SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING, TEAMWORK, HOLISTIC VIEW AND ORAL HEALTH

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Healthcare Professional Competencies
• Periodontal Diagnosis

Background:

• The Malmö-model dental program emphasizes self-directed learning, teamwork, holistic patient care, and oral health.
• Self-assessment is vital for healthcare professionals' lifelong learning and adaptation.
• Effective development of self-assessment skills requires continuous practice and constructive feedback.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess dental students' self-assessment abilities.
• Investigate the impact of interprofessional teamwork on holistic patient care perception and professional insight.
• Explore diagnostic findings used for chronic periodontitis and identify discrepancies in practice.

Main Methods:

• Interactive Examination to assess self-assessment in senior dental students.
• Teamwork initiatives between dental and dental hygienist students.
• Questionnaires distributed to dental students, teachers, supervisors, and practicing clinicians regarding periodontal diagnosis.

Main Results:

• 10% of graduating students exhibited significant self-assessment difficulties; early detection is possible.
• Teamwork enhanced dental hygienist competence knowledge, holistic patient views, and preparedness for collaboration.
• Inconsistent use of diagnostic findings for chronic periodontitis was observed, with some clinicians using irrelevant findings or not combining indicators.
• Significant divergence in knowledge basis for diagnosis and treatment planning between dentists and dental hygienists delivering basic periodontal care.

Conclusions:

• Self-assessment ability is a critical but not always adequately developed competence in dental students.
• Interprofessional education and teamwork positively influence students' holistic patient care perspectives and professional understanding.
• Variations in diagnostic practices and knowledge gaps among dental professionals necessitate systemic changes to improve periodontal care delivery and resource utilization.