IADR Abstract Archives
Dental education outreach: A piece in the complex jigsaw of clinical learning
Objectives: Dental courses are increasingly incorporating clinical experiences in primary care and community based settings outside the School. The objectives of the “school pathway” program were to develop students’ understanding of community dentistry, health-related behaviours, comprehensive care, ethical responsibility, professionalism and a functional environment.
Methods: A total of 46 Charles Sturt University Bachelor of Oral Health students were part of the school pathway program. The pathway program was established in partnership with the NSW Ministry of Transport and Wagga Wagga City Council. This paper will present a snapshot on the outcomes for the 2016 school pathway. The school visits were conducted at least twice a week, 332 school children attended Charles Sturt University Clinic, and approximately 40% of these children had more than 3 visits with the students. This study appreciates the importance of dental care for children from low socioeconomic backgrounds and in-need families.
Results: The school pathway program focused on dental education and dental health primary care outreach outcomes. The students developed appreciation of rural and regional health issues in relation to patient demographics, typical risks and protective factors for disease development. In post-clinical exposure, the students were able to communicate solutions as to how these clinical issues could be ideally managed, involving primary and preventive healthcare. Furthermore, they had appreciation of the active, personalised learning opportunities through these outreach placements, while gaining greater exposure to patient conditions in the clinical teaching environment.
Conclusions: This “outreach” clinical placement had the effectiveness of developing students’ skills in identifying the relationship between oral health and the social systems to serve children in need. More research is recommended to integrate the oral health and other health discipline in the similar platform.
Methods: A total of 46 Charles Sturt University Bachelor of Oral Health students were part of the school pathway program. The pathway program was established in partnership with the NSW Ministry of Transport and Wagga Wagga City Council. This paper will present a snapshot on the outcomes for the 2016 school pathway. The school visits were conducted at least twice a week, 332 school children attended Charles Sturt University Clinic, and approximately 40% of these children had more than 3 visits with the students. This study appreciates the importance of dental care for children from low socioeconomic backgrounds and in-need families.
Results: The school pathway program focused on dental education and dental health primary care outreach outcomes. The students developed appreciation of rural and regional health issues in relation to patient demographics, typical risks and protective factors for disease development. In post-clinical exposure, the students were able to communicate solutions as to how these clinical issues could be ideally managed, involving primary and preventive healthcare. Furthermore, they had appreciation of the active, personalised learning opportunities through these outreach placements, while gaining greater exposure to patient conditions in the clinical teaching environment.
Conclusions: This “outreach” clinical placement had the effectiveness of developing students’ skills in identifying the relationship between oral health and the social systems to serve children in need. More research is recommended to integrate the oral health and other health discipline in the similar platform.