Student perspectives and opinions on their experience at an undergraduate outreach dental teaching centre at Cardiff: a 5-year study

Aim:  Outreach teaching is now regarded as a desirable component of undergraduate dental teaching programmes in the UK. A purpose-built undergraduate dental outreach-training centre was opened in Cardiff in 2002. The aim of this paper is to report student perspectives and opinions on their experience at this unit over a 5-year period.
Methods:  Final year dental students at Cardiff University were invited to report their comments on the St David's Primary Care Unit at various times during their placement there. Information was recorded for undergraduate students who commenced final year in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 ( n = 257).
Results:  After 1 year, the most common favourable aspects reported by students included the availability of a suitably trained nurse for all procedures ( n  = 191), ready access to helpful/approachable teaching staff ( n  = 145), and closeness of learning experience to subsequent practice ( n  = 122). Many students commented on their growing confidence in their own abilities whilst in the unit.
Conclusion:  Overwhelmingly, students reported their enthusiasm for training in an outreach teaching unit, preferring it to traditional dental school environments. Inherent in the comments recorded for each student was a sense of growing confidence in their abilities and development of reflective practice. Further work is needed to identify the impact of this form of dental student training on subsequent practices in Vocational Training and independent clinical careers.     

The teaching of fixed partial dentures in undergraduate dental schools in Ireland and the United Kingdom

Summary All areas of the practice of dentistry are evolving at a considerable pace. One area in particular which has seen a rapid revolution is the oral rehabilitation of partially dentate adults. The aim of this study was to describe the contemporary teaching of fixed partial dentures (FPDs) in dental schools in Ireland and the United Kingdom. An online questionnaire which sought information in relation to the current teaching of FPDs was developed and distributed to 15 Irish and UK dental schools with undergraduate teaching programmes in Spring 2009. Responses were received from 12 schools (response rate = 80%). All schools offer teaching programmes in relation to FPDs. The number of hours devoted to pre‐clinical/phantom head teaching of FPDs ranged from 3 to 42 h (mean: 16 h). The staff/student ratio for pre‐clinical teaching courses in FPDs ranged from 1:6 to 1:18 (mode: 1:12). Cantilever resin‐retained FPDs were the most popular type of FPD provided clinically (average = 0·83 per school; range = 1–2). Five schools (42%) report that they have requirements (e.g. targets, quotas, competencies) which students must complete prior to graduation in relation to FPDs. Fixed partial dentures form an important part of the undergraduate teaching programme in UK and Irish dental schools. While this teaching is subjected to contemporary pressures such as lack of curriculum time and a lack of available clinical facilities and teachers, there is evidence that teaching programmes in this area are evolving and are sensitive to current clinical practice trends and evidence‐based practice.     

Stakeholder perceptions of chairside teaching and learning in one UK dental school

As a hands-on clinical educational programme, undergraduate dentistry is an anomaly in higher education. This study aimed to evaluate the perceptions of chairside teaching of dental team stakeholders, including dental nurses, dental students and dental tutors at a single UK dental school. From this sample the penetration of current learning and teaching innovations within higher education into the specialist field of clinical dentistry could be evaluated. This article is the first of a series of four which investigates the perceptions of stakeholders of chairside teaching at a single dental school. The second evaluates chairside teaching on a UK wide scale. The third provides educational tools to encourage collaboration and sharing good chairside teaching practice. A further accompanying article reviews some of the educational methodology and innovations in teaching and learning that may be applied to dentistry.     

European dental students’ opinions on their local anaesthesia education

Objective: To investigate students’ opinion about theoretical and clinical training in local anaesthesia at different European dental schools. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire was designed to collect information about local anaesthesia teaching. Students’ opinion was quantified with five‐point Likert scales. The web‐based questionnaire was distributed through European Dental Students Association contacts amongst students of 25 different dental schools. Eight hundred and eighteen completed questionnaires from students of 12 dental schools were analyzed statistically. Results: Dental schools showed a wide variation in the beginning of the theoretical teaching of local anaesthesia and the practical teaching. A preclinical training model was used by a small number of students, but these students found it a useful preparation. Many students felt insufficiently prepared when they administered their first injection in a human (17–81%). In dental schools from the UK, Ireland, Sweden and the Netherlands, this first injection is administered to a fellow dental student, whilst in the other countries the first injection is usually performed in a patient. Instruction in mandibular block anaesthesia was frequently reported (81–100%) as well as in infiltration anaesthesia of the upper and lower jaws (78–100% and 30–93% respectively). Many students expressed that they like to receive teaching in intraligamentary anaesthesia (13–70%). Other changes in the curriculum were also frequently suggested (33–100%), especially the introduction of preclinical training models and practical teaching earlier in the curriculum. Conclusion: Local anaesthesia teaching programmes and the rating of this teaching by dental students show a considerable variation across European dental schools. Students considered better preparation highly desirable. The variability in programmes may have implications for mobility of students between European dental schools.     

