Family-centered approach to teen-driving program: program evaluation of parental behavioral outcomes

This article presents the evaluation of parental monitoring and controlling of teen-drivers after attending a family-centered program focused on teen risky-driving behaviors. The program design was guided by the Social-Ecological Model and Health Belief Model. Fifteen parents attending the driving program completed measures of parent control and parent monitoring. Overall, effect sizes at the two-month follow-up indicate the program was moderately effective. There was a statistically significant increase to parental discussions of driving rules. Altogether, this article contributes to the growing literature on the effectiveness of family-centered programs

Dental Anatomy Carving Computer-Assisted Instruction Program: An Assessment of Student Performance and Perceptions

The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of students exposed to two different instructional modalities for dental anatomy wax carving: CAI (computer-assisted instruction) using DVD technology, or traditional laboratory instruction. Students’ self-assessment scores were also compared to faculty scores, and students’ perceptions of their teaching modality were analyzed. Seventy-three first-year dental students (response rate 81 percent) participated in this randomized single blind trial, in which faculty graders were blinded to student group assignment. There were no statistical differences, as determined by the Wilcoxon non-parametric test and a t-test, between the faculty grades on the wax carving from the two teaching methods the students experienced. The student self-assessments revealed higher mean grades (3.0 for the DVD-only group and 3.1 for the traditional group) than the faculty actual mean grades (2.2 for both the DVD-only group and the traditional group) by almost one grade level on a 4.0 grade scale. Similar percentages of students in the traditional group had either favorable or unfavorable perceptions of their learning experience, while more students in the DVD-only group reported favorable perceptions. Students from both groups said they wanted more faculty feedback in the course. Based on these objective and subjective data, merging CAI and traditional laboratory teaching may best enhance student learning needs

Communication Skills Instruction Utilizing Interdisciplinary Peer Teachers: Program Development and Student Perceptions

Lack of curricular time, faculty time, and funding are potential limitations for communication skills training in dentistry. Interdisciplinary collaboration amongst health care faculties could address these limitations. This article describes the development, implementation, and student perceptions of a communication skills program in dentistry. The program has four components: Knowledge, Observation, Simulation, and Experience (KOSE) and spans over the second and third years of dental school. KOSE allows students to obtain knowledge of and observe effective communication skills and practice these skills in the simulated and nonsimulated environment. A key feature of KOSE is the utilization of fourth-year medical and dental students as peer teachers. Evaluation of KOSE was geared toward student perceptions. Cross-sectional data were gathered via written surveys from 143 learners (second- and third-year dental students) in 2006–07. Students perceived the ability to recognize effective communication, demonstrated awareness of their communication strengths and weaknesses, and reported that skills gained were transferable to actual patient care. Interdisciplinary collaboration was a feasible way to address the lack of resources in the development of a communications skills program, which was perceived to be worthwhile by learners

Genetic Counseling Around the Globe: Prenatal Screening Practices During the First Trimester

The global state of prenatal screening during the first trimester of pregnancy by genetics professionals has not yet been extensively studied. The current study explored whether carrier screening, biochemical marker screening, ultrasounds with nuchal translucency measurements, and non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) were offered as standard of care. It also examined whether the presence of established practice guidelines impacted their decision to offer testing as standard of care and screening reimbursement methods. Prenatal genetics providers, primarily genetic counselors, from 11 countries spanning 4 continents, were surveyed about the screening tests offered to the patients. Of the first trimester screening tests, NIPS was not found to be standard of care globally with the exception of the United States. Government reimbursement was reported by providers to be a major form of reimbursement for all four types of screening tests. Patient out-of-pocket was reported to be an equally popular form of reimbursement for NIPS and respondents expressed reimbursement challenges as potential barriers for offering NIPS as standard of care. Governments were more likely to reimburse well-established tests despite the greater accuracy of NIPS. These findings lay the groundwork for a deeper exploration of the continually evolving prenatal genetic counseling field on a global scale

Faculty Impressions of Dental Students’ Performance With and Without Virtual Reality Simulation

