Preparing Dental Students for Community-Based Education

1. Preparing Dental Students for Community-Based Education Margot Stein, Ph.D. UNC School of Dentistry CCPH Consultancy Network June 21, 2005

2. How to maximize student learning and a community mindset? An integrated dental curriculum: • Pre-clinical • Social • Behavioral • Community

3. The curriculum • UNC: 4-year required and elective curriculum in social, community, behavioral, and ethical issues • First Year, Fall: Social and Ethical Issues in Dental Practice • First Year, Spring: Health Care Systems • First Year, Summer: 1 months elective (DISC)

4. The curriculum Second Year, Fall: Behavior, Communication & Culture-Child Second Year, Spring: Behav., Commmun. & Culture; Adolescent/Adult/Cultural Competence and Communication Skills Second Year, Summer: Behav., Commun. & Cult.-The Elderly Second Year, Summer: DISC elective 1 mo.

5. The curriculum Third Year, Spring: Geriatric Dent. Third Year, Summer: DISC 2 months required Fourth Year,Fall: DISC 1 mo. Elective Fourth Year: Clinical Geriatric Dentistry 1 week Fourth Year, Fall: Legal and Ethical Aspect of Dental Practice Fourth Year, Spring: DISC Capstone 4-5 wk

6. Behavior, Communication, and Culture • 2-credit course that is part of behavioral sciences curriculum in 2nd year of dental school • Examines how dental students & their patients interact • How these interactions are shaped by individual differences, society, culture

7. Explicitly teaches (verbal and nonverbal) communication skills • Awareness of individual differences • Respect for individual differences • Ways to educate dental patients in preventive care using appropriate educational materials

8. Communication Skills • Conflict negotiation skills • How to present bad news • Dealing with difficult people • Communication on a dental team

9. Cultural Awareness Awareness is a step towards cultural competence: • What is culture? • What is the student’s individual culture? • What is the culture of dentistry?

10. Towards Cultural Competence What is cultural competence? • How does one compare different cultures? • What are stereotypes? Generalizations? • Is there one “Hispanic/Latino” culture? African-American culture?“Asian” culture? • What is the relationship between class and culture?

11. Behavior Communication & Culture This course also addresses: • Adolescent Development, Transition to adulthood • Dental Fear and Anxiety • Mental Health issues in Dentistry

12. Interactive Teaching Strategies • Break-out discussion groups of 8 for problem based learning, projects, presentations to larger group • Videos of real/simulated dental provider/patient interactions to analyze communication and problem-solving strategies

13. Interactive Teaching Strategies • Role-plays of specific issues • Students conduct observations of interactions between 4th year dental students and patients according to established criteria. • Students then write 2-page essay describing behavior and reflecting on what they saw in terms of course content • Students create their own videos of simulated dental provider/patient interactions

14. Interactive Teaching Strategies • Communication skills survey given on 3 different occasion to both dental student and his/her patient that day. • Answers entered on laptop in interview of patient into electronic survey database • Students compare own and patient’s answers • Write an essay on observations with reflections on what saw and learned

15. Summary of Critical Elements For students: • Learning to listen • Observation • Reflection, reflection, reflection • Interaction • Critical thinking/ • Group learning/teamwork

16. Summary of Critical Elements For teachers: • STRUCTURE • Clear expectations • Clear and explicit instructions for exercises, grading criteria • Provide climate of tolerance and support • Insist on respect and accountability • Listen to and observe dynamics and individuals and learn from it

17. THANK YOU! MUCHAS GRACIAS!