Dental Public Health Competencies Research Articles

Introducing dental students to dental public health: An analysis of US predoctoral course syllabi.

Dental public health competencies in predoctoral dental education ensure that students have the skills to succeed in an increasingly complex professional environment. This study examined existing public health curricula in US dental education and their alignment with national recommendations from the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) and guidance from the Healthy People Curriculum Task Force for health professions education programs. We contacted all US dental schools (N = 66) in November 2020-January 202 and requested syllabi for schools' first course with dental public health content. We received 34 syllabi, which provided textual data for content analysis. The authors used an initial content analysis tool to extract descriptive course characteristics. Then, direct and emergent coding was performed to summarize course content. Direct codes included the 23 dental public health topics specified by AAPHD recommendations. Uncategorized content was coded using an inductive approach to identify emergent course themes. Frequently covered topics included principles of dental public health (79% of syllabi) and access to care (79%). "Health disparities" was the most common emergent theme, with 50% of courses including related content. There was little consistency in how courses approached each topic. For example, the topic "access to care" covered healthcare delivery systems, determinants of health, legislative reform, and advocacy. Dental public health was often taught alongside unrelated content. Recommendations for dental public health competencies should be updated to include new educational priorities, align with current national recommendations, and align with Commission on Dental Accreditation Standards more clearly.

Redefining dental public health competencies in India. “Dr. Mohandas Bhat Oration”. The 25th IAPHD National Conference, November 20, 2021

Redefining dental public health competencies in India. “Dr. Mohandas Bhat Oration”. The 25^th IAPHD National Conference, November 20, 2021

Residents’ Perspectives on and Application of Dental Public Health Competencies Using Case‐Based Methods

The aims of this study were to qualitatively assess dental public health (DPH) residents' perspectives on teaching methods for DPH competencies and to develop and implement a case-based simulation to address those competencies, constructed on the basis of the qualitative assessment. Focus group discussions were conducted with 18 DPH residents enrolled in two university-based DPH programs. Topic areas discussed in the two focus groups were perceived value of DPH competencies, ways to acquire new DPH skills/abilities, and additional skills/abilities needed by DPH residents. The focus groups' responses showed that the residents felt competent in the analytical thinking competencies such as research methodology and critiquing literature. They emphasized the importance of learning leadership skills and reported feeling somewhat uncertain about their mastery of the policy and advocacy and system evaluation competencies. Of the two distinct categories of DPH skills and competencies- analytical/critical thinking and practical competencies-these residents reported that a greater proportion of time needed to be devoted to integrating the practical competencies into their education. Based on the residents' feedback, the authors developed a structured seminar series taking a case-based approach to simulate real-world DPH problems, using real and semi-hypothetical planning projects to meet the residents' perceived needs and covering gaps between didactic learning and practice.

Exploring the feasibility of using routinely collected data to produce antibiotic prescribing profiles for general dental practitioners in Wales.

This article describes a project that assessed whether routinely collected antibiotic prescribing and NHS dental treatment data could be linked to produce personalised prescribing profiles for general dental practitioners working in Wales, UK. Dental public health competencies required for this work included: Multi-agency working to develop a sustainable system of monitoring antibiotic prescribing in primary dental care in Wales, Dental public health intelligence, Development of dental service quality indicators.

Dental Public Health In Action: Barriers to oral healthcare provision for older people in residential and nursing care homes: A mixed method evaluation and strategy development in County Durham, North East England.

This paper presents a case study on the use of mixed methods in research into practice to inform policy. The study was undertaken as part of a review of oral healthcare for older people in residential and nursing care homes in County Durham, North East England. The findings highlighted challenges in the provision of good quality oral healthcare to older people in residential and nursing care homes and informed the county's oral health strategy (Durham County Council DCC, 2016). Key recommendations include the need to develop and implement a minimum set of best practice oral health standards within care home contracts and train care home staff in oral healthcare. The paper relates to two key dental public health competencies: (i) designing and using mixed method studies to address gaps in evidence and triangulating the findings from quantitative and qualitative methods; (ii) the development of evidence based policies. The research is relevant to: care home staff; commissioners in local authority adult and social care; public health practitioners; oral health improvement teams; domiciliary and special care dentists, dental commissioners, researchers and academics.

Readying Community Water Fluoridation Advocates through Training, Surveillance, and Empowerment.

This paper describes the Community Water Fluoridation Advocacy Training Project that was designed to develop networks of community water fluoridation advocates in rural communities. The South Carolina (SC) Department of Health and Environmental Control Division of Oral Health staff and the SC Dental Association were responsible for developing and facilitating the training sessions for key policy influencers, which included medical and dental providers, early childhood educators, and water system operators and managers. Findings from the post-training survey indicate that participants increased their knowledge and skills to discuss the impact of water fluoridation on the dental health of community residents. Participants identified a need for online access to water fluoridation education and advocacy materials. Dental public health competencies illustrated: communication and collaboration with groups and individuals, and advocate, implement and evaluate public health policy, legislation and regulations.

An intervention study to assess the effectiveness of a reminder telephone call in improving patient appointment attendance at a Community Dental Service clinic.

This paper first describes the action taken to quantify the problem of high rates of failed appointments at a Community Dental Service clinic in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Then describes an intervention to implement and evaluate a potential solution of reminder telephone calls to patients. The paper illustrates the dental public health competencies of: evaluation of dental health services, and of managing resources and time.

