UTC +1
90 Minute
EOK: Szent-Györgyi lecture hal
Dental schools have traditionally incorporated short-term community-based experiences alongside school-based clinics to enrich dental students’ clinical training. These community placements can range from a single day to an entire year, each providing valuable real-world exposure.
Recently, a group of new dental schools - one each in the US, UK, and Ireland has pioneered academic programs that are entirely focused on delivering patient care in community-based clinics. This innovative approach shifts the primary learning environment from the academic clinic to the community setting, representing a significant evolution in dental education.
This session will explore the community-based clinical models established by these three schools, outlining the processes involved in launching and sustaining such programs. Attendees will gain insight into the unique logistical, educational, and operational challenges encountered by these institutions and the strategies they employed to address them. The session will conclude with actionable guidance for other schools interested in adopting or expanding similar community-engaged clinical programs, offering practical steps to implementation and success.
- Describe the essential steps and considerations in establishing a community-based dental education program.
- Understand practical and policy challenges encountered during the development and implementation of community-based dental education program and approaches to mitigate these challenges in different jurisdictions.
- Identify effective strategies for building and sustaining partnerships with community organizations and stakeholders in training dental students.
