Teaching end-of-life issues: survey of U.S. dental schools and dentists

The aim of this research endeavor was to survey the teaching of end-of-life issues in the curriculum of U.S. dental schools (N=58) and to ascertain changes in education compared to a 1989 study of dental schools. In addition, the aim was to survey practicing dentists in South Carolina (N=400) regarding end-of-life issues. Response rates were 90 percent and 81 percent, respectively. Findings indicated that dental schools today are placing more emphasis on end-of-life issues than twenty years ago. Yet the majority of dentists agreed that more emphasis should be placed on communication skills with patients on end-of-life issues. Moreover, the overwhelming majority of dentists felt that dental school did not prepare them to relate to patients on end-of-life issues. Dentists in general give support to families of deceased patients by sending a card or flowers, attending the funeral, or in some way making personal contact with the family. Perhaps as little as one or two lectures in dental school on dying, death, and bereavement could enhance a dentist's effectiveness in coping with end-of-life issues.