Methods: A questionnaire (i.e., students' socio-demographic characteristics; self-reported extent of dental curriculum preparation to address socio-cultural aspects, including potential differences with patients) was administered to School of Dental Science students enrolled in the fourth year of 2006 and 2007 and fifth year of 2006. The questionnaire included nine items on socio-cultural competence potentially encountered when treating patients from different cultural backgrounds to their own. Responses were regrouped into three categories (‘Not at all/Not very'; ‘Somewhat'; ‘Fairly/Very', and cross-tabulated with students' demographic and immigration variables (i.e., age, gender, lenght of residence in Australia, and language spoken at home).
Results: 133 students took part in the survey representing a response rate of 85%. Mean age was 21.9 years (s.d. 2.4), 62.4% were females. 121 students (90.2%) indicated treating patients from different cultural backgrounds. Responses showed that students felt fairly competent in communication and establishing rapport, but less competent in dealing with patient's cultural practices, and patients' family involvement. Bivariate analysis showed that: students with longer residence in Australia were more likely to feel ‘Somewhat' competent in establishing a rapport with culturally different patients compared to students with shorter residence, who were more likely to felt ‘Fairly/Very' competent (p<0.05); students who spoke English at home felt less competent working with an interpreter (p<0.05), and making patients understand diagnosis and treatment plans (p<0.05) compared to students who spoke other languages at home.
Conclusion: Although some significant differences were present, overall dental students reported a homogenous pattern of levels of competencies to deal with culturally diverse patients. The next research step will be looking at students' clinical demonstrators and patients perspectives on these issues.
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