A pilot study of the use and perceived utility of a scale to assess clinical dental teaching within a UK dental school restorative department

Introduction:  Feedback on individual teaching performance gives an important contribution and support to the reflective practices of educators. Unfortunately, feedback is an infrequent exercise provided to dental teachers about their teaching practices. The Effective Clinical Dental Teaching (ECDT) scale has been used previously to assess clinical teachers, but has not been used within the UK.
Methods:  This study looks at the use of the ECDT scale in the setting of a UK dental school, as a method of feedback collection and delivery in seven domains of clinical teaching. The ECDT was used to evaluate the teaching of 16 clinical teachers by dental undergraduates, and to investigate the opinions of these clinical teachers and clinical dental students about the utility of this scale.
Results:  The study identified that there was a disparity between self and student perception of teaching. The total ECDT scores ranged from a minimum of 55% 66.6/125 to a maximum of 90% 113.8/125, with a mean group score of 73% 91.6/125. Most clinicians evaluated by students scored above 3/5 for all teaching domains, although there appeared to be significant differences between the four teacher groups. The majority of staff and students were in favour of the use of such a scale to support the progression and development of teaching styles.
Conclusion:  The ECDT scale is a useful tool for highlighting the areas of strength and deficiency within clinical dental teaching. Its use may complement peer review for individual teachers and identify future topics for staff development sessions. Further research is recommended to identify the individual strengths and weaknesses that different types of teacher may bring to curriculum teaching.     

A survey of the teaching of conscious sedation in dental schools of the United Kingdom and Ireland

AIM: To assess and compare, for the first time, the quantity and quality of dental undergraduate teaching in conscious sedation in the dental schools of the UK and Ireland. This was achieved using a prospective, questionnaire-based survey. METHODS: Questionnaires were designed to collect information about undergraduate sedation education from teaching staff and final year dental undergraduates at the 16 dental schools in the UK and Ireland. Staff questionnaires were distributed to a nominated sedation teacher at each dental school and sought details of didactic and clinical sedation teaching methods, plus the quantity and perceived quality of sedation teaching. Student questionnaires were distributed to 5th year dental students and enquired about the quantity and quality of clinical sedation teaching received. The survey was undertaken during May-June 1998. RESULTS: Thirteen dental schools returned staff questionnaires (81%). Seven also provided a student response (44%). The proportion of final year students within the 7 schools who returned completed questionnaires was 38%. Sedation teaching was undertaken primarily by oral surgery and paediatric dental departments. Three schools also utilised anaesthetic departments and 2 schools had dedicated dental sedation departments. All but 2 schools provided didactic teaching on sedation (mean: 4.2 lectures, 1.8 seminars). Of the 7 schools which returned staff and student questionnaires, all provided some clinical training using inhalational and intravenous demonstration cases (mean 5.1 and 4.4 cases, per student, respectively). All but one school provided hands-on inhalational sedation experience (mean 2.6 cases per student) but only two schools provided any hands-on intravenous sedation experience. The quantity of hands-on experience was greater at the two dental schools with dedicated dental sedation departments. Across the schools students rated the overall quality of sedation teaching at average or above, but most staff graded the overall quality of teaching at below average. CONCLUSION: Dental undergraduate sedation teaching shows considerable variation across the dental schools surveyed. At most schools students gained little or no hands-on experience in sedation, especially in intravenous techniques. The undergraduate foundation for sedation education must improve if conscious sedation is to become the principal alternative to general anaesthesia in dental practice.     

