Beginning the Socialization to a New Workforce Model: Dental Students’ Preliminary Knowledge of and Attitudes About the Role of the Dental Therapist

Abstract

The purpose of the study reported here was to assess first-and second-year dental students' knowledge of and attitudes about the role of the dental therapist in the oral health care delivery system. The results of this study are informing the continued development and implementation of a new dental workforce training model at the University of Minnesota. Dental students at the university (Classes of 2012 and 2013) were surveyed in 2009, with follow-up surveys planned for the subsequent five years. Multiple-choice questions and statements to be ranked using a Likert scale were used to determine what the students knew and thought about dental therapists' scope of practice, care delivery, work quality, cost-effectiveness, and role in reducing disparities in oral health care access. The results suggest that the students had generally neutral or uncertain attitudes about dental therapy, based on minimal knowledge about the role of dental therapists. In addition, we found little difference in attitudes between the two classes, the only exception being that the first-year students less often perceived the therapists as a solution to access problems. These baseline data are guiding the intraprofessional training of dental, dental hygiene, and dental therapy students toward the goal of positive socialization to a new workforce model and affirmation of the dental therapist as a member of the oral health care team.Prof. Blue is Assistant Professor and

Shared learning for oral health therapy and dental students: enhanced understanding of roles and responsibilities through interprofessional education

“…Uncertainty regarding the roles and responsibilities of oral health professionals is not new. Previous studies have highlighted challenges associated with professional identity in oral health professionals . Morison et al.…”

“…Clearly, the oral healthcare team must work together in a way that recognises, respects and draws upon the strengths of each of its disciplines to meet the oral health needs of the community. Unfortunately, evidence continues to show that members of the oral healthcare team have limited understanding of each others' roles . At a fundamental level, oral health professionals, including dental hygienists, dental therapists, oral health therapists and dentists, form the core of the contemporaneous oral healthcare team in several countries, including Australia.…”

“…At a fundamental level, oral health professionals, including dental hygienists, dental therapists, oral health therapists and dentists, form the core of the contemporaneous oral healthcare team in several countries, including Australia. Similar to the role of medical practitioners, awareness of the expertise of the dentist is generally understood and includes the diagnosis and treatment of dental, mucosal and periodontal disease, orofacial injury, and functional deficits . On the other hand, there is limited understanding about the role of the oral health therapist .…”

“…Little research exists on the attitudes and knowledge of oral health therapy and dental students about the concept of the oral healthcare team . The purpose of this study was to evaluate understanding of roles and responsibilities, and attitudes towards interprofessional learning with OHT and DS students.…”

The development and psychometric evaluation of an interprofessional identity measure: Extended Professional Identity Scale (EPIS)

“…An example of a scale that also measures beliefs is the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS; King, Orchard, Khalili, & Avery, 2016). Socialization processes are important for identity formation (Blue, Phillips, Born, & Lopez, 2011;Brim, 1968;Cruess et al, 2015). The ISVS consists of 31 items divided into three subscales but only two subscales are related to beliefs: ability in working with others and value in working with others.…”