This study compared faculty perceptions and expectations of dental students’ abilities using virtual reality simulation (VRS) to those who did not use virtual reality simulation (non-VRS) in an operative dentistry preclinical course. A sixteen-item survey with a ten-point rating scale and three open-ended questions asked about students’ abilities in ergonomics, confidence level, performance, preparation, and self-assessment. The surveys were administered three times to a small group of preclinical faculty members. First, faculty members (n=12, 92 percent response rate) gave their perceptions of non-VRS students’ abilities at the end of their traditional course. Secondly, faculty members (n=13, 100 percent response rate) gave their expectations of the next incoming class’s abilities (VRS students) prior to the start of the course with traditional and VRS components. Finally, faculty members (n=13, 100 percent response rate) gave their perceptions of VRS students’ abilities after completion of the course. A Tukey’s test for multiple comparisons measured significance among survey items. Faculty perceptions of VRS students’ abilities were higher than for non-VRS students for most abilities examined. However, the faculty members’ expectations of VRS training were higher than their perceptions of the students’ abilities after VRS training for most abilities examined. Since ergonomic development and technical performance were positively impacted by VRS training, these results support the use of VRS in a preclinical dental curriculum

Surgical Crown Lengthening: Evaluation of the Biological Width

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141511/1/jper0468.pd

Evaluation of a Revised Curriculum: A Four-Year Qualitative Study of Student Perceptions

Following curricular revisions at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, this longitudinal study was designed to determine students\u27 perceptions of their educational experience in the revised curriculum. A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) open-ended response questionnaire was administered to students in the class of 2011 (N=89) in January of each academic year, 2008 through 2011, followed by focus groups three months prior to graduation. The overall response rate for the questionnaire was 69 percent, and a total of fourteen students participated in four focus groups. Cumulatively, 1,382 responses (SWOT=984 and focus groups=398) were qualitatively analyzed, and five themes emerged: 1) early clinical experiences led to a perceived readiness for direct patient care; 2) the pace and organization of the revised condensed preclinical curriculum were perceived as hectic yet were appreciated as necessary preparation for patient care; 3) most faculty members were seen as committed to student learning, but a few were reported to have poor teaching skills and attitudes when interacting with students; 4) a perceived lack of patients led to fewer clinical experiences and a decrease in student confidence; and 5) some curricular content was seen to be redundant and irrelevant to future practice. The results indicate that the students were satisfied with aspects of their educational experience, suggesting the revised curriculum\u27s preliminary success in meeting its goals of earlier patient care, a condensed preclinical curriculum, and a student-friendly environment. As the curriculum is adapted in response to student feedback, ongoing evaluation is necessary and should be complemented by other evaluation indicators such as faculty perceptions and student learning outcomes

Accuracy and Consistency of Radiographic Interpretation Among Clinical Instructors Using Two Viewing Systems

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/153540/1/jddj002203372006702tb04071x.pd

Accuracy and Consistency of Radiographic Interpretation Among Clinical Instructors in Conjunction with a Training Program

There are inaccuracies and inconsistencies of radiographic interpretation among clinical instructors. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if a training program could improve the accuracy and consistency of instructors’ ratings of bone loss. A total of thirty-five clinical instructors consisting of periodontal faculty (periodontists and general dentists), dental hygiene faculty, and periodontal graduate students viewed projected digitized radiographic images and quantified bone loss for twenty-five teeth into four descriptive categories. Ratings of bone loss were made immediately before (pretest) and after (post-test 1) initiation of the training program and then again three months later (post-test 2). Ratings were compared to the correct choice categories as determined by direct measurement using the Schei ruler. Overall agreement with the correct choice improved over time (from 64.5 percent to 85.2 percent) with the greatest change from pretest (64.5 percent) to post-test 1 (76.5 percent). Mean and absolute differences improved in three of the four categories, but worsened in one from pretest to post-test 1. This category returned to its original high value at post-test 2. The greatest improvement in consistency among instructors’ ratings was seen in one of the four categories, which was “none” (no bone loss). Extension of the training program may further enhance the accuracy and consistency of instructors’ radiographic interpretation

Accuracy and Consistency of Radiographic Interpretation Among Clinical Instructors Using Two Viewing Systems

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/153540/1/jddj002203372006702tb04071x.pd