Evaluation of a U.K. community-based clinical teaching/outreach program by former dental students two and five years after graduation

Over the past few years, community-based clinical teaching/outreach teaching programs have been established in many dental schools in the United Kingdom. One such program was developed by Cardiff University at the local St. David's Hospital in 2002. Students visit this unit throughout their dental school program--as an assistant/observer initially, but gaining a significant amount of clinical operating experience within the unit during their final year of studies. While contemporaneous feedback from current dental students at this and other programs has been positive, very little information exists on the impact of this form of training on the subsequent clinical careers and working practices of qualified dentists. In autumn 2009, a postal questionnaire was distributed to dentists who graduated from the School of Dentistry at Cardiff in 2004 (n=41) and 2007 (n=51). Fifty-eight responses were returned, for a response rate of 63 percent: 2004 (66 percent), 2007 (61 percent). Forty-seven respondents (81 percent) reported that their learning experience at the St. David's outreach teaching program had been of significant assistance in their professional development in their subsequent clinical careers. Positive features of the program included the availability of a suitably trained dental nurse for all procedures (n=26, 45 percent), ready access to helpful/approachable teaching staff (n=24, 41 percent), and a good working atmosphere (n=23, 40 percent). Overwhelmingly, former dental students reported that the educational experiences they gained were positive and have had a beneficial effect on their subsequent clinical careers. Further development of community-based clinical teaching/outreach training as part of dental school training programs is encouraged.     

The status of fissure sealant teaching in British dental schools

The purpose of this report is to document the current status of the teaching of pit and fissure sealants in British dental schools. Survey responses were received from 88.9 per cent of the surveyed programmes, 87.5 per cent of surveyed staff and 77.8 per cent of surveyed dental schools representing 52.4 per cent of all surveyed students. All schools were providing instruction on pit and fissure sealants with departments of Child Dental Health having primary responsibility for teaching at most of them. Students estimated that 61.3 per cent of their child patients were receiving sealants. Staff and students gave both classroom and clinical sealant training favourable ratings. Similarly, the majority of staff and student respondents perceived that other staff and students considered sealants to be of value. Staff knowledge of sealants was generally accurate, while students displayed a larger percentage of incorrect or unsure responses. Both staff and students expressed generally positive attitudes toward sealants. Both groups also gave favourable ratings to the overall preventive orientation of their schools. The student's projected sealant use in practice was explained best by the combination of student attitudes toward sealants and their evaluation of the overall preventive orientation of their dental school.     

口腔医学本科生临床实习阶段口腔数码摄影培训初探

口腔数码摄影是当今高素质口腔专业人才必备的一项技能。本文介绍了在本科生修复临床实习阶段引入口腔数码摄影基础培训的尝试,包括培训内容、培训意义、培训过程中存在的问题等。实践证明,在本科教学中开展这一培训是有必要并切实可行的。但培训内容仍有待系统化、规范化。     

The personal dental service as a setting for an undergraduate clinical programme

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and benefits of placing dental undergraduates into a general dental practice setting for part of their clinical programme. SETTING: Two six-surgery general dental practices in the North West of England operating within the personal dental service of the NHS. METHOD: Six volunteer final year students worked within the practices for one-day-per week for 11 weeks. Evaluation included patients', practitioners' and students' views obtained from questionnaires and/or interviews and an analysis of students' clinical records. RESULTS: The students saw a large positive impact from: working alongside a dental nurse; developing their clinical skills; working in a busy practice environment; and developing interpersonal skills. Patients were very positive with 98% (44/45) being complimentary about the treatment they received, and commenting that they would be willing to participate in future student training programmes. The practice principals would also welcome continuation of the programme. CONCLUSION: The programme was both feasible and educationally beneficial. The financial implications need further research.     

Trends in the placement of posterior composites in dental schools

The aim of this paper is to review trends in the teaching of posterior composites in the United States, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom over the last fifteen years. The authors compared the results of surveys of the teaching of posterior composites performed in 1989, 1997, and 2004-05. Historical and contemporary international trends were investigated. The amount of clinical and didactic teaching of posterior composites has increased over the past fifteen years. From a time over fifteen years ago, when very few dental students placed posterior composites in dental school, approximately one-third of posterior plastic restorations placed by U.S., Irish, and UK dental students are now composite, with the corresponding finding for Canadian dental schools being approximately 50 percent. Some variations were noted between dental schools in terms of the teaching of contraindications to placement as well as lining and basing techniques. There was some inappropriate teaching of techniques, in particular, in relation to the use of transparent matrix bands and light transmitting wedges. There was also evidence of limited student exposure to newer forms of technology, notably LED curing light units. There have been clear increases in the teaching of posterior composites in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland in recent years; however, the proportion of posterior composite restorations placed by dental students relative to dental amalgams does not yet match the typical situation in contemporary clinical practice. Dental schools have a responsibility to ensure that their curricula are evidence-based to best prepare their students to meet the needs and expectations of their future patients.     

