Developing competencies for the dental care of people with sensory disabilities: A pilot inclusive approach

Abstract

Objectives: Different training programs for healthcare students that have a biopsychosocial approach have been reported to have a significant beneficial impact on their education, attitudes and competencies towards Persons with Disabilities. In Chile, however, there are no explicit legal obligations to provide healthcare professionals with the skills required to offer their services in public or private healthcare facilities to Persons with Disabilities. Given this situation, a pilot onesemester elective course for dental students was carried out focusing on people with visual disabilities and people with hearing disabilities, incorporating Deaf and blind teachers. The aim of this paper is to describe the perceptions and results of this pilot course aimed at identifying and responding to the healthcare needs of people with visual or hearing disability pilot one-semester elective course for dental students was carried out focusing on people with visual disabilities and people with hearing disabilities, incorporating Deaf and blind teachers. Materials and methods: A multi-strategy 17-week elective course was carried out in the first semester of Dentistry School with 14 students enrolled. Educational strategies used were lectures, guided discussion (GD), role-play (RP), standardized patients (SP) and case method teaching (CM), with the participation of Deaf and blind teachers. Once the program had finished, the students answered a survey designed with openended questions, and GD, RP, SP, CM, attendance and grades obtained were recorded and analyzed.Results: Attendance was 82-100%. All students passed the course with the highest score, and thus were able to define the medical approach needed in cases of hearing and visual disability, recognize the cultural and linguistic aspects of people with visual disability and people with hearing disability and learn their means of communication.Conclusions: This course was successful in helping the students to identify and respond to the healthcare needs of people with visual or hearing disability.

Cultural topics with clinical implications needed in the dental curriculum to develop intercultural competence: A systematic review

“…For example, differences reported in the articles were those related to gender, sexual orientation, disability status, religion, ethnic origin, and socioeconomic status of the patient. 23,26,37,38,39,56,57,59 Another inequality in care is attributed to social determinants, such as access barriers in remote areas, the lack of continuity in oral healthcare due to the high turnover of professionals, the absence of trained interpreters in clinical settings, and the prioritization of basic needs over oral care. 24,34,36,43,45,[47][48][49][51][52][53][54][55][56] It was also mentioned that there is a difference in criteria in the use of analgesic sedation, 30 which adds to the patient mistrust as a result of bad experiences in dental care, which translates into greater anxiety and fear when going to the dentist.…”

Satisfaction With Dental and Medical Education Quality Among Foreign Students Considering Non-Native English-Speaking Origin of the Teachers

“…Such educational approach could be realized through the specially developed elective courses. 20 Mitchell C. et al 21 noted the need for supportive English-speaking opportunities for the optimization of international nursing students' education. Such approach could reduce the risk of students being accused in deficiency of language or even in deficiency of clinical proficiency.…”

“To Be Treated as a Person and Not as a Disease Entity”—Expectations of People with Visual Impairments towards Primary Healthcare: Results of the Mixed-Method Survey in Poland

“…Accessibility was identified as the well-designed infrastructure of a PHC clinic, the help provided by medical staff or assistants, and solutions that make PVIs independent, including time for orientation in space, technologies, and e-health solutions. All mentioned needs have been described several times before [ 13 , 39 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 ]. However, they still need consideration because of existing barriers and changes regarding, inter alia, developing telemedicine [ 69 , 70 ].…”