(PO-140) Increasing Allied Dental Student’s Competency When Treating Special Needs Patients

Author: Amanda Reddington – Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Southern Indiana
Author: Sean Weir, MS/OTR, CBIS – Academic Fieldwork Coordinator & Assistant Professor, University of Southern Indiana
Submitter: Amanda Reddington – Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Southern Indiana

Objectives:
Studies show that some dental professionals feel inadequately trained and/or lack confidence when treating patients with special needs diagnoses. Due to this there can be increased difficulty in relating to and understanding specific patient needs. This study sought to examine allied dental student’s awareness of and comfort level when treating special needs patients.

Methods:
This mixed-methods study design involved an IRB [1753391-1], [1755832-1] approved research focuses on utilizing pre/post surveys, faculty instruction/education, interactive student simulations, and facilitated group discussion. The convenience sample of 28 p</span>articipants included 22 dental hygiene and 6 dental assisting students enrolled in their final semester of the programs. Faculty provided brief review of etiology, presentation of illness, and common treatment approaches for cerebrovascular accident (CVA), macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, schizophrenia, and hearing impairment diagnoses. Students were paired and rotated through low fidelity simulation stations specific to the diagnoses. At each station participants simulated both the physical and mental stressors associated with the special need and the role of oral health care provider. Facilitated large group discussion and post surveys were completed.

Results:
100% survey response with statistically significant responses to most questions within both dental assisting and hygiene programs. Most notably are increases in awareness of special needs (p =0.000351), comfort when treating patients with special needs (p=0.000143), Communicating with special needs patients (p=0.001061), and that they felt their classes prepared them for patients with special needs (p=0.000324). Participants also positively responded to the project design with an average mean of 4.785 on the 5-point Likert scale SEEQ survey.

Conclusion:
Adding interactive special needs simulations into the dental assisting and dental hygiene curriculums has a positive impact on student learning outcomes. The inclusion of this curriculum will improve competency, confidence, and comfort of students when treating and providing oral health recommendations to special needs patients.