141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

290920
S.w.o.t. analysis for a pilot clinic to provide affordable oral health care to individuals with special needs

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 3:15 PM - 3:30 PM

Diane Lee , Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA
Paiyal Popat
Kanika Sharma
Abraham Itty
Romesh Nalliah, BDS , Office of Dental Education, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA
Background: The Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) teaching clinic serves a broad range of patients, however individuals with special healthcare needs (ISHCN) are a specific population not well-represented in the patient pool. New accreditation standards for US dental schools with a greater emphasis on ISHCN experiences were implemented in January 2013. Subsequently, many academic institutions will need to create focused opportunities for dental students to work with ISHCN. The S.W.O.T. analysis of a 2012 pilot clinic focused on ISHCN, created by a student interest group and faculty mentor, may assist other institutions in planning similar experiences for dental students. Strengths: • Improving access to care for ISHCN • Increased confidence of graduates treating ISHCN. • Previous research has shown dentists who perceived receiving good quality training in managing ISCHN were more confident in treating ISHCN and more likely to treat them in their careers. The pilot clinic hopes to address this issue. Weaknesses: • Sustainability for an affordable special needs outreach clinic • A systematic, inexpensive and repeatable approach to recruit patients with ISHCN is necessary. An effective method has notbeen determined. • Reliable screening methods to ensure that only ISHCN are booking appointments. Opportunities: - Student leadership development - Curriculum integration- Dental students should be required to demonstrate competence in the treatment of ISHCN in order to gain clinical experience and improve oral health access to care for ISHCN. Threats: • Finding willing and capable supervising dentists with necessary expertise • Indemnity insurance for supervising pre-doctoral students

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
List the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats regarding piloting a clinic focused on individuals with special health care needs. Identify reasons why clinical exposure to the special health care needs population is important for pre-doctoral students.

Keywords: Special Needs, Disability

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been involved in organizing and participating in the pilot clinic at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and am one of the founding members of the student special needs interest group supporting this program.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.