New Scenarios for Training in Oral Radiology: Clinical Performance and Predoctoral Students' Perception of 3D-Printed Mannequins.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of 3D-printed mannequins on the training of predoctoral students. METHODS: Two 3D-printed training models were developed: a traditional model that simulates a sound adult patient and a customized model with pathological and physiological changes (impacted third molar and edentulous region). Students accomplished their pre-clinical training divided into a control group (CG, n = 23), which had access to the traditional model, and a test group (TG, n = 20), which had access to both models. Afterward, they performed a full mouth series on patients and filled out a perception questionnaire. Radiographs were evaluated for technical parameters. Descriptive statistics and the Mann-Whitney test were used to compare the groups. RESULTS: Students provided positive feedback regarding the use of 3D printing. The TG reported a more realistic training experience than the CG (p = 0.037). Both groups demonstrated good clinical performance (CG = 7.41; TG = 7.52), and no significant differences were observed between them. CONCLUSIONS: 3D printing is an option for producing simulators for pre-clinical training in Oral Radiology, reducing student stress and increasing confidence during clinical care.

Artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, and dental education: Implications for reflective assignments and qualitative research.

INTRODUCTION: Reflections enable students to gain additional value from a given experience. The use of Chat Generative Pre-training Transformer (ChatGPT, OpenAI Incorporated) has gained momentum, but its impact on dental education is understudied. OBJECTIVES: To assess whether or not university instructors can differentiate reflections generated by ChatGPT from those generated by students, and to assess whether or not the content of a thematic analysis generated by ChatGPT differs from that generated by qualitative researchers on the same reflections. METHODS: Hardcopies of 20 reflections (10 generated by undergraduate dental students and 10 generated by ChatGPT) were distributed to three instructors who had at least 5 years of teaching experience. Instructors were asked to assign either 'ChatGPT' or 'student' to each reflection. Ten of these reflections (five generated by undergraduate dental students and five generated by ChatGPT) were randomly selected and distributed to two qualitative researchers who were asked to perform a brief thematic analysis with codes and themes. The same ten reflections were also thematically analyzed by ChatGPT. RESULTS: The three instructors correctly determined whether the reflections were student or ChatGPT generated 85% of the time. Most disagreements (40%) happened with the reflections generated by ChatGPT, as the instructors thought to be generated by students. The thematic analyses did not differ substantially when comparing the codes and themes produced by the two researchers with those generated by ChatGPT. CONCLUSIONS: Instructors could differentiate between reflections generated by ChatGPT or by students most of the time. The overall content of a thematic analysis generated by the artificial intelligence program ChatGPT did not differ from that generated by qualitative researchers. Overall, the promising applications of ChatGPT will likely generate a paradigm shift in (dental) health education, research, and practice.

The Effect of Student Experience and Tooth Location on Finish Line Width and Angle of Full Metal Crown Preparations in Preclinical Setting.

Purpose: To determine the effect of experience and tooth location on the finish line width and angle of crown preparations performed by undergraduate students. Methods: Eighty full metal crown preparations on typodont teeth were divided into four groups: Group 1: 20 preparations performed on mandibular first molar in the first semester. Group 2: 20 preparations performed on mandibular first molar in the second semester. Group 3: 20 preparations performed on mandibular second molar in the first semester. Group 4: 20 preparations performed on mandibular second molar in the second semester. All prepared teeth were scanned, and the finish line width and angles were measured at 8 different locations. Paired t-test in the SPSS software was used to compare and determine the effect of experience and tooth location on the students' performance. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the mandibular first molar finish line width between the first and second semesters for the same student in the distal, distolingual, and mesiobuccal areas of the tooth. There was a statistically significant increase in finish line width between first and second molars in the distobuccal, distal, distolingual, lingual, and mesial side of the tooth. Regarding the finish line angle, there was a statistically significant difference between the first and second semesters on the distal side of the tooth. There was a statistically significant increase in finish line angle between first and second molars in the distobuccal side of the tooth. Conclusion: As students gain more experience in different types of tooth preparations, they tend to produce a wider finish line than that recommended for full metal crown preparation. The tooth location in the mouth influences the width and angle of the finish line hence the more inaccessible areas on the tooth have a wider finish line.

Assessment of Dentists' Knowledge of Space Maintainer Indications After Primary First Molar Extraction: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Space maintainer appliances can potentially reduce the need for extensive orthodontic treatment in the future for children. However, they can also lead to various complications, such as an increased risk of dental caries and gingival diseases. It is crucial for dentists to carefully evaluate a decision each child's specific situation before deciding whether to apply a space maintainer or not. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge of dentists at Damascus University, both at undergraduate and specialist levels, regarding when space maintainers should be recommended. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 158 dentists (151 at the undergraduate level and seven at the specialist level). The questionnaire included 13 questions, covering demographic information and self-assessment, and 10 scenarios that are commonly encountered in clinical practice. Results The response rate was 50%. A majority of the participants (85, 53.8%) demonstrated inadequate knowledge. No significant correlations were found between knowledge level and gender (P = 0.853), practice experience (P = 0.171), or self-assessment (P = 0.383). Conclusions Most dentists exhibited a lack of knowledge about space maintainers, with no correlation identified between knowledge level, gender, practice experience, and self-assessment. It is recommended that educational curricula be updated to ensure that clinicians have a better understanding of when to use space maintainers in children.

