Acceptability of "The Hui Process" at the Faculty of Dentistry

In Aotearoa New Zealand, Kaupapa Māori health models have been introduced into the dental curricula to provide students with the skills and knowledge to engage meaningfully with Māori patients. This exploratory study investigated the acceptability of "The Hui Process", a Kaupapa Māori clinical framework, into final-year undergraduate dental clinics at the Faculty of Dentistry (FoD) in Aotearoa New Zealand.

A cross-sectional study was conducted. Participants were adult patients who attended final-year dentistry clinics at the FoD. The questionnaire asked about three of the four components of the Hui Process (mihimihi, whakawhanaungatanga and poroaki), patient satisfaction, cultural safety and demographic variables. Data were cross tabulated to identify participants' experiences of the Hui Process.

A total of 47 participants completed the survey. Results show that most dental students incorporated the Hui Process in their clinical consultations, and that this was important to participants. Most participants were satisfied that their needs were met by their dental students, and all participants felt culturally safe.

The Hui Process was well received by participants in the dental setting, highlighting the benefit of Hauora Māori curricula in dental education. This research can inform curriculum development to further promote Hauora Māori in the dental profession.