Integrating Cariology with an Early Clinical Experience: An Educational Pilot

Objective: To evaluate if a freshman clinical experience, supplemental to the current curriculum, could help students apply theoretical learning of Cariology and Caries Risk Assessment to patient care in a clinical setting. Method: Fourteen freshman volunteers were recruited and registered as active patients receiving bite-wing radiographs and a thorough medical history. The volunteers were given reading assignments and together with the faculty met for three sessions. The sessions included a one-hour lecture, a one and a half hour clinical experience, and a one-hour follow up seminar. For the clinical experience, the students were paired and asked to alternate as patient and examiner during which time dental charting and a Caries Risk Assessment(CRA) that included a microbilogical assay was obtained. A one-hour follow up seminar was given where the students read their own microbiologic assay and reviewed the findings. Results: Student response to the project was obtained using an anonymous, post-experience questionnaire containing 15 Likert-type statements with additional space for student comments. Ten questionaires were returned for a 71% response rate with 90% of students agreeing or strongly agreeing that the goals of the project were clearly stated and fullfilled. Overall the responses were positive with 100% agreeing or strongly agreeing that the "hands on" experience provided a useful clinical learning encounter, and 90% reported they would recommend this opportunity to their classmates. Conclusion: Based on the responses, the educational Pilot will be offered to two other freshmen classes during the spring semmester and data will be collected using the same questionnaire. Also previous classes will be followed and data collected to gauge the impact this previous experience had in their transition to the clinics. A recommendation will then be made as to whether this experience could be included as part of the first year integrated curriculum at TUSoD.