Oral Health Education for Medical Students: Malaysian and Australian Students’ Perceptions of Educational Experience and Needs

Abstract

Education in oral health is important to prepare future medical professionals for collaborative roles in maintaining patients' oral health, an important component of general health and well-being. The aims of this study were to determine the perceptions of medical students in Malaysia and Australia of the quality of their training in oral health care and their perceptions of their professional role in maintaining the oral health of their patients. A survey was administered in the classroom with final-year Malaysian (n=527; response rate=79.3%) and Australian (n=455; response rate: 60%) medical students at selected institutions in those countries. In the results, most of these medical students reported encountering patients with oral health conditions including ulcers, halitosis, and edentulism. A majority in both countries reported believing they should advise patients to obtain regular dental check-ups and eat a healthy diet, although they reported feeling less than comfortable in managing emergency dental cases. A high percentage reported they received a good education in smoking cessation but not in managing dental trauma, detecting cancerous lesions, or providing dietary advice in oral disease prevention. They expressed support for inclusion of oral health education in medical curricula. These students' experience with and perceptions of oral health care provide valuable information for medical curriculum development in these two countries as well as increasing understanding of this aspect of interprofessional education and practice now in development around the world.

Perceptions of oral health education and practice among nursing students in Malaysia and Australia

“…The high percentage of nursing students who reported having encountered patients with oral health conditions in this study was comparable to that reported by their medical counterparts 15 . It was observed that the most common oral health conditions encountered by medical and nursing students in both countries were halitosis, ulcer and edentulism 15 . Higher numbers of encounters were reported amongst Malaysian subjects and may be linked to the population's high prevalence of oral diseases, including caries, periodontal disease, oral‐mucosal lesion and orofacial trauma 23 .…”

“…It was evident that nursing students experienced managing patients who presented with oral health conditions necessitating further attention. The high percentage of nursing students who reported having encountered patients with oral health conditions in this study was comparable to that reported by their medical counterparts 15 . It was observed that the most common oral health conditions encountered by medical and nursing students in both countries were halitosis, ulcer and edentulism 15 .…”

“…Nurses' encounters with patients presenting with oral health conditions indicate their important position in triage and long‐term maintenance; however, as not many nursing students in this study felt comfortable deciding on when or how to refer for dental management, oral health conditions may thus be inappropriately managed, leading to further deterioration and other sequalae. Similar discomfort was reported by their medical counterparts and may further place patients at risk of mismanagement, especially in communities where medical practitioners and/or nurses may be the only available healthcare providers 15,24,25 …”

“…A self‐administered questionnaire was used as the study instrument. The questionnaire utilized in the survey was developed based on existing literature, 15–19 and modified to suit the local conditions. The seven‐page questionnaire consisted of five sections: 1) Section A: Socio‐demographic characteristics; 2) Section B: Students' experience, comfort, beliefs and attitudes in providing oral health care; 3) Section C: Students' perception of current training in oral health; 4) Section D: Students' perception of future training in oral health and 5) Section E: Knowledge of special needs dentistry.…”

The Dentist's Role in Southern Brazilian Teaching Hospitals: A Grounded Theory Study

“…A study conducted with dental hygienists and dental and medical students found that medical students were less likely to participate in interprofessional education, but it also found poor attitudes toward interprofessional teamwork and communication 35 . In contrast to those results, a study with medical students showed positive attitudes toward curriculum changes for future physicians to train and work in collaboration with oral health professionals, given that medical students have limited oral health care training 36 . Further studies should target the development of strategies that can promote the interaction between dentistry and other health care disciplines 37 .…”