Using Simulated Patient Avatar and Monitor (SPA©M) to Advance Learner's Knowledge of Pathophysiology and Pharmacology.

A novel method was implemented in the Interprofessional education (IPE) program, which incorporated a Simulated-Avatar© case presentation preceding the virtual breakout segments. Simulated real-time clinical interactions replaced the in-person encounters, leading to the translation of the participants' basic science knowledge of pathophysiology and pharmacology (P&P) into effective treatment of the patient-avatar's condition.

Dental and Nurse Practitioner Student Attitudes About Collaboration Before and After Interprofessional Clinical Experiences.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect that an interprofessional clinical experience (IPCE) had on dental and adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (NP) students' attitudes towards health care collaboration. A survey study was conducted with dental and NP students before and after completing IPCE rotations in a dental clinic and a tertiary care setting in the 2016-17 academic year. All dental students (N=159) and all NP students enrolled in the adult-gerontology primary care program (N=37) participated in the IPCE. Students were asked to complete the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) survey anonymously prior to and immediately after the experience. All 37 NP students completed both pretest and posttest, for a 100% response rate on both. Among the dental students, 120 completed the pretest, for a 75% response rate, and 106 completed the posttest, for a 67% response rate. The results showed a significant increase in total RIPLS score for both the dental and NP students following the experience (p<0.001). Attitudes about teamwork and collaboration and about roles and responsibilities improved for both the dental and NP students (p<0.001) following the IPCE. There was a difference between dental students' and NP students' teamwork and collaboration subscale scores before IPCE (p=0.006), but it diminished after the intervention (p=0.09). These results suggest the IPCE succeeded in building positive attitudes about interprofessional collaboration between dental and NP students. Clinical rotations should be considered to enhance the scope of students' experiences with interprofessional patient care.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma: Focusing on interprofessional collaboration.

Incidence of oral cancer is rising, and often, cases are not discovered until the cancer has metastasized to the lymphatic system. Most oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas associated with high mortality. This article reviews oral squamous cell carcinoma relevant to primary care practice focusing on an interprofessional approach to care.

Dental caries in an impacted mandibular second molar: using cone beam computed tomography to explain inconsistent clinical and radiographic findings.

Benefits of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) over traditional panoramic radiography for diagnosis and treatment planning have been reported. This article presents a case where CBCT was used to identify the potential route of caries infection from the oral cavity to an impacted mandibular second molar.