A survey of dental public health specialists on current dental public health competencies.

In preparation to update the Dental Public Health specialty competencies, the Expert Panel determined that a needs assessment be conducted. A nine item open and close ended survey developed by the Expert Panel was used to collect data on the Diplomates current work environment, the utility of the current set of Dental Public Health competencies, and to identify any gaps in the current competencies. In 2015, thesurvey was administered to all active Diplomates of the American Board of Dental Public Health. One hundred and nine Diplomates responded. Diplomates overwhelmingly reported that each of the ten current competencies were still relevant for Dental Public Health specialists in the 21st Century, but needed to be updated to be more contemporary. Domains suggested to achieve this were interprofessional care, cultural competency, health literacy, and evidence-based dentistry.

Developing core dental public health competencies for predoctoral dental and dental hygiene students.

Dental professionals are an "underutilized" workforce, when it comes to advocating for prevention and wellness in populations. The goal of this HRSA-funded project is to develop dental public health (DPH) competencies and curriculum for US predoctoral dental and dental hygiene programs. These competencies and accompanying curriculum are designed to better prepare the oral health workforce to meet the needs of the entire population, including the chronically underserved, those challenged by poor health literacy, or communities encountering barriers to accessing oral health care. By increasing the DPH competency of all graduating dental providers, in population-based approaches to preventing oral diseases rather than the existing exclusive focus on treatment, the number of providers who can respond to a population or the public's unmet needs and challenges, both in private practices and publicly supported clinics, will increase. This paper describes the competency development process and the eight competencies that were identified.

Establishing a speaker's bureau to teach dental public health curriculum in predoctoral dental and dental hygiene programs.

The opening of new dental schools and dental hygiene programs in the past decade has further exacerbated the shortage of faculty, including those with dental public health (DPH) expertise to teach. Therefore, one of the aims for the American Association of Public Health Dentistry's (AAPHD) Predoctoral Dental Public Health Competencies and Curriculum Project (Project), to develop DPH competencies and curriculum, was to establish a speakers bureau of interested dental professionals to teach the curriculum in dental schools and dental hygiene programs at the predoctoral level. This paper describes the process for establishing a speakers bureau including identifying and training individuals to teach the developed DPH curriculum. The speakers bureau and its availability were promoted through the AAPHD website and through letters to deans of dental schools and directors of dental hygiene programs.

A needs assessment survey of dental public health graduate education in Saudi Arabia.

ObjectivesThe Faculty of Dentistry at King Abdulaziz University (KAU) is planning to develop a master’s program in dental public health (DPH). To develop a curriculum for this program, a needs assessment was conducted in order to identify the level of DPH expertise that currently exists in Saudi Arabia, to identify gaps in knowledge, and to explore current perceptions regarding this type of program.MethodsA competency-based survey instrument was administered to private and government affiliated dental practitioners in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and competencies in DPH were assessed. In addition, questions were submitted that addressed preferred strategies of teaching, curriculum delivery methods, course content, and prerequisites for DPH. These data were combined with data previously collected from dentists holding academic positions at KAU (n = 146) and were analyzed using Statistical Analysis System version 9.3 software. Mean values and frequencies were calculated for the study variables. Proportional odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated to assess differences in educational preferences and DPH competencies according to age, gender, and qualification.ResultsMost of the participants (95%) reported a need for a DPH graduate program. The respondents had a basic knowledge of DPH and moderate experience in DPH competencies. A variety of preferred educational strategies and methods were identified and differences in educational preferences according to age, gender, and qualification of the respondents were identified. The responses obtained also acknowledged skills and competencies that the participants considered most important for a DPH practice and that would be important for students accepted into a DPH graduate program.ConclusionsThis needs assessment survey represents a preliminary step in establishing a DPH graduate program that addresses current gaps in knowledge and in the practice of public health dentistry. This survey also provided valuable feedback regarding the development of course content for a graduate education program in DPH.

How can dental public health competencies be addressed at the undergraduate level?

To discuss the extent to which an undergraduate dental module addresses dental public health competencies via its different learning pedagogies and to explore the relevance of students' written reflections on these dental public health competencies. This article uses a literature review to situate the extent to which dental public health competencies are addressed by the University of British Columbia undergraduate dental module entitled "Professionalism and Community Services" (PACS). It also uses students' written individual self-reflections (between 100 and 500 words) on community service learning activities to critically illustrate how dental public health competencies support their learning. The PACS dental module is delivered to undergraduate students in all 4 years, more than 190 in total, and addresses six dental public health competencies, including oral health promotion, ethics, and evidence-based practice. The multifaceted pedagogical approach employed to discuss aspects of dentistry related to dental public health includes guest lectures, community activities, small group activities, self-reflection, and reports. Given the falling number of dental public health professionals in North America, the discussed undergraduate pedagogy aims to sensitize future dentists to a career focused on dental public health. Through reflections, students pondered ideas related to dental public health; they also engaged in developing meaningful activities in various underserved communities. Further studies are needed to evaluate the influence of this community-based curriculum upon students' practice choice.

Dental Public Health Competencies

Journal of Public Health DentistryVolume 58, Issue s1 p. 121-122 Dental Public Health Competencies First published: 27 April 2007 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-7325.1998.tb02541.xCitations: 6AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume58, Issues1December 1998Pages 121-122 RelatedInformation