title: Impact of community-based oral health experiences on dental students' attitudes towards caring for the underserved.
abstract: Dental students' attitudes towards access to dental care for the underserved may be impacted by participation in community oral health promotion programs that target individuals in underserved communities. At the University of Southern California School of Dentistry, freshman dental students provide classroom oral health promotion and preventive dental care programs to underserved elementary school children. One hundred forty-four freshman dental students were surveyed three times during their freshman year-before, during, and after participation in these programs. The students' attitudes about societal expectations, health professionals' responsibility, access to care, and students' personal efficacy to positively impact the need for expanded oral health care services for segments of the population were measured. Students reported positive attitudes in all categories throughout the study period. The students' attitudes about societal expectations to care for the oral health of the underserved remained stable over the study period, but they became more uncertain of who should be responsible for fulfilling that obligation, who should receive that care, and their capability to provide this care while in dental school. These changes in attitude may reflect the students' greater understanding of the complexity of the determinants of oral health as a consequence of their community education experiences.
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, School of Dentistry, Office of Community Health Programs, 3305B South Hoover Street, Bldg. A, Room A-120, Los Angeles, CA 90089-7001, USA. Jennifer.holtzman@usc.edu
authors.forename: Jennifer S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Holtzman
authors.forename: Hazem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Seirawan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D002140:California; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003149:Community Dentistry / Q000193:education*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D003729:Dental Care; D019140:Dental Care for Children; D004497:Education, Dental; D004526:Efficiency; D005260:Female; D005460:Fluorides, Topical / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006293:Health Promotion; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009909:Oral Health; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011231:Preceptorship; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D012941:Social Responsibility; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D005460:Fluorides, Topical; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants