Oral health care in the 21st century: implications for dental and medical education

Attitudes toward and knowledge of collaboration of dental and medical practice among medical students in Southern India: a cross-sectional questionnaire survey

BACKGROUND

Enhancing oral health care services provided through inter-professional collaboration between medical and dental practitioner is important, and even essential. The purpose of this study is to assess the attitude toward and knowledge of medical-dental collaborative practice among medical students attending colleges in Southern India.

METHODS

A cross sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among medical students and interns of medical colleges in coastal South India with prior information and permission. The questionnaire consisted of 11 questions to assess attitude toward and knowledge of medical-dental collaborative practice. The demographic backgrounds of participants were also recorded. Chi square test was employed for data analysis. The responses obtained were correlated with age, gender and year of study of participants using Pearson's correlation test Results: A total 250 questionnaires were distributed and 234 responses were appropriately completed. Most of the students agreed that oral health was an integral part of systemic health, however participants disagreed on attending compulsory rotation in dentistry at a statistically significant level (p<0.05), moreover participants did not agree with physicians having an active role in motivating their patients for regular dental check-up. 82% of the medical students believe that dental check-up should be included in health packages under health insurance. A statistically significant (p<0.05) difference was observed among 3 rd year & 4 thyear students and interns and also it was found that female students provided more positive responses towards medical-dental collaboration.

CONCLUSIONS

Even though medical students showed fairly positive attitudes and knowledge towards dentistry, the analysis within the study groups showed that knowledge and attitudes regarding the collaborative practice worsened over the academic years among the medical students. In order to destigmatize and foster interdisciplinary collaboration which would contribute to higher resource efficiency and the standard of care, continuing education in both the disciplines would be highly beneficial.

Science-Informed Health Policies for Oral and Systemic Health

Oral, dental and craniofacial (ODC) health has a profound impact on general health and welfare throughout life, yet US dentists and physicians operate across misaligned silos. This protracted division limits access to optimal health, supports fee for services, and exacerbates health disparities. Early in the 20th century, the most frequent dental therapy was tooth extraction: removed infected teeth were substituted by prosthetic appliances - commonly, dentures or nothing. Most adults assumed becoming edentulous was a normal corollary of aging. With the discovery of penicillin and other antibiotics, healthcare professionals and policy makers predicted infectious diseases would become irrelevant. However, given numerous health threats, including SARS-CoV-2, HIV, multidrug-resistant bacteria, Zika virus, Ebola virus, and now monkeypox, public and professional awareness of transmissible infectious diseases has never been more evident. Ironically, little attention has been paid to unmet transmissible, infectious, common oral diseases - dental caries and periodontal diseases. Therefore, these persist within "the silent and invisible epidemic". The preventable death of a young boy in 2007 from an infected untreated tooth that produced bacterial meningitis is a profound reminder that our nation has vast inequities in education, health, and welfare. The impact of oral infections on hospital-acquired pneumonia, post-operative infection in cardiac valve surgery, and even academic performances of disadvantaged children displayed through sociodemographic characteristics and access to care determinants also are profound! This paper asserts that current and emerging ODC health knowledge and science will inform health policies and advance equity in access to care, affordable costs, and optimal healthcare outcomes. We recommend that legal and regulatory systems and public health programs be required to ensure health equity. A fair healthcare system that addresses holistic healthcare must be transparent, accessible, integrated and provide a standard of oral healthcare based upon scientific evidence for all people across the lifespan.

Predoctoral Dental Education: The Changing Role and Growing Importance of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Surgeon Teachers Innovation Versus Incumbency

This article highlights the needs in dental education for more general medicine and scientific information. The author suggests that oral and maxillofacial surgeons could have an important role to play in this education beyond surgical procedures. The Educational Committee of AAOMS has made this point prepandemic, and it is more important now. As the patient population ages, this role assumes greater importance. Patients now have more chronic diseases and take more medicines, and the repertoire and scope of practice for dentists should be improved to care for the general health of patients. Our specialty should play a leadership role in the transformation of the profession.

