Developing Dental Education in Primary Care: the Student Perspective

A pilot outreach course in restorative dentistry based in community clinics began in 2001. As part of the evaluation, 48 fourth year students completed a questionnaire about their opinions of the new course, and about restorative dentistry clinics in the dental hospital. Time management was the most frequently mentioned gain from outreach. In relation to the dental school, students most often saw the specialised teaching staff as a gain. Outreach was equally or more important for students' confidence in clinical diagnosis of dental caries, treatment planning, direct restorations, communicating with patients, and managing patients, time, and resources. The dental hospital was equally or more important for their confidence in the diagnosis of periodontal disease, root planing, crowns, bridges, dentures, and communicating effectively with laboratory staff. Patients in outreach were seen as different from those at the dental hospital because they were unselected, and had different treatment needs. Meeting course requirements was the most frequent concern about outreach. In relation to the dental hospital, students were most often concerned about the quality of teaching and support available. Outreach and the dental hospital provided complementary experiences and the new course met its educational objectives.