐on sessions. Findings from formative and summative assessments as well as student, peer, and self‐evaluation indicated that the objectives of the module were met and that it was effective in both providing students with the basic skills for using this type of instrumentation and increasing their understanding and enthusiasm for endodontics. We conclude by discussing curriculum changes resulting from our module evaluation, directions for future research, and suggestions for teaching advanced endodontic techniques.
Smoking Cessation Counseling in Dentistry: Attitudes of Nigerian Dentists and Dental Students
Authors: Uti Omolara G. , Sofola Oyinkansola O.
Published: June 2020

The study was aimed at assessing the awareness, attitude, practices, willingness, and perceived barriers of dental students and dentists in Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria, in relation to smoking cessation in the dental care setting. An anonymous self‐administered questionnaire that contained questions relating to attitudes, views, and perceived barriers to smoking cessation activities in the dental clinic was hand‐delivered to all dentists and clinical dental students in 2007. One hundred and thirty‐six respondents took part in the study (response rate=81.9 percent). Although 95 percent of the respondents believed that smoking affects the dental management of the patient, only 65 percent always ask their patients about their smoking habits, and only 30 percent have heard about smoking cessation programs. A significantly higher proportion of students always ask patients about their smoking habits compared with dentists (p=0.0017). Also, a significantly higher proportion of dentists (97 percent) advised their patients against tobacco use compared with 77 percent of students (p=0.0000). Only 2 percent and 3 percent agreed that it is their professional responsibility to educate or encourage patients to quit smoking, respectively. Also, 98 percent strongly disagreed that it is within the scope of dental practice to ask about tobacco use, and 86 percent disagreed that tobacco counseling can be effective in helping patients quit tobacco use. Perceived barriers reported were lack of time (88 percent), lack of necessary materials (81 percent), and lack of knowledge of smoking cessation (74 percent). However, 81 percent of the respondents said they are willing to undergo training in tobacco use cessation. Since most of the dentists and dental students had poor attitudes and negative perceptions of smoking cessation activities, possibly due to lack of training and resources to carry it out in the clinics, there is need to include smoking cessation training in the dental curriculum in Nigeria.
Informational Resources Utilized in Clinical Decision Making: Common Practices in Dentistry
Authors: Straub‐Morarend Cheryl L. , Marshall Teresa A. , Holmes David C. , Finkelstein Michael W.
Published: June 2020

This study investigated current trends of Iowa dental practitioners with regard to acquisition and utilization of scientific information resources to support decision making in the clinical practice of dentistry. A survey questionnaire regarding the utilization of various sources of information to support clinical decisions was mailed in September 2009 to all dentists licensed and practicing in the state of Iowa. Dentists appointed full‐time within the University of Iowa College of Dentistry were excluded from this study. Continuing education courses were the most frequently utilized and preferred information source by respondents, followed by print journals and consultation with other health care professionals. Practice patterns according to decade of dental school graduation as well as scope of practice were noted. The results of this study demonstrate that dental practitioners utilize a variety of evidence‐based and non‐evidence‐based information resources to support decisions in clinical practice. The habits of newer graduates vary somewhat from those of earlier graduates; the habits of specialists vary from those of general practitioners.