RESUMEN
As dental education across the United States undergoes growth and change in an effort to improve access to dental care, one dental school, the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, established in 2003, designed its initial curriculum with innovation in mind. One of those innovations was the introduction of an online certificate in public health that can be used as the foundation for a Master's in Public Health (M.P.H.) degree with a dental emphasis, which students may complete concurrent with their dental education. This article discusses the educational intersection between dentistry and public health and describes how this dental school uses an online public health curriculum to accomplish this integration. It also presents the potential advantages and disadvantages of obtaining the M.P.H. degree concurrent with the dental school training.
Asunto(s)
Educación de Posgrado en Odontología , Educación en Odontología , Educación en Salud Pública Profesional , Arizona , Competencia Clínica , Odontología Comunitaria/educación , Instrucción por Computador , Curriculum , Ética Odontológica/educación , Humanos , Internet , Sistemas en Línea , Innovación Organizacional , Odontología Preventiva/educación , Práctica Profesional , Desarrollo de Programa , Facultades de Odontología/organización & administración , Estudiantes de OdontologíaRESUMEN
The purpose of this study was to determine if A.T. Still University Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health (ASDOH) curricular content regarding community oral health has influenced graduates' dental practice choice and volunteering activities in their communities. At ASDOH, the community oral health curriculum consists of three components: 1) coursework in public health resulting in a certificate or master's degree in public health; 2) service-learning activities in the Dentistry in the Community series of course modules, wherein students plan and implement community projects; and 3) community-based clinical rotations of approximately ninety-five days during the fourth year. To accomplish the purposes of the study, a survey was sent to ASDOH alumni who graduated between 2007 and 2010. Of the 208 graduates contacted, ninety-four responded (45.2 percent). Of those who responded, 85 percent reported that the community oral health curriculum influenced their practice choice, and 76 percent reported that they volunteer. Additionally, 58 percent of the respondents reported that the amount of dental school debt they had incurred affected their career plans and professional decision making.