A conceptual model of oro-facial health with an emphasis on function

The individual inclination to lead an autonomous life until death is associated with requirements that may be of physiological, psychosocial and environmental nature. We aim to describe a conceptual oro-facial health model with an emphasis on oro-facial function, taking the domains of quality of life and patient-centred values into account. In the context of oro-facial function, the requirements of life are met when the oro-facial system is in a fit state. 'Fitness of the oro-facial system, that is oro-facial health, is a state that is characterised by an absence of, or positive coping with physical disease, mental disease, pain and negative environmental and social factors. It will allow natural oro-facial functions such as sensing, tasting, touching, biting, chewing, swallowing, speaking, yawning, kissing and facial expression'. In the presented conceptual model of oro-facial health, it is postulated that each individual has present and future potentials related to biological prerequisites and resources that are developed by an individual through the course of life. These potentials form the oro-facial functional capacity. When the individual potentials together do not meet the requirements of life anymore, dysfunction and disease result. The oro-facial system is subject to physiological ageing processes, which will inevitably lead to a decrease in the oro-facial functional capacity. Furthermore, comorbid medical conditions might hamper oro-facial function and, alongside with the ageing process, may lead to a state of oral hypofunction. Currently, there is a lack of widespread, validated, easy-to-use instruments that help to distinguish between states of oro-facial fitness as opposed to oral hypofunction. Clearly, research is needed to establish adequate, validated instruments alongside with functional rehabilitation procedures.

How to create a faculty-centered curriculum support system: Launching the Academic Support Center (ASC) to inspire excellence in curriculum change

PURPOSE

To define faculty needs and services requested for the implementation of a faculty-centered curriculum support system (i.e., Academic Support Center [ASC]) to assist curriculum redesign.

METHODS

Faculty and students were invited to participate in 60-min, one-on-one interviews to describe pain points in teaching and identify possible support services needed. Benchmarking through surveys of academic deans was also conducted to determine what services other institutions offer. Qualitative memos from interviews and survey data were analyzed to identify salient challenges and outline possible services that could benefit the school. This information was used to create a strategic plan for the ASC. Full-time faculty were requested to evaluate the ASC 6 and 12 months following the launch of the center in 2019.

RESULTS

Fifty interviews were conducted with department chairs (n = 10), full-time faculty (n = 36), and students (n = 4). Six pain points identified by participants were time, resources, knowledge, confidence, organizational structure, and organizational culture. Participants generated solutions related to supporting teaching and learning, enhancing faculty experience, and assisting educational evaluation. Twenty-two schools responded to the benchmarking survey-approximately half acknowledged a centralized curriculum support service (n = 12, 54.5% of respondents). Services often focused on instructional design, education technology, and faculty onboarding to education. Faculty feedback following the ASC launch was generally positive and demonstrating progress toward the three priorities.

CONCLUSION

Needs assessment and benchmarking data can inform the design and implementation of centers that offer faculty-centered support structures around teaching, educational scholarship, and curriculum change.

Methods and timing of curricular integration in U.S. dental education in preparation for the Integrated National Board Dental Examination

PURPOSE

To characterize methods, timing, faculty training, and barriers pertaining to curricular integration in preparation for the Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE) at U.S. dental schools METHODS: Academic deans at 67 U.S. dental schools were emailed an online survey consisting of questions on the time frame and methods of curricular integration, faculty training, and barriers to curricular integration RESULTS: Approximately 86% of schools have implemented (∼39%) or will implement (∼61%) changes in curriculum in preparation for the INBDE. Curricular integration was completed in 3-4 years in most schools, with those schools with larger class sizes taking longer. While 56% of respondents reported avoiding a complete curricular overhaul, 79% reported course sequencing changes, adding, subtracting, or combining courses, and making some changes in existing courses. Curriculum committees had the most input in curricular changes, while individual instructors had the least influence. Sixty seven percent of respondents reported faculty being trained to teach in an integrated curriculum. Problem/case-based learning and clinical case presentations are being used more for incorporation of biomedical sciences in clinical curriculum; use of clinical examples was the most used mechanism to integrate clinical information in biomedical sciences curriculum. Eighty two percent of respondents indicated that lack of faculty time to prepare courses as the primary barrier for implementing an integrated curriculum.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that most U.S. dental schools are implementing integrated teaching models to prepare their students for the INBDE. However, lack of faculty time and training need to be addressed for more successful curricular integration.

