Comparison of community-based clinical education implementation among US dental and dental hygiene education programs

Limited access to oral care disproportionately affects underserved populations. Community-based clinical education (CBCE) could address this health inequity. The purpose of this study was to compare the identified barriers and benefits of implementing CBCE in the curricula of US dental and dental hygiene education programs.

In the fall of 2023, a survey developed through focus groups was sent to 387 CBCE leaders in US dental and dental hygiene programs that were accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).

There were 129 survey responses for a 33% response rate. There were statistically significant differences in institutional barriers: losing school production (p = 0.04), COVID-19 pandemic (p = 0.02), CODA process for accreditation of major sites (p < 0.01), CODA standards (p = 0.01), number of dental chairs in school clinic (p = 0.03), and length of dental/dental hygiene program too short (p < 0.01); and human resource barriers: student transportation (p < 0.01), faculty buy-in (p = 0.01), and student housing (p < 0.01). Benefits included: raising student awareness of social determinants of health (p = 0.04), increasing oral health workforce (p < 0.01), and engagement with harder clinical cases (p < 0.01).

There were differences in the identified barriers and benefits to implementing CBCE in the curricula of US dental and dental hygiene education programs. The findings could inform the feasibility of implementing CBCE in both education programs, as well as address health inequities in access to oral care.