BMC Medical Education volume 22, Article number: 578 (2022)
Bridging gaps in oral health education in a medical school in the United States: a pilot study
Photo by Piron Guillaume on Unsplash
Written By Mallory Morse Morel, Elizabeth Chuang & Nadia Laniado
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In 2008, a report of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) was published that advocated for oral health education for medical students [9]. The AAMC now expects medical students to demonstrate competence in multiple domains within oral health. These domains include understanding the pathophysiology of caries and periodontal disease and its implications for systemic health, performing oral health screenings, promoting preventive strategies, and collaborating with dental professionals. The final educational objective detailed in the AAMC report is to elicit a change in attitude related to the topic of oral health care. The overall objective is to encourage new physicians to incorporate oral health into their daily practice regardless of their specialty.
Background
Oral health is an important component of medical education given its connection to overall health and quality of life; however, oral health is infrequently incorporated into medical school curricula in the United States. The aim of this study was to pilot a novel oral health care clerkship for United States medical students that implemented the Smiles for Life (SFL) curriculum, in-person clinical activities, and pre and post curricula assessments to assess knowledge acquisition, attitude change, and clinical skill development.
Methods
Third year medical students at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, volunteered (n = 37) for a clerkship in oral health. Students completed the Smiles For Life National Oral Health Curriculum and participated in three half-day clinical sessions in a hospital-based dental clinic. The participants were evaluated on knowledge acquisition, attitude change, and clinical skill development through a pre and post clerkship assessment in order to assess the efficacy of the intervention.
Results
There was a 23.4% increase in oral health knowledge (p < 0.001) following participation in the online modules and clerkship. Additionally, attitudes in the following domains showed improved familiarity and proficiency: causes and prevention of dental caries (78.4%, p < 0.001) and periodontal disease (83.8%, p < 0.001), provision of oral health information to patients (67.6%, p < 0.001), and ability to conduct an oral examination (62.2%, p < 0.001).
Conclusions
Third year medical students who participated in a novel oral health clerkship demonstrated significant increases in basic oral health knowledge and reported increased comfort in providing oral examinations and anticipatory guidance to patients. The results support the feasibility of this approach to incorporating oral health education into a medical school curriculum in the United States.
BMC Medical Education volume 22, Article number: 578 (2022)