Incorporating Experiential Learning Techniques to Improve Self‐Efficacy in Clinical Special Care Dentistry Education

The New York University College of Dentistry has introduced a clinical rotation for fourth‐year dental students that focuses on treating people with special health care needs (PSN). The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that clinical experience in treating patients with special health care needs during predoctoral education is associated with increased self‐assessed student ability and comfort and therefore self‐efficacy. The study also investigated whether other characteristics, such as prior personal or volunteer experience with this population, service‐mindedness, and/or the inclination to treat underserved populations, were associated with comfort in treating PSN. A survey was used to assess changes in students’ perceived knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes regarding treating PSN before and after the clinical experience for July 2012–June 2013. The survey included questions about students’ service‐mindedness, comfort, perceptions of abilities of PSN and educational importance of learning to treat PSN, desire for clinical experience, and future intent or interest in treating PSN. Out of 364 students invited to participate, 127 surveys were returned, for a response rate of 34.9%. The results showed statistically significant increases on six items following training: impressions about the importance of oral health among PSN, comfort in treating people with cognitive disabilities and with medical complexities, intent to treat PSN in future practice, interest in including PSN in postgraduate training, and belief that PSN could be treated in the private practice setting. These students reported preferring to learn in the clinical setting over didactic instruction. This clinical experience was associated with improved self‐efficacy in treating PSN and increased intentions to treat this population in future practice. Improvements were particularly evident among those with the least prior experience with PSN and were independent of other aspects of the students’ past experience, future goals, or personality characteristics.