Should dentistry be a specialty of medicine? Two viewpoints

Dentistry and dental education are well-established domains with deep-rooted institutions, educational programs, organizational structures, and advanced specialty fields. Almost 100 years ago, Dr. William Gies, founder of the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, stated that to best serve the oral health needs of the population, dentistry should be considered a specialty of medicine, and dental students should have the same solid foundation in the basic and clinical sciences as medical students. More recently, the report on "Advancing Dental Education in the 21st Century" recommends an increase in the integration of dental and medical education as a means to address 2 of its key challenges: "shrinking demand for dental services" and "shifting practice environment." However, it has also been argued that making dentistry and dental education a subspecialty of medicine and medical education will create logistical, structural, regulatory, and financial dilemmas. Instead of a drastic change to current dental educational, organizational, and institutional models, some argue a contemporary approach to dental education is required to ensure dentists are well prepared to address the healthcare needs of the population and future healthcare delivery systems and practice models. Recognizing the need for change in dental education to keep pace with changes in patient demographics and healthcare systems, the dental profession has the responsibility and opportunity to develop new models and paradigms that improve educational and clinical outcomes in our educational programs and future practice.

Oral health care in the 21st century: It is time for the integration of dental and medical education

Major issues exist in the provision of oral health care in America, especially to underserved populations. Access to care, health disparities, an aging population with higher chronic disease burden, and rising healthcare costs continue to impact health outcomes for millions. The marginalization of oral health care, like that of behavioral health care, is a contributor. This perspective presents an idea whose time has come: putting the mouth back in the body. Several national reports stress the imperative to better integrate the practice of medicine and dentistry, including the first-ever Surgeon General's Report on Oral Health in 2000. A plan to lead a multifaceted integration of oral health into overall health is proposed. Leaders will come from new educational and practice models stressing teamwork, interprofessional education, innovative residency training programs and even dual degree options.

A strife of interests: A qualitative study on the challenges facing oral health workforce policy and planning

Oral health workforce policy has often lacked systematic connections with broader health policy, and system-based reforms that would enable more effective responses to future needs of the population. The aim of the study was to better understand challenges facing oral health workforce policy and planning and identify potential solutions. In-depth interviews of 23 senior oral health leaders and/or health policy experts from 15 countries were conducted in 2016-17. Grounded theory principles using the Straussian school of thought guided the qualitative analysis. The findings identified: (i) narrow approach towards dental education, (ii) imbalances in skills, jobs and competencies, and (iii) geographic maldistribution as major challenges. An overarching theme -"strife of interests" - shed light on the tension between the profession's interest, and the needs of the population. A key aspect was the clash for power, dominance and authority within the oral health workforce and across health professions. This study argues that appreciating the history of health professions and recognising the centrality of the strife of interests is necessary in developing policies that both address professional sensitivities and are in line with the needs of the population. Integration and closer collaboration of oral health professionals with the mainstream medical and health professions has emerged as the key issue, but the solutions will be diverse and dependent on country- or context-specific scenarios.

Attitude toward and awareness of medical-dental collaboration among medical and dental students in a university in Indonesia

Background

Medical-dental collaboration expands patients’ access to health services, improves healthcare outcomes, and reduces the burden and cost of care, especially for those with chronic diseases. The aim of the present study is to investigate the attitude toward and awareness of medical-dental collaboration among medical and dental students attending the Universitas Indonesia.

Methods

All medical and dental students at the Universitas Indonesia were invited to participate in a web-based questionnaire survey that contained eight questions on attitudes toward medical-dental collaboration and two questions regarding awareness of dental-medical collaborative practices. The demographic backgrounds of all participants were obtained. The chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were employed for data analysis.

Results

A total of 1,432 questionnaires were distributed, and 1,137 (79%) were appropriately completed. In general, 992 (87%) students had a positive attitude toward medical-dental collaboration. Dental students had a more positive attitude than medical students (odds ratio [OR] = 2.694; p = 0.001), and senior students had a more positive attitude than junior students (OR = 2.271; p = 0.001). Most students (86%) were aware of medical-dental collaboration at the Universitas Indonesia and reported that emergency medicine, surgery, and otolaryngology were the three most common medical disciplines that entailed medical-dental collaboration. Conclusions: In general, the medical and dental students demonstrated positive attitudes and awareness of medical-dental collaboration at the Universitas Indonesia. Positive attitude and awareness can establish an essential foundation for fostering collaboration between medicine and dentistry, which is vital to improve resource efficiency and healthcare standards.

