Oral Health Training in Osteopathic Medical Schools: Results of a National Survey

Abstract

Oral health education is present at many osteopathic medical schools, but the content covered and the extent of training varies considerably.

Status of Oral Health Training in U.S. Primary Care Programs: A Qualitative Study to Define Characteristics and Outcomes

“…[20][21][22] In the current study, we planned to conduct two or three interviews per discipline (for a total of 26 to 39 interviews) from the survey respondents who expressed a willingness to have a longer conversation about oral health education in their primary care training program. [20][21][22] In the current study, we planned to conduct two or three interviews per discipline (for a total of 26 to 39 interviews) from the survey respondents who expressed a willingness to have a longer conversation about oral health education in their primary care training program.…”

“…13 In 2005, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Group on Oral Health published its oral health curriculum, Smiles for Life, which has evolved into a multi-professional resource. [20][21][22] Those surveys found that some disciplines had made signiicant progress in integrating oral health into primary care training, while others lagged behind. 15 New York University's College of Nursing developed the Oral Health Nursing Education and Practice initiative to encourage oral health training in nursing 16 and to replace the traditional HEENT (head, ears, eyes, nose, and throat) examination with the HEENOT (adding to this exam: teeth, gums, mucosa, tongue, and palate) to address oral-systemic health issues.…”

“…Our previous 13 surveys assessing oral health education were of primary care residency and fellowship program directors in family medicine, pediatrics, med-peds (combined residency program in internal medicine and pediatrics), internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology (OB/gyn), and geriatrics; graduate programs in allied health professions (nurse practitioner programs in family medicine, pediatrics, and adult gerontology primary care, physician assistant [PA] programs, and midwifery programs); and deans of allopathic and osteopathic medical schools. [20][21][22] In the current study, we planned to conduct two or three interviews per discipline (for a total of 26 to 39 interviews) from the survey respondents who expressed a willingness to have a longer conversation about oral health education in their primary care training program. We used survey responses to select a purposive and representative sample of potential interviewees, based on program characteristics (region, program size, program tenure); hours of oral health teaching; self-reported satisfaction with learners' oral health competence at graduation; and self-reported level of importance of integrating oral health into primary care training.…”

“…19 In 2017, we conducted 13 discipline-speciic national surveys of medical schools, primary care residency and fellowship programs, and other health professions schools and programs and published the results. [20][21][22] Those surveys found that some disciplines had made signiicant progress in integrating oral health into primary care training, while others lagged behind. The aim of the current study was to better understand the characteristics and climate of oral health education in non-dental health professions schools by conducting interviews with leaders of programs who had self-identiied in the surveys as having a robust oral health curriculum.…”

Oral health care in the 21st century: It is time for the integration of dental and medical education

“…The Center for Integration of Primary Care and Oral Health (CIPCOH), a national center based at Harvard University and funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, surveyed 14 primary care specialties ranging from nursing to pediatrics to family medicine to pharmacy about their oral health curricula and learning objectives. [8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Although a majority of survey respondents agreed that oral health knowledge is important for their learners, most reported that their curricula includes only 1-3 hours of oral health instruction. [8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Given the close association of poor oral health and its attendant inflammation with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other noncommunicable diseases, this is not enough.…”