Geriatric dentistry education in European dental schools

As the numbers of elderly adults continue to grow within European populations, the need for dental students to be trained in the management of geriatric patients becomes increasingly important. Many dental schools have developed training programmes in geriatric dentistry in response to the changing oral health needs of older adults. The purpose of this on-line survey was to identify the current status of geriatric dentistry education in European dental schools. A questionnaire relating to the teaching of geriatric dentistry was posted on the Internet, and 194 dental schools in 34 European countries were invited to participate. Data from completed questionnaires were submitted to the investigators via email from 82 schools in 27 countries (42% response rate). Thirty-six percent of schools offered a specific geriatric dentistry course that included didactic teaching or seminar groups, 21% taught geriatric dentistry by means of organised presentations in the curriculum, and 36% taught the subject by occasional lectures. 7% of schools did not teach geriatric dentistry at all. A clinical component to the geriatric dentistry curriculum was reported by 61% of schools and 18% reported operating a specific geriatric dentistry clinic within the school. Of those providing clinical geriatric dentistry training, it was provided within the school in 45% of cases, with a further 29% of schools providing training both within the school and at a remote location. Seven percent of schools operated a mobile dental clinic for treating geriatric patients. Twenty-eight percent of schools had a geriatric programme director or a chairman of a geriatric section and 39% indicated that they plan to extend the teaching of geriatric dentistry in the future. Geriatric dental education has clearly established itself in the curricula of European dental schools although the format of teaching the subject varies widely. It is of concern that geriatric dentistry was not taught at all in 7% of schools. No data are available concerning whether or not geriatric dentistry is taught in the 58% non-responding schools.     

An evaluation of student, patient and practitioner experience of general dental practice placements

Modern undergraduate dental curricula strive to provide meaningful clinical experiences for their students. Outreach learning is now well established in most UK dental schools and provides an additional clinical environment in which the whole dental team can develop their skills. This paper evaluates student, patient and practitioner experiences of a general dental practice placement scheme. A number of practices in the Yorkshire region hosted senior undergraduate dental students. All parties were very positive about the experience. The students found the experience in general dental practice to be very different from that in outreach centres, with the experiences of working in well established teams being seen as very beneficial. Practitioners and their teams reported a number of unforeseen benefits and the patients found their experiences to be overwhelmingly positive. Some students reported positive perceptions of their clinical experience, when being interviewed for their vocational training and general professional training posts.     

A survey of local anaesthesia education in European dental schools

Objective: A survey of European dental schools was conducted in 2006 to determine the curricular structure, techniques and materials used in local anaesthesia teaching to dental students. Materials and methods: A questionnaire was designed to collect information about local anaesthesia education. The questionnaires were sent to the Dean of each dental school in Europe and Israel; 49 returned the completed survey, resulting in a response rate of 18.4%. Results: Results from this survey show that dental schools are managing local anaesthesia education in different ways. At most schools, theoretical teaching begins during the first half of the third year (41%), half a year before the practical instruction (43%). In 37% of the dental schools, students use non‐human objects to practice before they inject an anaesthetic in humans. The first injection in humans, usually a fellow student (61%), is mostly supervised by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon (65%). The number of injections under supervision usually depends on the individual capabilities of the student (41%). Ten per cent of the schools need permission of a medical ethics committee for the practical instruction on fellow students. All dental curricula include teaching of mandibular block anaesthesia. The majority also include instruction of infiltration anaesthesia of the upper (98%) and lower (92%) jaws in addition to infra‐orbital block anaesthesia (57%). Although 82% of the schools are satisfied with the current curriculum with regard to local anaesthesia, 43% are planning changes, frequently the introduction of preclinical training models. Conclusion: Local anaesthesia teaching programmes show considerable variation across the surveyed European dental schools.     

