The aim of this study was to compare the learning preferences of millennial dental hygiene students (born between 1982 and 2002) in the U.S. with the teaching methods used by their non-millennial instructors. Cross-sectional surveys were developed with 21-item, five-point Likert scales to examine students' preferences for and faculty use of lecture, collaborative activities, technology, independent work, and group discussion. Surveys were emailed to U.S. dental hygiene program directors in September 2015. The respondents totaled 800 students and 343 faculty members-approximately 5% of all dental hygiene students and 6.8% of all dental hygiene faculty members in the U.S. The results showed that the responding faculty members (88.7%) used case studies more than the students (61.2%) preferred and that the students (71.4%) preferred games when learning more than the faculty members (57.2%) used them (p<0.0001). Student respondents (82.1%) preferred handouts for lecture more than did the faculty respondents (58.8%; p<0.0001). Faculty respondents expected students to read before class 39.3% more than student respondents read (p<0.0001). Student respondents preferred study guides for exams 39.2% more than the faculty respondents provided them (p<0.0001). Participating faculty members (84.0%) had students work in groups more than these students preferred (57.8%), and 92% of these faculty members used group activities in class (p<0.0001). The responses of the millennial dental hygiene students in this study were consistent with previous research on millennial traits. This study found areas of disagreement between students and faculty members on the use of case studies, study guides, and group work. Although these students stated they preferred lecture over group work, trends in education stress using active learning over lecture.Ms.

This case report describes a Teaching Honors Program (THP) at the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry and presents findings from an outcomes assessment covering the initial 11 years of the program. The program goals are to enhance dental students’ awareness of academic career options, promote student and faculty collaboration on educational development projects, and provide students with training in teacher toolkit skills to increase their readiness for peer teaching during dental school and faculty roles early in their careers. The THP curriculum consists of six core courses and nine electives extending across the four years of dental school. THP graduates receive the academic designation “Distinction in Dental Education” at commencement. Outcomes data are organized by Kirkpatrick's Hierarchy of Educational Outcomes: reaction (participants’ satisfaction with THP), indicators (students’ attitudes and intentions pertinent to teaching and academic careers), learning (changes in knowledge and skills relevant to teachers’ tasks), behavior (students’ ability to apply teaching skills in classrooms, labs, and clinics), and results (changes in the infrastructure and capacity of the school as a consequence of the THP). Positive outcomes were found in multiple layers of the assessment hierarchy. In 2016, 51% of students participated in the THP, and 31 graduated with Distinction in Dental Education; in 2017, 50% participated, and 44 graduated with that honor. THP students provide approximately 1,400 hours of supervised peer teaching annually in the predoctoral curriculum and pre‐matriculation programs, and 21% of the initial 106 THP graduates entered academic dentistry soon after graduation.

PurposeTo compare dental students’ preparedness in clinical periodontal education following their participation in a discipline‐based predoctoral periodontics clinic with dental students that received a general practice‐based periodontal education.Methods114 third‐year dental students and 112 fourth‐year dental students at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, were emailed an online survey consisting of questions on their proficiency and confidence levels in diagnosing periodontal diseases and conditions, treatment planning, performing non‐surgical periodontal treatment, identifying the need for referral, and their perceived impediments on their clinical periodontics education.ResultsApproximately 97% of third‐year dental students that participated in discipline‐based predoctoral periodontics agree that they are overall confident in providing excellent periodontal care to their patients, and 91% of these students feel that their participation in the predoctoral periodontics clinic has enhanced their knowledge in periodontics as well as their confidence level when providing periodontal patient care. While 95% of fourth‐year dental students agree that they feel confident in providing excellent periodontal care to their patients, only 83% felt that level of confidence during their third‐year in dental school, and 77% believe that given the option to participate in the pre‐doctoral periodontics clinic, their periodontal education would have been strengthened.ConclusionsOur results show that the integration of a discipline based predoctoral periodontics clinic has benefited the dental students and boosted their knowledge and confidence in diagnosing and treating periodontal patients. This model can be improved by addressing space and time limitations.

Objectives: The present research indicates an increased interest in global health among dental students. We focused on developing our future dental practitioners with the skills and capacity to treat underserved populations as international experiences. Materials and Methods: This pilot explored the perspective of dental learners regarding global oral health knowledge who had experienced mission trips. Participants were assessed with a validated global oral health survey to understand their existing knowledge. Gaps in training were noted and a global oral health interactive module was created to address international community service learning approaches. Later, all students who intended to participate in a global oral health education or mission trip were administered the same validated pre-test. Finally, on the completion of mission trips or global oral health experiences, the same post-global oral health questionnaire survey was administered to assess knowledge gained. Results: Thirty-two dental students (Female = 18 and Male = 14) and learners who had completed mission trips to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic were invited to complete the pre-survey. Twenty-seven students completed the pre-survey in its entirety. About 41% (11/27) were not aware of developed and developing countries’ oral healthcare systems. Participant dental learners (56%) expressed limited cultural competency. They also expressed the lack of global health ethics (52%) awareness (knowledge). Conclusion: Results indicated that students benefited from a structured global oral health module, where their perspectives shifted positively. The results suggested that a shift from “mission trip” perspectives to a global oral health readiness is feasible as a student empowerment approach.