GSDM and BUSM Work Together on Geriatric Oral Health Project
Members of the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) and Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) community are working together on a 2015-2016 Education Pilot Grant from BUSM to implement a new program that will recruit dental students to train medical students in oral health.
The three GSDM and BUSM community members who will be working on the new program are Dr. Annetty Soto, Geriatric Dental Medicine Fellow PGY2; Dr. Laura Kaufman, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of General Dentistry at GSDM; and Dr. Ryan Chippendale, Clinical Assistant Professor at BUSM.
The grant, entitled “Oral Health for older adults: Inter-professional training,” funds an interprofessional educational (IPE) session for medical and dental students from BUSM and GSDM respectively.
The purpose of these sessions is to teach fourth-year medical students oral health for older adults in collaboration with dental students. Case-based and hands-on learning are a hallmark of this session, with an emphasis on student interactions and active modeling of instruction techniques on how to conduct oral health assessments in non-dental settings.
Older patients, especially those who are medically compromised or who have disabilities, are at greater risk for oral diseases that may further impair their overall health.
The role of the physician is important in identifying older adults who need to be referred for regular oral health care. Previous research has shown that students trained with an IPE approach are more likely to become collaborative healthcare team members. These students are more likely to show respect and positive attitudes towards each other on future interprofessional teams and work together to improve patient outcomes.
To date, ten dental students and more than 25 medical students have participated in the sessions.
The next workshop will take place on Friday, February 12, at 10 a.m. Please contact Ms. Leslie Gascon, Administrative Assistant in the Department of General Dentistry, at gasconl@bu.edu for information on participating.