Urgent care in the dental school setting: analysis of current environment and future challenges in emergency dental education.
Urgent dental care education is a critical aspect of the D.D.S. curriculum as dental students must be adequately prepared to face real-world dental emergency challenges in practice. Dental emergency education is likely the most variable component of the dental curriculum. To assess potential differences in emergency education, a sixteen-question survey was sent to directors of urgent care of all fifty-six U.S. dental schools addressing clinic operation, demographics, treatment, integration into the D.D.S. curriculum, and provision of care for indigent populations. The response rate was 88 percent. Results indicate a need for earlier integration of urgent dental care education into the D.D.S. curriculum, more pediatric emergency experiences for D.D.S. students, and a more rigorous academic approach in assessing student competency while on rotation in the urgent care service. In addition, access to emergency dental care has become increasingly difficult for indigent populations due to lack of state-supported funds; further exploration of sources of external funding for such care is warranted.
Tiwana
Karen K
KK
Department of Diagnostic Sciences and General Dentistry, University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. karen_tiwana@dentistry.unc.edu
Hammersmith
Kimberly J
KJ
Murrah
Valerie A
VA
D002648:Child; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004497:Education, Dental; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education*; D004708:Endodontics / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005792:General Practice, Dental / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment; D019242:Oral Medicine / Q000193:education; D010377:Pediatric Dentistry / Q000193:education; D010517:Periodontics / Q000193:education; D011476:Prosthodontics / Q000193:education; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012575:Schools, Dental; D013515:Surgery, Oral / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017664:Uncompensated Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States