title: Dental students' perceptions of self-efficacy and cultural competence with school-based programs.
abstract: This study explored perceptions of first-year dental students' self-efficacy, cultural competence, and intent to provide care in school-based settings before and after the completion of an oral health educational rotation with inner-city public school children. The oral health educational rotation is mandatory for all first-year dental students at Marquette University School of Dentistry (MUSoD). Pre- and post-rotation surveys on perceptions of self-efficacy, cultural competence, and intent to provide care in school-based settings were administered online to first-year dental students at MUSoD. The pre- and post-rotation survey response rates were 75 percent and 70 percent, respectively. The percentages of students reporting a dentist as a family member in the pre and post surveys were 36.7 percent and 39.3 percent, respectively. Students who reported having a dentist as a family member had significantly higher adjusted odds for self-efficacy (1.73, CI: 1.06-2.84) and cultural competence (2.03, 95 percent CI: 1.03-4.00). Dental students' participation in a mandatory oral health education rotation was associated with an increase in self-efficacy and cultural competence, but not with their intent to provide dental care in school-based settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Services, Marquette University School of Dentistry, P.O. Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gundersen
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhagavatula
authors.forename: Jessica E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Pruszynski
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Okunseri
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D002648:Child; D054521:Cultural Competency; D003479:Curriculum; D019140:Dental Care for Children; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012571:School Dentistry / Q000193:education*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014922:Wisconsin