Community‐based education: Experiences of undergraduate dental therapy students at the University of KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa

Abstract

The reported experiences of undergraduate dental therapy students involved in community-based clinical training suggest that students gained awareness of the context-specific challenges facing communities and health professionals in different oral health settings.

Attitudes and practices of dental students in providing oral health-care services to underserved rural patients attending dental institutions of Telangana, India

“…Increasing students’ awareness through community participation about social and financial determinants of poor oral health may aid them to appreciate the value of their professional contributions in providing care for underserved and medically indigent population. [2122] In our study, it is interesting to note that majority of the dental students responded that they tried to assess patients’ socioeconomic status before treatment. Students felt that assessing the socioeconomic status may guide to plan treatment accordingly.…”

Community‐basededucation programmes in the context of dental education: A scoping review

“…40,58,73 17,45,[74][75][76][77][78][79][80] social accountability, 39 a patient-centred and holistic care approach, [18][19][20]25,29,31,34,35,38,56,[64][65][66]68,72,[81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90] civic/ community engagement, 42,47,75,78 professionalism, 17,32,68,80,91 ethical skills/responsibility 19,20,22,32,35,…”

“…Three papers published prior to 2002 (n = 3/8, 37.5%) demonstrated that community education programmes peaked in the 1970s and were funded by government grants; the grants were used to incentivise dental schools to develop rotations for their students outside the university in order to broaden dental students' education and serve the community. 40,58,73 17,45,[74][75][76][77][78][79][80] social accountability, 39 a patient-centred and holistic care approach, [18][19][20]25,29,31,34,35,38,56,[64][65][66]68,72,[81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90] civic/ community engagement, 42,47,75,78 professionalism, 17,32,68,80,91 ethical skills/responsibility…”

“…'Community-based dental education is a type of experiential learning that provides students with clinical opportunities in community settings' (p. 1234) 55 US 'As a means to allow dental students to assume their role as health professionals in the real world' (p. 875) 23 Peru 'Is a learning strategy that provides meaningful opportunities for students to apply theory learnt in a larger social and cultural context in various community settings' (p. 362) 56 South Africa 'Community-based dental education is the implementation of dental education in a specific social context, it shifts a substantial part of dental clinical education from dental teaching institutional clinic to mainly public health settings. It deals with dental and oral care, economic-political and socio-culturally aspects of oral health and disease and prepares students for improving community oral health' (p. 119) 57 India learning experiences as short programmes may not give students the opportunity to acquire skills and change attitudes.…”

“…Increased understanding of community/population issues 96,97 Increased confidence in engaging with those experiencing homelessness 87 Understand patients in their totality as social beings 50 Increased students' ability to capture relevant patients' social history 101 Increased knowledge of access to care 107 and social inequalities 39 Increased awareness of oral health disparities 43,94,102,103 Gained a greater insight into social determinants of health 43,56,107 Increased student understanding of needs of vulnerable groups and communities 39,87 Gained insight into the importance of community engagement and health promotion skills 43 Developed holistic and pragmatic views of treatment plan because of peoples' diversity 66 Increased students' understanding of the social determinants of oral health…”