Abstract
Background Dental Check by One (DCby1) is a British Society of Paediatric Dentistry campaign, which aims to increase dental attendance of young children. As the future workforce, dental students have a key role in ensuring its long-term success.
Aims To establish final-year dental students' awareness of DCby1. To evaluate their preparedness for providing dental care for young children and to identify perceived barriers to doing so at the time of graduation as they prepare to enter the workforce.
Materials and methods An anonymous, online survey was administered to graduating final-year dental students in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Quantitative data were gathered using mixed item formats and Likert scales. Qualitative data were also gathered using free-text questions, allowing evaluation of the opinions of responders.
Results The response rate was 83% (n = 63) in 2018, 91% (n = 62) in 2019 and 73% (n = 57) in 2020. Eight percent (n = 5) of responders were aware of DCby1 in 2018, improving to 67% (n = 38) in 2020. Each year, 98% to 100% of responders felt prepared to provide preventive care for young children. Fewer than 60% felt prepared to provide breastfeeding and weaning advice to parents. Responders felt unprepared to examine the dentition of a preschool child. Undergraduate curricula and social media were identified as preferable sources of public health campaign information for students.
Conclusion Awareness and preparedness for DCby1 appears to be improving. Ninety-five percent of all responders across three years of study felt prepared to examine a child aged under one year and this is encouraging for the long-term success of DCby1. Targeted curriculum reform including both didactic teaching and online learning platforms appears to have been pivotal to improving undergraduate awareness and preparedness. Social media may offer opportunities for engaging with undergraduate learners.
Key points
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Three-year evaluation of the awareness and preparedness of the graduating workforce to deliver dental examinations and preventive care to preschool children.
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Identifies the role of dental educators and curricula reform in improving awareness and preparedness for contemporaneous practice.
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Identifies the potential role of social media as a non-traditional adjunct to dental education.
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Morgan, E., Gartshore, L. Are they ready? Awareness and preparedness of the emerging workforce for Dental Check by One. Br Dent J (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-3574-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-3574-y
