(PO-066) A Community of Practice: The Business of Developing Clinical Skills

Author: Denise A. Mills, D.D.S., M.H.A., Ed.D. – Clinical Associate Professor, Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona
Submitter: Denise A. Mills, D.D.S., M.H.A., Ed.D. – Clinical Associate Professor, Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona

Objectives: Communities of practice (CoP) are groups of people bound together by shared expertise and passion for joint enterprise. CoPs improved organizational performance at companies as diverse as U.S. government agencies, an international bank, and a major car manufacturer. This study explored a CoP, group practice model, in dental education.

Methods: The Institutional Review Board exempt study (AZ #1355) was designed to answer the following question: Does acquiring dental skills in the CoP affect students’ perception of preparedness to enter the profession of dentistry? The study analyzed data on participants’ perceptions of preparedness for dental practice in selected areas of education and training. The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) 2019 survey results of United States’ and Canadian dental program seniors and those of the study population were compared.

Results: The 2019 ADEA survey results of the dental education CoP (n=56, 39.4% participation) were compared to graduates from all other U.S. and Canadian dental schools (n=2,989) on facets of preparedness for professional practice. For the domain “preparedness to practice common conditions” 75.0% of CoP students strongly agreed while 44.6% of all other dental schools strongly agreed. In the dimension “confidence in health promotion” 72.2% of CoP students felt highly confident in the skills required for health promotion while 54.6% of all other students felt highly confident. The domain “preparedness to practice ethical and professional values” was also measured. Most CoP students (80.4%) strongly agreed in their preparedness. Students from all other schools, 58.1%, strongly agreed in the preparedness to practice ethically and professionally.

Conclusion: Competency for new dental graduates is defined as preparedness for practice requiring development of many skills. Training is required in dimensions of procedural skill level, professionalism, critical thinking, problem-solving, and integrity. The CoP, using the business model, creates an optimal environment for preparing competent new dental professionals.