Dental and Dental Hygiene Students' Perceptions of Status Quo, Benefits of, and Curricular Suggestions for Shared Learning: On the Road to IPE?

In 29 U.S. academic institutions, dental and dental hygiene students are educated on the same campus. The aims of this study were to explore the perceptions of dental and dental hygiene students on the same campus concerning the status quo of shared educational experiences, the benefits of shared education, and their curricular suggestions for shared education. Additionally, the study investigated whether the number of shared courses was correlated with the perceived benefits of shared learning. A survey was sent in 2016 to a chief administrator at all 29 dental school and dental hygiene programs that were on the same campus, with a request that the administrators forward the invitation email to all their students. A total of 375 dental and 117 dental hygiene students at 12 universities responded. The students reported that three of the nine dental hygiene programs and two of the six dental programs had no shared courses. The majority of dental/dental hygiene students agreed or agreed strongly that having joint classes would allow them to develop better relationships between dental and dental hygiene students (57%/57%) and gain a better understanding of each other's roles (50%/63%) and of what the other discipline "is all about" (54%/46%). Compared to dental hygiene students, dental students were less supportive of suggestions for curricular interventions such as partnering up in lab (on a five-point scale with 5=most positive: 3.99 vs. 3.56; p<0.001), using in-class time for shared group projects (3.83 vs. 3.27; p<0.001), and shadowing in clinics (4.26 vs. 3.16; p<0.001). The more courses dental and dental hygiene students jointly attended, the higher their percentage of clinic time spent on collaborative care (r=0.19; p<0.001). Having dental and dental hygiene programs on the same campus offers opportunities for shared learning, and this study's results suggest those opportunities may translate into increased shared learning.

In their own words: investigating the preparedness of final year dental students in the UK for independent general dental practice

Introduction

There is relatively little data on the preparedness of UK dental graduates for independent general dental practice. Two recent studies have indicated that graduates appear well prepared, but although quantifying the level of preparedness, they provide limited understanding of the underlying factors contributing to preparedness. This study aims to more deeply understand the contributing factors leading to assertions of graduate preparedness using focus groups of final year dental students, and semi-structured interviews of senior faculty members.

Materials and methods

Three UK dental schools were visited in order to conduct both study elements. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were audio recorded and fully transcribed. Thematic analysis of the transcripts resulted in the production of a thematic matrix.

Results

The major categories of the thematic matrix were classified as extrinsic; including the role of educators and features of the course, and intrinsic; relating to fear of the unknown, the development of adult learning abilities and less easily identifiable attributes in the development of competence, which became known as 'bricks and mortar'.

Discussion

Students felt that the most important factor affecting their preparation was clinical exposure. Outreach placements were felt to be particularly useful, the simulation of general dental practice being highly valued by final year students. The interaction with educators was also felt to be a key influence on preparedness, with the involvement of general practitioners in dental school teaching felt to be helpful, perhaps giving students an extended exposure to general practice.

Conclusion

It is hoped that the rich data derived from this study may allow an invaluable insight into factors contributing to preparedness of new dental graduates, which may then be considered in the light of any proposed changes in the curricula or syllabi.

Developing a Dental Curriculum for the 21st Century in a New Dental School in Saudi Arabia

The aims of this study were to develop, implement, and assess a contemporary dental curriculum that would be competitive internationally and take into consideration the specific needs of the community in a newly established all-female dental school in Saudi Arabia: Princess Nourah bint AbdulRahman University College of Dentistry (PNUCD). A six-step approach to curriculum development was used. Problem identification, general needs, and target needs were identified, and goals, objectives, and educational strategies were defined. The new curriculum emphasizes producing competent dentists focused on prevention and geared toward the needs of women and children. Leadership attributes, patient-centered care, and research are emphasized in the curriculum. Contemporary educational methods are used to implement the curriculum. In the assessment part of the study, evaluations of the curriculum by students, faculty, and external stakeholders (part-time instructors, program evaluators, and patients) have been mainly positive. Overall, PNUCD provided the opportunity to develop a curriculum that reflects the explosion of scientific knowledge, based on principles of modern educational theory in a unique cultural environment.

