Journal of dental education
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Following curricular revisions at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, this longitudinal study was designed to determine students' perceptions of their educational experience in the revised curriculum. A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) open-ended response questionnaire was administered to students in the class of 2011 (N=89) in January of each academic year, 2008 through 2011, followed by focus groups three months prior to graduation. ⋯ The results indicate that the students were satisfied with aspects of their educational experience, suggesting the revised curriculum's preliminary success in meeting its goals of earlier patient care, a condensed preclinical curriculum, and a student-friendly environment. As the curriculum is adapted in response to student feedback, ongoing evaluation is necessary and should be complemented by other evaluation indicators such as faculty perceptions and student learning outcomes.
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A shortcoming identified in the dental education literature is the scarcity of patient assessment of the quality of communication between student clinicians and patients. This study, the second in a series, attempts to address this scarcity by testing the communication components deemed critical to patients identified in the first article. Two instruments were tested: the Patient Communication Assessment Instrument (PCAI) and the Student Communication Assessment Instrument (SCAI). ⋯ Correlational analysis demonstrated a core of critical instrument items to be considered for future assessment of the quality of communication between student clinicians and patients. Adequate estimates of reliability and validity for the PCAI and SCAI were demonstrated. Further research is needed in other countries and cultures to test and confirm the constructs.
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This study evaluated a pilot workshop for teaching communication skills to dental students. The methodology is based on an experiential learning approach, the use of realistic clinical scenarios, simulated patients, and an integrated teaching team of both educational researchers and dentists. Furthermore, the methodology was adapted for short workshops, which is thought to offer better possibilities for frequent and effective training of communication skills throughout the curriculum. ⋯ Most students also thought that they learned from the task. An interesting finding is that students not only found it instructive to practice how to communicate in authentic situations, but that they generally found the workshop to be thought-provoking while at the same time providing structure and intellectual tools for the future. A possible explanation for this finding is the sharing of explicit criteria for high-quality communication.
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The state of interprofessional education (IPE) in U. S. and Canadian dental schools was studied by the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Team Study Group on Interprofessional Education. The study group reviewed the pertinent IPE literature, examined IPE competencies for dental students, surveyed U. ⋯ The report concludes that there is general recognition of the goals of IPE across U. S. and Canadian dental schools, but a wide range of progress in IPE on the various campuses. Challenges to the further development of IPE are discussed.
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This descriptive study assessed dental students' attitudes about computer use as it relates to study habits and use of e-textbook technology. Academic deans and student leaders at all accredited dental education programs in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada were asked to forward an e-mail to students explaining the purpose of the study and asking them to participate. The e-mail included an embedded URL link to the survey. ⋯ A majority (59 percent) preferred traditional textbook resources over e-textbooks, with over 50 percent reporting not using the required e-textbooks at all. E-textbooks were used by students in this study less frequently than materials/notes provided by dental school faculty. The majority preferred to use traditional resources as references and for augmenting lecture material.