Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 24, 2025
Project-Based Learning Guidelines for Health Sciences Students: An Analysis with Data Mining and Qualitative Techniques
Published on: December 9, 2022
Assessment of dental student education and preparedness in periodontics in two different models: Discipline-based and
Lea El Hachem1, Brij B Singh1, Dana K English2
1Department of Periodontics, University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Purpose:
To compare dental students' preparedness in clinical periodontal education following their participation in a discipline-based predoctoral periodontics clinic with dental students that received a general practice-based periodontal education.
Methods:
114 third-year dental students and 112 fourth-year dental students at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, were emailed an online survey consisting of questions on their proficiency and confidence levels in diagnosing periodontal diseases and conditions, treatment planning, performing non-surgical periodontal treatment, identifying the need for referral, and their perceived impediments on their clinical periodontics education.
Results:
Approximately 97% of third-year dental students that participated in discipline-based predoctoral periodontics agree that they are overall confident in providing excellent periodontal care to their patients, and 91% of these students feel that their participation in the predoctoral periodontics clinic has enhanced their knowledge in periodontics as well as their confidence level when providing periodontal patient care. While 95% of fourth-year dental students agree that they feel confident in providing excellent periodontal care to their patients, only 83% felt that level of confidence during their third-year in dental school, and 77% believe that given the option to participate in the pre-doctoral periodontics clinic, their periodontal education would have been strengthened.
Conclusions:
Our results show that the integration of a discipline based predoctoral periodontics clinic has benefited the dental students and boosted their knowledge and confidence in diagnosing and treating periodontal patients. This model can be improved by addressing space and time limitations.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Assessment of the Mouth
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.
01:15Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin...
01:20Nursing Process for Patient and Caregiver Teaching III: Evaluation and Documentation
Nurses can use several methods to evaluate patient outcomes. For example, oral questions can assess cognitive learning,...
01:24Nursing Process for Patient and Caregiver Teaching I: Assessment and Diagnosis
It is critical to determine the patient's learning needs during the assessment. Determination of learning needs compounds data...
01:26Nursing Assessment of the Genitourinary System II: Inspection and Palpation