Future Influences of Inner City Health Care Provider Student Experiences

Dental hygiene students at the University of Alberta attend clinical rotations at a community health care facility that provides services for people who are culturally diverse. Many are challenged by poverty, substance abuse, physical and emotional needs. The people presenting to this clinic have limited options for accessing dental and dental hygiene treatment. On three days per week, dental hygiene students are scheduled in pairs and provide dental hygiene care. Each student spends 3-4 days (24 - 32 hours) during his or her senior year at the health care facility. Written and anecdotal feedback from the students indicates an increased understanding and compassion for people with high physical and emotional needs and the many challenges these people encounter. Objectives: The objectives of the project are 1) to determine if the student experience at this clinical site increases their likelihood of seeking such community service practice after graduation and 2) does the length of time a student spends in the health centre enhance his or her level of cultural sensitivity and compassion for people with various personal and physical needs? Methods: Three focus groups of 6-8 students per group will be arranged to gather further information about the student experience in this environment. Students will complete reflective papers of their experiences. The papers will be assessed for particular themes in regards to the depth of their compassion and recognition of cultural sensitivity. A survey will be designed to gather feedback from a random sample of graduate dental hygienists who had this experience as students to determine if this type of community experience impacted their career. Results: In progress. Conclusions: It is believed that service learning helps to develop necessary skills health professionals require for employment in an increasingly pluralistic population. Service learning encourages development of compassion and caring in health care providers.