Assessment in a global context: An international perspective on dental education

Assessments are widely used in dental education to record the academic progress of students and ultimately determine whether they are ready to begin independent dental practice. Whilst some would consider this a "rite-of-passage" of learning, the concept of assessments in education is being challenged to allow the evolution of "assessment for learning." This serves as an economical use of learning resources whilst allowing our learners to prove their knowledge and skills and demonstrating competence. The Association for Dental Education in Europe and the American Dental Education Association held a joint international meeting in London in May 2017 allowing experts in dental education to come together for the purposes of Shaping the Future of Dental Education. Assessment in a Global Context was one topic in which international leaders could discuss different methods of assessment, identifying the positives, the pitfalls and critiquing the method of implementation to determine the optimum assessment for a learner studying to be a healthcare professional. A post-workshop survey identified that educators were thinking differently about assessment, instead of working as individuals providing isolated assessments; the general consensus was that a longitudinally orientated systematic and programmatic approach to assessment provide greater reliability and improved the ability to demonstrate learning.

Attitudes Towards Problem-Based Learning of Faculty Members at 12 U.S. Medical and Dental Schools: A Comparative Study

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a teaching method used in medical and dental education to promote students' problem-solving skills. It may also be a viable tool for interprofessional education in which medical and dental students learn together, collaborate, and learn about, from, and with each other. The aim of this study was to compare medical and dental faculty members' attitudes about and perceptions of PBL at 12 U.S. medical and dental schools known to use PBL. In 2015, 111 medical and 132 dental faculty members (combined n=243) from six medical and six dental schools completed a survey containing ten statements and an open comment section. The response rate was 42% of those who received the survey. In the results, the medical faculty participants showed significantly higher enthusiasm for and agreement with PBL benefits than did the dental faculty participants (p˂0.05). The two groups agreed that PBL should be used to supplement conventional teaching (p>0.05). There were no opposite attitudes or contrasts found between the two groups with regards to PBL. The strongest themes expressed by both groups were that PBL should not be used as the sole method of instruction and that students needed a solid foundation in the subject prior to engaging in PBL.

Scientific basis of dentistry

Technological and scientific innovations have increased exponentially over the past years in the dentistry profession. In this article, these developments are evaluated both in terms of clinical practice and their place in the educational program. The effect of the biologic and digital revolutions on dental education and daily clinical practice are also reviewed. Biomimetics, personalized dental medicine regenerative dentistry, nanotechnology, high-end simulations providing virtual reality, genomic information, and stem cell studies will gain more importance in the coming years, moving dentistry to a different dimension.

Evidence-based dentistry for planning restorative treatments: barriers and potential solutions

INTRODUCTION

Evidence-based dentistry (EBD) can help provide the best treatment option for every patient, however, its implementation in restorative dentistry is very limited.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed at assessing the barriers preventing the implementation of EBD among dental undergraduate and graduate students in Montreal, and explore possible solutions to overcome these barriers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted by means of a paper format self-administrated questionnaire distributed among dental students. The survey assessed the barriers and potential solutions for implementation of an evidence-based practice.

RESULTS

Sixty-one students completed the questionnaire. Forty-one percent of respondents found evidence-based literature to be the most reliable source of information for restorative treatment planning, however, only 16% used it. They considered that finding reliable information was difficult and they sometimes encountered conflicting information when consulting different sources. Dental students had positive attitudes towards the need for better access to evidence-based literature to assist learning and decision making in restorative treatment planning and to improve treatment outcomes. Even for dentists trained in EBD, online searching takes too much time, and even though it can provide information of better quality than personal intuition, it might not be enough to identify the best available evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Even though dental students are aware of the importance of EBD in restorative dentistry they rarely apply the concept, mainly due to time constraints. For this reason, implementation of EBD would probably require faster access to evidence-based knowledge.

The effect of training interventions on the psychological factors of oral health in pregnant women

Background and aim

Oral health is crucial for high-risk pregnant women in order to preserve their health and the health of their infants. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the impact of training programs on the behavior of pregnant mothers concerning oral health in Khorramabad, Iran.

