Evolution of dental school clinics as patient care delivery centers.
Dental school clinics, originally envisioned as closely similar to private practice, evolved instead as teaching clinics. In the former, graduate and licensed dentists perform the treatment while undergraduate dental students are assigned treatment within their capabilities. In the latter, dental students provide the treatment under faculty supervision. It is generally recognized that the care provided by the teaching clinics is inefficient. However, in the last quarter of the twentieth century, dental school clinics began to pay much more attention to how treatment is rendered. The comprehensive care movement and quality assurance systems are leading towards more efficient patient-centered care. Case studies at the University of Maryland, Columbia University, and University of Louisville describe activities to make their clinic programs more efficient and patient-friendly. This article explores whether the potential exists for faculty to take a direct patient care delivery role in dental clinics in order for those clinics to become efficient patient care delivery systems as originally envisioned in the early part of the twentieth century.
Formicola
Allan J
AJ
Columbia University Medical Center, 630 W. 168 Street, P&S Box 100, New York, NY 10032, USA. ajf3@columbia.edu
Myers
Ronnie
R
Hasler
John F
JF
Peterson
Melanie
M
Dodge
William
W
Bailit
Howard L
HL
Beazoglou
Tryfon J
TJ
Tedesco
Lisa A
LA
D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000458:organization & administration; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D003740:Dental Clinics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D006124:Group Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007629:Kentucky; D008396:Maryland; D017145:Models, Educational; D009519:New York City; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D009939:Organizations, Nonprofit / Q000458:organization & administration; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012575:Schools, Dental / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends*