Interprofessional education in the Dentistry curriculum: Analysis of a teaching‐service‐community integration experience

Abstract

Introduction Interprofessional education (IPE) offers relevant theoretical, conceptual and methodological approaches to the development of effective teamwork competencies. Objective To analyse an interprofessional experience of teaching‐service‐community integration carried out at a public university in the South of Brazil. Methods A case study with a qualitative approach was carried out. The study's participants were thirty‐eight undergraduate dental students who attended the IPE activity between 2012 and 2019. Data collection was developed in two sequential steps that included the application of an online instrument and semi‐structured interviews. The textual material was interpreted by content analysis, considering Kirkpatrick's evaluation levels (reaction, learning and behaviour). Results In the reaction level, students highlighted the contents provided by the National Curricular Guidelines regarding public health system and teamwork, as well as the pedagogical teaching proposal by tutoring groups, which stimulated students’ autonomy. It was observed that the learning was geared towards the development of collaborative teamwork competencies and cultural competencies. In the behaviour level, students perceived positive changes in their attitudes and behaviours towards patients, focused on needs related to life conditions, realising that dentists may work within a team. The elective/optional nature of the experience allied with the absence of other IPE activities in the curricular grid showed to be challenging. Conclusion IPE in undergraduate education presented positive results related to the reaction, learning and behaviour of dental students. We recommend the inclusion of interprofessional activities of teaching‐service‐community integration in Dentistry curricular structure to complement uniprofessional education.

Integrated health practices: Scenarios for interprofessional experiences in the Brazilian health system

“…Evidence from a qualitative research carried out by Olsson et al. (2021), 4 in which the methodology included the application of an online instrument and featuring semi‐structured information about the experience of this IPE, shows positive results related to dental students’ reaction (positive perception of the teaching–learning process by integrative pedagogy), learning (functioning of the SUS and teamwork, development of collaborative competencies), and behavior (positive changes in attitudes and behaviors toward the patient). Based on the study of clinical cases, mental maps are elaborated (Figure 1) and unique therapeutic projects 5 are proposed, incorporating specific contributions from each profession and from common knowledge in the health area.…”

Large‐group simulation as a learning method to promote interprofessional collaboration and older adults' patient centered‐care

“…This was a good result that involved showing that IPE concerning oral health care could positively influence oral health practices among other professions 19,20 . It is vital for professionals not to isolate themselves into their own professional groups even though education mostly focuses on discipline‐specific contents 1,3,6,9,10 …”

“…19,20 It is vital for professionals not to isolate themselves into their own professional groups even though education mostly focuses on discipline-specific contents. 1,3,6,9,10 In participantsť open responses (Table 3), interpersonal communication competence and a PCC attitude were described as the main learning experiences. Interpersonal communication competence is important in PCC, especially in encountering patients.…”

“…Making sure that new professionals are prepared for collaboration and improving health outcomes requires that students acquire interprofessional (IP) skills already during their undergraduate studies. 3,[4][5][6][7][8][9][10] In interprofessional education (IPE), students from different educational backgrounds learn with, from, and about one another in an effort to improve teamwork skills and care. 4,11 This kind of early phase IPE assumes that it gives students a natural way of looking at things from a variety of perspectives and reduces the strong siloing of the viewpoints of one's own profession.…”

“…Different health professionals’ education has traditionally been divided based on discipline‐specific contents, 1–3 which most likely leads to different professional groups work being isolated from one another without factual knowledge of other professionals’ competencies. Making sure that new professionals are prepared for collaboration and improving health outcomes requires that students acquire interprofessional (IP) skills already during their undergraduate studies 3,4–10 . In interprofessional education (IPE), students from different educational backgrounds learn with, from, and about one another in an effort to improve teamwork skills and care 4,11 .…”