Methods

This is an educational experimental study carried out in 2015 on 164 pregnant women referring to health centers in the city of Khorramabad who were randomly divided into two groups (each n=82). The instruments for data collection included a questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model regarding oral health and two checklists of oral health indexes (OHIS and DMFT). Data were analyzed using SPSS 20 via paired-samples t-test, independent-samples t-test and Chi-square.

Results

The mean score of knowledge and performance, and the variables of the components of the Health Belief Model including the perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers and self-efficacy regarding the oral health care, significantly increased in the intervention group following the training intervention (p<0.001). However, the DMFT index did not show any changes after the intervention in the intervention and control groups (p=0.381). On the other hand, the OHIS index significantly decreased in the intervention group as compared with the pre-intervention scores (p=0.002).

Conclusion

The results of this study showed that training based on the Health Belief Model leads to the enhancement of performance regarding oral health in pregnant women and thus prevents any increase in OHIS and DMFT levels during pregnancy.

A comprehensive clinical competency-based assessment in periodontics

Traditional periodontics clinical examinations in dental education frequently assess a narrow set of clinical skills and do not adequately assess the ability of students to independently manage a periodontal patient. As an alternative, the authors developed a comprehensive periodontics competency case experience (CCCE) for senior dental students and surveyed students regarding their experience with the CCCE. Students challenging the CCCE must treat a patient with moderate periodontitis and must independently decide when a state of periodontal and oral health has been achieved. Students are also required to conduct an oral presentation to periodontology faculty. Dental students who completed the CCCE had a favourable impression of the experience, compared with the traditional clinical examinations taken in the junior year. The majority of students rated all the components of the CCCE as 'somewhat' or 'very helpful'. About 72.4% of students felt that being able to work independently on the examination was very helpful for learning about the clinical management of patients with periodontal disease, followed by 'simulation of care in private practice' (65.5%), and oral photography experience (55.2%). The greatest difficulty reported by students was finding an acceptable patient. About 62.1% of students rated 'finding the right patient' as very difficult. Students reported having to screen a mean of 5.9 patients (SD: 4.5) to find a qualified patient. The results of the survey will be useful in improving the examination as an assessment tool in periodontal therapy.

The Impact of Integrating Oral Health Education into a Medical Curriculum

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate our pilot program incorporating oral health education into the medical curriculum by evaluating students' perspectives on the oral health curriculum.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Two hundred second-year students were asked to fill in a presession survey online regarding their familiarity with basic oral health concepts and their comfort level with performing oral examinations, and a postsession survey on paper that repeated the presession questions and added questions on the effectiveness of the session.

RESULTS

Of the 200 students, 164 (82%) participated in the surveys. The pre- and postsurvey results showed that the session helped students become more comfortable with performing oral examinations and recognizing risks for periodontal disease, with an increase from 40 (27%) to 119 (82%) and 51 (35%) to 124 (86%), respectively.

CONCLUSION

In this study, the oral health education session contributed to an increase in student awareness and understanding of oral health. Considering the reported effectiveness of the interactive session on student comfort with performing a basic clinical examination, this model shows promise for further use in other institutions.

Attitude and awareness of medical and dental students towards collaboration between medical and dental practice in Hong Kong

Background

Medical-dental collaboration is essential for improving resource efficiency and standards of care. However, few studies have been conducted on it. This study aimed to investigate the attitude and awareness of medical and dental students about collaboration between medical and dental practices in Hong Kong.

Methods

All medical and dental students in Hong Kong were invited to complete a questionnaire survey at their universities, hospitals and residential halls. It contained 8 questions designed to elicit their attitudes about the collaboration between medical and dental practice. Students were also asked about their awareness of the collaboration between dentistry and medicine. The questionnaires were directly distributed to medical and dental students. The finished questionnaires were immediately collected by research assistants on site.

Results

A total of 1,857 questionnaires were distributed and 809 (44%) were returned. Their mean attitude score (SD) towards medical-dental collaboration was 6.37 (1.44). Most students (77%) were aware of the collaboration between medical and dental practice in Hong Kong. They considered that Ear, Nose & Throat, General Surgery and Family Medicine were the 3 most common medical disciplines which entailed collaboration between medical and dental practice.

