The dental school clinical setting offers multiple opportunities for students to gain experience in interpersonal communication with a diverse patient population, according to a new study in the Journal of Dental Education (August 2013, Vol. 77:8, pp. 982-989).
The study explores dental students' descriptions and reflections on day-to-day interactions with diverse patient populations in a clinical setting. The study authors, from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine, compiled the findings of 66 third-year students enrolled in the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) program at Case Western University School of Dental Medicine. The students were volunteers who had participated in a cultural competence curriculum during their first two years of the DMD program. They were asked to write a paper reflecting on their experiences working with a diverse population in the general dental clinic of the school as part of a third-year behavioral sciences course.
Major themes found in the students' reflections included the development of cultural awareness, a desire to establish rapport, and the value of experience. Students also cited specific challenges, such as differences in prioritizing oral health, trust, communication challenges, and the need for additional cultural knowledge and understanding.
The reflections in the study showed that the dental school clinical setting offers multiple opportunities for students to gain experience in interpersonal communication with a diverse patient population. A greater understanding of these experiences can provide insights for dental educators responsible for developing a cultural competence curriculum, the authors concluded.
