“Urgent Dental Care” – A preclinical patient case scenario as an aid to clinic preparation for treating a patient with urgent dental care needs
Gary L Drahos
Abstract
Background
Pre-clinical student competencies are usually assessed in only one specific area and not contextualized in a patient care scenario. Exposing preclinical students to a high fidelity simulated urgent care patient scenario will help the student develop critical thinking and intuitive dental treatment skills that will prepare them for actual urgent dental care (UDC) treatment in the clinic.
Aims
Dental students, in the preclinical years, have difficulty in applying various disciplines of dentistry to an actual patient. The goal of this exercise is to contextualize several disciplines (diagnosis, material selection, oral pathology, electronic record keeping, patient interview and critical thinking) into a real patient case. The hypothesis is that providing a preclinical urgent care session in this manner will better prepare students for clinical UDC treatment.
Methods
An urgent care patient scenario was developed that integrated multiple disciplines and contextualized common urgent clinical situations that are encountered daily, focusing on interviewing skills, basic diagnostic skills, manipulation of electronic patient records, material selection and defence of selection, image and data procurement, prescription writing, critical decision making, oral medicine diagnosis, treatment planning for a focused need, and performance of dental treatment. Second year dental students are required to interview a first time (walk-in) urgent care patient to determine the chief complaint, diagnose the urgent problem (based on information obtained by interviewing the patient) and to make critical patient care decisions and self-assess their performance.
Results
Students generally completed the session on time and in a satisfactory fashion. Preparation for the session was key and faculty calibration was essential.
Conclusion
Completion of this case scenario better prepared the students for the clinic as indicated by student self-assessment, post course satisfaction surveys, narrative comments, and faculty assessments.
Full Text:
Pre-clinical student competencies are usually assessed in only one specific area and not contextualized in a patient care scenario. Exposing preclinical students to a high fidelity simulated urgent care patient scenario will help the student develop critical thinking and intuitive dental treatment skills that will prepare them for actual urgent dental care (UDC) treatment in the clinic.
Aims
Dental students, in the preclinical years, have difficulty in applying various disciplines of dentistry to an actual patient. The goal of this exercise is to contextualize several disciplines (diagnosis, material selection, oral pathology, electronic record keeping, patient interview and critical thinking) into a real patient case. The hypothesis is that providing a preclinical urgent care session in this manner will better prepare students for clinical UDC treatment.
Methods
An urgent care patient scenario was developed that integrated multiple disciplines and contextualized common urgent clinical situations that are encountered daily, focusing on interviewing skills, basic diagnostic skills, manipulation of electronic patient records, material selection and defence of selection, image and data procurement, prescription writing, critical decision making, oral medicine diagnosis, treatment planning for a focused need, and performance of dental treatment. Second year dental students are required to interview a first time (walk-in) urgent care patient to determine the chief complaint, diagnose the urgent problem (based on information obtained by interviewing the patient) and to make critical patient care decisions and self-assess their performance.
Results
Students generally completed the session on time and in a satisfactory fashion. Preparation for the session was key and faculty calibration was essential.
Conclusion
Completion of this case scenario better prepared the students for the clinic as indicated by student self-assessment, post course satisfaction surveys, narrative comments, and faculty assessments.
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