Attitudes of dental undergraduate students towards patient safety in a UK dental school

Abstract

Objectives: Patient safety is an important issue in health care. In the United Kingdom, wrong site tooth extraction contributes to a significant proportion of adverse or harmful events, coined "never events." Therefore, patient safety within the field of dentistry is of paramount importance. This novel study aims to explore the teaching of patient safety to undergraduate dental students and their current attitudes to the subject. Methods: Focus groups were held at Barts' and The London School of Medicine andDentistry, QMUL in 2018 to ascertain the views and opinions of thirteen third-year dental undergraduate students.Results: Thematic analysis was performed on verbatim transcripts. Key themes were highlighted. All students could provide a complete definition of patient safety and of "never events," with examples. There was a strong emphasis upon awareness of one's own competence and the need for effective communication to maintain patient safety. Small group teaching and the requirement for standardization of teaching were encouraged. The challenge of incorporation of the patient safety concept into the clinical routine without causing repetition during teaching was highlighted. Conclusion:The results show a positive attitude towards the concept and the teaching of patient safety. All students understood patient safety concepts and techniques used to prevent adverse or harmful events. This study proves that teaching on the subject was thought to be of value. It is crucial that the teaching of patient safety is introduced and built upon within the early years of dental undergraduate training so that its practice becomes second nature.

The impact of wrong‐site surgery on dental undergraduate teaching: a survey of UK dental schools

“…This variable view by staff of student understanding of patient safety is at odds with a recent survey of UK dental students that found students had a positive attitude and sound understanding of patient safety. 9 In our survey, one third of the teaching staff stated that patient experience was improved due to increased staff supervision of undergraduates: this has been demonstrated to improve patient outcomes. 27 Increased supervision also resulted in the higher quality teaching that was noted as a positive change by a quarter of aca- With most schools having a supervision ratio of 1:4 and an average of 80 students per year, it is a significant challenge to balance patient safety with sufficient clinical experience, as has been highlighted previously.…”

“…given. 9 As already emphasised, dentistry is a unique undergraduate course where there is the potential for patient harm as students develop their skills. This survey, however, also highlights the reduced student experience and fewer possibilities for autonomous practice due to the increasing levels of staff supervision as a result of an increased patient safety focus.…”

“…8 A recent study of a UK dental school identified that students had a good understanding and positive attitude towards patient safety. 9 In 2009, the UK National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) introduced the concept of "never events" (NE), defined as "serious patient safety incidents that are wholly preventable because guidance or safety recommendations that provide strong systemic protective barriers are available at a national level and should have been implemented by all healthcare providers." 10 Wrong tooth extraction was included under wrong-site surgery (WSS) in April 2015 and is the most frequently reported NE relevant to dentistry.…”

Developing a Patient Safety Culture in Primary Dental Care

“…Teaching and training are significant pillars for developing a patient safety culture. This should start at the undergraduate level 44,45 and the intention is that instilling an awareness of patient safety culture will endure throughout a dental professional’s career. 18…”

Segurança do paciente no cuidado odontológico: revisão integrativa

“…Training is essential for dealing with the problems that professionals may face during their careers 58,59,60 , and it is important to incorporate the theme of patient safety starting in the early years of undergraduate school 61 . One study 39 of Dentistry students identified predisposing human factors related to AE such as operator fatigue, unawareness of risks, and failures of referrals.…”