Record keeping by undergraduate dental students: a clinical audit

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: An audit was carried out to assess the standard of clinical record keeping by undergraduate dental students, with the object of improving the quality of care of patients treated by these students. METHODOLOGY: One hundred sets of undergraduate student clinical treatment records were evaluated against a modified CRABEL scoring system. The results of this initial part of the audit were presented in tutorial form to a group of 20 students, together with a teaching session on good record keeping, after which the audit was repeated, and another 100 records were examined over five consecutive Fridays, thus completing one complete audit cycle. RESULTS: The most commonly absent record related to the department where the patient was seen followed by illegible signatures of both the demonstrator and the student. Almost all elements of record keeping investigated had improved in the second audit, most reaching 100% compliance, except for two (the updated medical history and the patient's most recent complaint). CONCLUSION: Positive changes can be achieved by creating awareness among dental students on the importance of keeping records.     

Comparison of clinical productivity of senior dental students in a dental school teaching clinic versus community externship rotations

The aim of this study was to report on the clinical and monetary productivity of fourth-year dental students at community-based clinical sites and school-based clinics at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM). This study included forty-seven students from the graduating classes of 2006, 2007, and 2008. These fourth-year students were required to spend twelve weeks at one of several participating community health centers throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Students also treated their patient pool in the teaching practice at HSDM in the fourth year. The most common sixty American Dental Association procedure codes were compared, and variables were created by grouping them by specialty or type of service. HSDM dental students completed 8,365 procedures at an externship site during their community experience. An average of 178 procedures was completed per student, and mean revenue of $17,486 was produced. In comparison, the same students completed 3,640 procedures during an equal amount of time spent (normalized for this study) at the school teaching practice clinic, where each student completed an average of seventy-seven procedures and generated $16,802 in revenue. The results of this study show that fourth-year dental students at the community health centers, working under the supervision of adjunct faculty, completed more than double the number of procedures they did in the HSDM teaching practice clinic. However, the revenue generated was very similar at the two sites. In addition, the types of procedures performed by students at externship sites were simpler than the complex and specialized procedures performed at the HSDM clinic, which include fixed and removable prosthetics, periodontal surgery, and implantology.     

口腔医学本科生牙周前期实习教学的实践与思考

牙周前期实习教学是牙周病学本科教学的重要组成部分,其与理论课和临床实习共同组成了完整的牙周病学本科教学体系.文章结合北京大学口腔医学院·口腔医院牙周科口腔医学本科生牙周前期实习的教学实践,总结了规范化牙周前期实习的主要内容,为国内推广实施规范化的牙周前期实习教学提供借鉴和参考,更好地促进国内牙周病学实习教学的良性发展.     

Undergraduate dental education in New Zealand: 2007-2009 final-year student feedback on clinical learning environments

Dental education is a unique form of health professional education. This is because the clinical training component largely occurs within the dental school and involves students carrying out irreversible patient interventions early in their education. Perhaps not surprisingly, previous research indicates that dental education (and particularly the clinical component) is stressful for many students. In their responses to an annual clinical learning environment survey, final-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students at the University of Otago have suggested that teaching staff play a key role in mitigating or compounding stressors associated with students' clinical work. In 2007-2009 questionnaire responses, students identified the kinds of staff feedback which they found constructive or unhelpful while working in patient clinic settings, described their responses to feedback received, and identified ways in which students' clinical learning experiences might be improved. This paper outlines 2007-2009 University of Otago Faculty of Dentistry clinical learning environment survey findings, and relates these to the literature on effective teaching and clinical teaching. It then describes programmatic changes and research initiatives developed in response to student feedback.     

Adolescent dental care and the South Australian school dental programme

The problems of continuing dental care once eligibility for school care ceases have been discussed. A questionnaire of 18,976 high school students at 29 South Australian schools indicated that, compared with students with no history of school care, fewer students treated by the School Dental Service reported visiting a dentist since leaving primary school. Several programmes designed to encourage continuing dental care have been described.     

Prosthodontics in a general practice program of advanced dental education.

The problems involved in teaching prosthodontics in a general practice program outwardly appear to be due to the lack of sufficient basic prosthodontic training dispensed by the dental schools. This lack of sufficient training is not the fault of dental school faculties. The students are not learning what they are taught. What they need is more repetition, which means more time. The problems are not insurmountable. We just must find the route.