Conclusion

In this study, the medical and dental students in general demonstrated a good attitude and awareness of the collaboration between medical and dental practice in Hong Kong. This established an essential foundation for fostering medical-dental collaboration, which is vital to improving resource efficiency and standards of care.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12903-015-0038-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Students' self-assessment: a learning tool and its comparison with the faculty assessments

OBJECTIVE

This study compared the student's self-grades versus the examiners grades, inter examiner grades and grades of anterior with posterior teeth in a preclinical prosthodontic course.

METHODS

75 students and 2 examiners participated in the study. The students prepared one anterior (upper central incisor) and one posterior (lower first molar) teeth for full veneer crowns in allocated time of 2 hours and 30 minutes. After the preparations, the students self-graded their preparations based on criteria-based evaluation forms. The examiners also completed the grading for the prepared teeth. All the grades were recorded, comparisons were made using SPSS version 21 and results tabulated.

RESULTS

The means of grades (8.32) by the students themselves were found to be higher compared to the examiners grades (7.3) for the anterior as well as posterior teeth. Comparison of the grades for the anterior/posterior teeth and the overall grades showed a statistically significant difference (p=0.000). A moderate correlation (0.399) and a strong correlation (0.601) were found between the grades of the faculty and the students for the anterior and posterior teeth respectively. The overall grading for the anterior and posterior teeth by the two faculty members showed no statistically significant difference (p=0.053) and a very strong correlation (0.784). The results of the test showed a significant difference (p=0.001) between the overall grading for anterior and posterior teeth.

CONCLUSION

Students tended to grade their teeth preparations higher compared to the examiner grades, inter examiner variation in the grades existed and the grades of the anterior teeth were higher compared to the posterior teeth.

The dentist as doctor: a rallying call for the future

BACKGROUND

When the future status of dentistry is considered, scholarship in the profession plays a key role. It is by scholarship that dentistry distinguishes itself as a learned and esteemed profession, and this position paper aims to explore and promote this vital core value.

METHODS

As Fellows of the American Dental Education Association's selective Leadership Institute, the authors spent over a year critically examining the role of scholarship in dentistry, which was identified as a critical issue for the profession. A review of the health care literature was conducted to inform this paper's position.

RESULTS

Scholarship is clearly the trait that distinguishes a profession from a trade, as evidenced by trends in other health care professions, as well as dentistry. Although dentistry is a learned profession rightly meriting that distinction, there are a few notable areas that can be improved.

CONCLUSIONS

Because scholarship defines a profession, dentists as doctors and the leaders in oral health should demonstrate the highest scholarship; absence of scholarship risks perception of dentistry as a trade. All dentists can consistently manifest scholarship by integrating basic science, as well as by incorporating the dental evidence-base, into daily practice.

Restructuring an undergraduate dental curriculum to global standards--a case study in an Indian dental school

Globalisation has affected all aspects of life and dentistry is no exception. In the context of today's dentist being a global citizen, undergraduate training in dentistry is set to ensure converging standards so that international recognition of dental qualifications can move forward. The decision of the Dental Council of India to expand the undergraduate dental program to five years provides an opportunity to be part of the endeavor of the Global Dental Congress to achieve converging standards which was initially for the European Union, and now spreading out globally. Economic emergence in Indian subcontinent has resulted in growing oral health care needs both in quality and quantity. To address this issue, the graduating dentist needs to be trained following a competency based curricular model. Access to Internet facilitated the goal of achieving converging standards of dental schools to be feasible because of the instant communication and capacity to share information about training strategies via technology across the globe. Upgrading the undergraduate training to global standards by dental schools in India could be a wise and strategic move both for attracting students to study in India, as well as retaining the graduates after their training. The following is a case study of an Indian dental school set to restructure the undergraduate curriculum to global standards using the 8 steps of Kotter's transformational change. Change in curriculum and the subsequent accreditation of the school in global platform not only attracts prospective students but also results in producing competent dentists. Dental education provided by the institution can result in quality assurance, benchmarking the assessment system to achieve international recognition. This paper highlights the need and importance of facilitation of international convergence with long term aspirations for mutual recognition of international degrees.