Dental school student and faculty perspectives about changing to comprehensive patient-care clinic management

Abstract

PurposeSome dental schools have modified the curriculum to better meet students’ educational needs while providing comprehensive patient care. Like other organizations, their inability to adapt to changes has been of concern to scholars. Frequently, organizations focus on technical aspects and minimize the human component. Qualitative studies are essential to describing how faculty and students respond to large-scale planned programmatic change so that findings can be used to guide implementation efforts.MethodFullan's theory of action framed this study. Multi-case narrative inquiry was used to explore faculty and students’ experiences during the first year of their new clinical education model. Focus group meetings elicited perspectives about the program's effectiveness.ResultsThere was congruence between programmatic goals and implementation: interdisciplinary teaching and communication, collegiality and collaboration, varied student learning, and faculty mentoring. However, the clinical management system and the lack of training hampered the progress of implementation and change. There were also disagreements about competency attainment.ConclusionsAspects of Fullan's model were shown while components: that systems learn, capacity building prevails, and learning the work were not evident. The temporal nature of participants’ experiences shaped their stories. Providing comprehensive patient care while ensuring that students acquire skills for becoming competent general dental practitioners is indeed a delicate balance.