Will Large DSO-Managed Group Practices Be the Predominant Setting for Oral Health Care by 2025? Two Viewpoints

The Changing Face of Dentistry: Perspectives on Trends in Practice Structure and Organization

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT

This perspective is intended to stimulate thoughts by clinicians, researchers, and educators about needed trends to the dental profession. With consideration of changes needed within the dental profession, improvements and implementation of diagnostic coding and value-based care could result in improved oral health for numerous Americans.

Burnout and Work Engagement Among US Dentists

BACKGROUND

Burnout is a threat to patient safety. It relates to emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment. Work engagement conversely composed of levels of vigor, dedication, and absorption in one's profession. The aim of this study was to examine burnout and work engagement among US dentists.

METHODS

This study used the extensively validated Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale to measure burnout in a self-administered survey of 167 US dentists who attended continuing education courses held in Boston, Pittsburg, Iowa City, and Las Vegas. The mean scores on the 3 subscales of Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale were computed. The interscale correlations between the components of burnout and work engagement were assessed using Pearson correlations. We used 1-way analysis of variance and independent 2 sample t tests to examine the relationship between burnout and work engagement across sex and various age categories. Prevalence of burnout in our study population was also computed.

RESULTS

We observed that 13.2% of our study population experienced burnout and 16.2% of our study population was highly work engaged. There was a statistically significant, unadjusted association between burnout risk and work engagement (χ2 = 22.51, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, the scores in the subscales of burnout were significantly correlated with scores in the subscales of work engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

In this preliminary study, we observed some evidence of burnout among practicing US dentists. It is imperative that the dental profession understands this and works to promote professional practices that increase work engagement and decrease burnout.

Effect of Collaborative Group Testing on Dental Students' Performance and Perceived Learning in an Introductory Comprehensive Care Course

The use of collaboration while in dental school can help prepare dental students for the team-oriented nature of the workforce. One way to do this is via collaborative group testing (CGT), a method of assessment allowing students to learn from one another. The aim of this study was to examine the CGT method in a predoctoral dental education setting to determine if student examination performance improved with the addition of collaboration and if collaborative testing was beneficial to students' learning process. In 2016, all first-year dental students (n=76) at one U.S. dental school were assessed in an introductory comprehensive care course using a two-stage CGT in which students were assessed individually, prior to taking the same test in collaboration with an assigned partner. Three quizzes and a final examination were given in which student participants served as both control (individual assessments) and treatment (collaborative assessment). At the conclusion of the course, a questionnaire was administered to ascertain student perspectives. All assessments yielded favorable results with an overall score improvement from a mean of 81.1% on individual assessments to 91% on collaborative assessments (p=0.001), indicating that collaboration improved assessment outcomes. Additionally, retention of material was suggested with individual scores on the cumulative final surpassing average individual scores of the preceding quizzes (p<0.001). Students' responses on the questionnaire indicated that they perceived implementation of CGT was beneficial to their learning process. With these results, this testing methodology shows promise to enhance dental student learning, material retention, and teamwork.

Navigating Career Decisions in Dental Service Organizations: Practical Advice for Students, Residents, and Educators

The dental practice market continues to experience unprecedented changes, including the increasing presence and influence of dental service organizations (DSOs)-corporate entities that provide support and practice management for group practices in such areas as financial operations, human resources, marketing, and legal services. At the same time, increasing percentages of new dental graduates are choosing to pursue an initial career path in corporate dental practices. As a result, new graduates and others making a transition into private practice are likely to encounter complicated, multifaceted variables related to associateship opportunities. Experts in dental education are articulating a need for more instruction in practice management, particularly related to DSOs. Accordingly, this Perspectives article discusses issues in five broad categories focused on vetting career decisions in DSOs: business systems; the dental team and patients; clinical dentistry; compensation and professional development; and ownership positions. In addition to explaining the importance of these areas, the authors provide specific questions prospective associates should ask in considering these career options. These considerations should be useful for students and specialists who are preparing for their dental careers and for the educators who help to guide them.