INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE. A PATHWAY TO BETTER PATIENT CARE, IMPROVED HEALTH, AND LOWER...

Area of Science:

• Dental Practice Management
• Healthcare Trends
• Dental Education Standards

Background:

• Historically, dentistry operated with solo practitioners managing their scope of practice.
• Current healthcare trends are reshaping traditional dental practice boundaries.
• Factors include electronic health records, Big Data analytics, and group practice economies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the impact of modern healthcare trends on the scope of dental practice.
• To highlight the need for adapting dental education to new practice environments.
• To address the Commission on Dental Accreditation's new standard for dental programs.

Main Methods:

• Review of current healthcare trends affecting dental practice.
• Analysis of the implications of technology and group practice on solo practitioners.
• Examination of the new Commission on Dental Accreditation standards.

Main Results:

• Healthcare trends are challenging the traditional solo practitioner model in dentistry.
• Electronic records, Big Data, and group practice economies necessitate changes in practice scope.
• Dental education programs are being mandated to prepare professionals for these new environments.

Conclusions:

• The practice of dentistry is shifting towards collaborative and technologically integrated models.
• Adaptation of dental education is crucial for equipping future dentists with necessary skills.
• The Commission on Dental Accreditation's new standard reflects this essential evolution in dental care delivery.