A Survey of Information Technology Management at U.S. Dental Schools

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to assess how information technology (IT) is being implemented and managed in U.S. dental schools. Recent advances in IT have restructured many of the administrative, curricular, and clinical functions in dental schools. Purchasing hardware and software and hiring personnel to maintain IT present significant financial and administrative commitments for these schools. A nine-question survey was sent to all U.S. dental schools via email with a follow-up postal mailing. Forty-six surveys were returned (83.6 percent response rate). The analysis indicates that dental schools are managing IT in vastly different ways. For example, 71 percent of the schools report a centralized structure, and 61 percent have a line item in the budget to manage IT. On average there are 4.4 full-time equivalents hired to manage IT, with the majority of these people being trained in IT (eight schools reported dually trained IT/dental personnel). The majority of schools report using software to manage their admissions process (70 percent), curriculum analysis (72 percent), and delivery of curriculum content (72 percent), as well as to manage their student clinics (91 percent, business aspect; 87 percent, patients; 65 percent, grading on clinic floor; 76 percent, managing clinical evaluations) and faculty practices (85 percent, business aspect; 65 percent, patients). The use of multimedia (50 percent) and simulation (52 percent) in the preclinical area is mixed. The purchase of laptops (24 percent) and PCs (11 percent) is required in almost a third of all schools participating in this survey. Dental schools in the United States are managing IT in a variety of different ways, using various internally and commercially available tools. The cost to institutions can be large and is usually handled in centralized structures in the school with fixed budgets. The results of this survey can be used to assist schools in the planning and implementation of IT at their institutions.Mr.

Effective Use of e‐Grading in the Dental Simulation Clinic

“…In their study published in 2003, Wrzosek et al reported that more than 65 percent of dental schools used software for grading and evaluation of students in clinic and 76 percent used it for management of students’ grades and to keep track of procedures completed by students 15 . One of the advantages of electronic grading is that it eliminates the intermediate step of transferring the paper grades into the electronic grading report system.…”

“…Reflecting the incorporation of new technologies in dental schools, a survey published in 2003 found that 87 percent of U.S. dental schools had a full‐time staff person dedicated to the implementation and maintenance of information technology (IT), 50 percent had computer and visual resources incorporated in the preclinical years, and 35 percent required students to purchase a laptop or PC 15 . Though no more recent data have been reported, with the rapid development and use of technology in the last decade, it is likely those percentages have increased.…”

Impact of scientific and technological advances

“…Education is certainly one of the fields that greatly benefited from technology, in both the teaching and the learning aspects . The use of technology in dental education has paved the way for innovative teaching methods and an increase in student engagement .…”

“…The Commission on Dental Accreditation recommends the “application of technology in dental education programs to improve patient care and to revolutionise all aspects of the curriculum, from didactic courses to clinical instruction”. In 2003, the results of a national survey revealed the use of information technology at U.S. dental schools, highlighting the uncertainty in the speed and the level of integration of new technologies in all capacities of an academic environment . In 2008, a consensus paper published by international experts in dental education reported that technologies can assist in acquisition of knowledge and in attaining competence in clinical skills .…”

Computer literacy and attitudes of dental students and staff at the University of the West Indies Dental School

“…In a survey of dental schools, Schleyer, Torres‐Urquidy and Straja (8) found that 84% of students had a computer at home and used computers for school‐related purposes for an average of 4.1 h per week with a range between 0 and more than 12 h per week. Wrzosek (9) described the development of CL and adaptation of information technology among US dental schools as ‘rapid’. One‐third of all schools surveyed require their students to purchase a PC or a laptop computer.…”