Assessment of a dental rural teaching program

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a rural clinical placement on students’ self-perceived clinical skills and work location choice post-graduation

Methods: A one month rural placement program was introduced in 2008-2009 for 4th year dental undergraduates. Student’s views on the rural exercise were collected by pre and post self-completion questionnaires, which were distributed to rural placement students and to the students who did not participate in the placement. Information was collected on self-reported skill levels in various clinical techniques using Likert scales and future rural work intentions. Clinical supervisors and University Faculty Members opinions on the students clinical work were also collected via interviews

Results: A one month rural placement program was introduced in 2008-2009 for 4th year dental undergraduates. Student’s views on the rural exercise were collected by pre and post self-completion questionnaires, which were distributed to rural placement students and to the students who did not participate in the placement. Information was collected on self-reported skill levels in various clinical techniques using Likert scales and future rural work intentions. Clinical supervisors and University Faculty Members opinions on the students clinical work were also collected via interviews

Conclusions: The rural placement improved the self-perceived clinical skills of the volunteers and enhanced positive attitudes towards working in a rural location. (Eur J Dent 2012;6:235-243)

Key words

Clinical - dental placement - dental placement - undergraduates

• References

• 1 Teusner DN, Chrisopoulos S, Brennan DS. Geographic distribution of the Australian dental labour force. 2003. Cat.no. DEN 168. Dental Statistics and research Canbera: AIHW; 37
• 2 Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health. Working papers of the ARCPOH/Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Dental Statistics and Research Unit workshop on the dental labour force. Adelaide, SA: ARCPOH/ AIHW,2002. Assessment of a dental teaching program July 2012 - Vol.6 243 European Journal of Dentistr
• 3 Sengupta TK, Murray RB, McDonell A, Murphy B, Underhill AD. Rural internships for final year students: clinical experience, education and workforce. Rural Rem Health 2008;8:827. http://www.rrh.org.au
• 4 Wilson M, Cleland J. Evidence for the acceptability and academic success of an innovative remote and rural extended placement. Rural Rem Health 2008;8:960. http://www.rrh.org.au
• 5 Wilkinson D, Laven G, Pratt N, Beilby J. Impact of undergraduate and postgraduate rural training, and medical school entry criteria on rural practice among Australian general practitioners: national study of 2414 doctors. Med Edu J 2003;37:809-814
• 6 Playford D, Larson A, Wheatland B. Going country: rural student placement factors associated with future rural employment in nursing and allied health. Aus J Rural Health 2006;14:14-16
• 7 Daniels ZM, Vanleit BJ, Sanders ML, Rhyne RL. Factors in recruiting and retaining health professionals for rural practice. J Rural Health 2007;23:62-71
• 8 Dunbabin J, Levitt L. Rural origin and rural medical exposure: their impact on the rural and remote medical workforce. Rural Rem Health 2003;3:212
• 9 Hsueh W, Wilkinson T, Bills J. What evidence-based undergraduate interventions promote rural health? NZMJ 2004;117:1117
• 10 Laven G, Wilkinson D. Rural doctors and rural backgrounds: How strong is the evidence? A systematic review. Aus J Rural Health 2003;11:277-28
• 11 Rolfe IE, Pearson SA, O’Connell DL, Dickinson JA. Finding solutions to the rural doctor shortage: the roles of selection versus undergraduate medical education at Newcastle. Aus N Z J Med 1995;25:512-517
• 12 Dalton LM, Routley GK, Peek KJ. Rural placements in Tasmania: do experimental placements and background influence undergraduate health science student’s attitudes toward rural practice? Rural Rem Health 2008;8:962. http://www.rrh.org.au
• 13 Ranmuthugala G, Humphreys J, Solarsh B et al. Where is the evidence that rural exposure increases uptake of rural medical practice? Aus J Rural Health 2007;15:285-288
• 14 Nunn J, Freeman R, Anderson E et al. Inequalities in access to education and healthcare Eur J Den Educ 2008;12:30-39
• 15 Bazen JJ, Kruger E, K Dyson, Tennant M. An innovation in Australian dental education: rural, remote and Indigenous pre-graduation placements. Rural Rem Health 2007;7:703
• 16 Abuzar MA, Burrow MF, and Morgan M. Development of a rural outplacement programme for dental undergraduates: students’ perceptions. Eur J Dent Educ 2009;13:233-239
• 17 Mascarenhas AK, Henshaw M. Infrastructure for a Community-Based Dental Education Program: Students and Clinics. J Dent Educ;74:17-24
• 18 Richards L, Symon B, Burrow D, Chartier A, Misan G, Wilkinson D. Undergraduate student experience in dental service delivery in rural South Australia: An analysis of costs and benefits. Aust Dent J 2002;47;254-258
• 19 Bailit HL. Organization and Management of Community-Based Dental Education Progams: An Overview from the Dental Pipeline Program, J Dent Educ 2010;74:9-16
• 20 Elkind A, Alinkhorn BS, Blinkhorn FA, Duxbury JT, Hull PS, Brunton P. Developing dental education in primary care: The student perspective. Br Dent J 2005;198:233-237
• 21 Craddock HL. Outreach teaching - the Leeds experience: reflections after one year. Br Dent J 2008;204:319-324
• 22 Johnson GE, Blinkhorn AS. Student opinions on a rural placement program in New South Wales, Australia. Rural Rem Health 2011;11:1703