Application of Emerging Teaching Models in Dental Education: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: As an experimental teaching method, emerging learning methods including problem-based learning (PBL), case-based learning, team-based learning and flipped classroom (FC) have been widely applied in dental education. This study aims to evaluate the effect of these teaching methods on dental education performance compared to traditional lecture-based learning (LBL). METHODS: The search was carried out in April 2024 in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. All randomized controlled trials were included and the methodological quality assessment was based on the guidelines described in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews, followed by a meta-analysis using Stata 14.0 software. Using standard mean deviation (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) to determine the effectiveness of emerging teaching methods and LBL in all dental disciplines. Meta-regression was used to analyse sources of heterogeneity. Sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the stability, and Begg's analysis was used to determine whether there is publication bias. RESULTS: A total of 29 randomized controlled trials including 3502 students were included. The results indicate that emerging educational methods have a significantly positive effect on achieving higher scores (SMD = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.34-0.62, P < .001), whether it was theoretical scores (SMD = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.32-0.72, P < .001) or skill scores (SMD = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.15-0.76, P < .001). Compared to LBL, PBL (SMD = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.01-0.65, P = .045) and FC (SMD = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.31-0.69, P < .001) can both significantly improve students' academic performance. CONCLUSION: Compared to LBL, emerging educational methods (PBL, case-based learning, and FC) have significantly improved the learning effectiveness of dental students. These emerging educational methods can be advocated and popularized as routine teaching methods. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study is the first meta-analysis of the effects of emerging teaching methods in dental education which shows great impact of emerging teaching methods on students' development.

Students' perceptions of virtual interactive clinical case-based learning: A comparative study with three different cohorts.

Background/purpose: Since the introduction of virtual learning into dental education, students' perceptions of the effectiveness of virtual versus in-person learning formats have evolved for interactive clinical case-based learning (ICCBL). This study aimed to undertake a comparative analysis of three different cohorts that received various formats of ICCBL instruction. Materials and methods: A survey was distributed to the Classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025 following each class completion of interactive clinical case-based-tutorials (ICCBT) as part of the Treatment of Active Disease (TxAD) course at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Results: A total of eighty-five participants from the three cohorts, twenty-three students from the Class of 2023 (virtual format, 71.9 % participation rate), thirty-one students from the Class of 2024 (combination of virtual and in-person, 91.2 %), and thirty-one students from the Class of 2025 (in-person, 83.8 %) completed the post-course survey. Across three classes, all cohorts were more likely to perceive the virtual format as more effective than in-person ICCBT. In addition, the classes were more likely to prefer virtual based classes compared to in-person tutorials in the future. Conclusion: This study highlights the dynamic shifts in educational approaches to align with the evolving demands of contemporary students. Our findings show that all cohorts expressed a preference for virtual ICCBT sessions and perceived virtual ICCBT sessions as somewhat more effective for learning compared to in-person sessions. These findings challenge the notion that such sessions must be conducted in person, prompting further research and the exploration of potentially more effective and optimized educational methods.

Development and integration of a clinical dashboard within a dental school setting.

PURPOSE: To describe the development and integration of an electronic health record-driven, student dashboard that displays real-time data relative to the students' patient management and clinic experiences at the University of Illinois Chicago, College of Dentistry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following development and implementation of the student dashboard, various objective metrics were evaluated to identify any improvements in the clinical patient management. A cross-sectional retrospective chart review was completed of the electronic health record (axiUm, Exan, Coquitlam, BC, Canada) from January 2019 to April 2022 evaluating four performance metrics: student lockouts, note/code violations, overdue active patients, and overdue recall patients. Descriptive statistics were analyzed. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was applied to assess the normal distribution of data. Data were analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis tests for potential differences between pre-dashboard and post-dashboard implementation years with the mean overdue active/recall patient to student ratio variables. Mann-Whitney U-tests for between-groups comparisons with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons were performed (α = 0.05). Descriptive statistics were performed to analyze the student utilization frequency of the dashboard. RESULTS: Post-implementation analysis indicated a slight decrease in the number of lockouts and note/code violation; and a statistically significant decrease in overdue active patients post-dashboard (P < 0.001). On average, students accessed their dashboards 3.3 times a week. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a student dashboard through the electronic health record platform within an academic dental practice has the potential to assist students with patient management and is utilized regularly by the students.

STEPS (Study To Examine Parent, Patient/Dental Provider Systems) to Prevent Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-Related Cancers: A Piloted Dental Patient and Provider Evaluation of Current and Future HPV Education.

Oropharyngeal human papillomavirus (HPV) cancers are prevalent, but HPV education in dental clinics is uncommon. The purpose of this study was to evaluate dental provider and patient knowledge from, attitudes towards, and preferences for HPV education, then assess perceptions of existing HPV educational materials for use at dental visits. Appalachian Ohio dental patients (n = 13) and general/pediatric dental providers (n = 10) completed an initial, close-ended survey on current HPV knowledge and HPV educational attitudes, participation, and resource preferences. Select individuals reviewed existing HPV educational videos and toolkits via virtual focus groups (n = 9) or independent review surveys (n = 6). Using a discussion guide, participants responded to overall, visual, auditory, and content satisfaction statements, orally (focus groups) or with Likert scales (independent reviews). Surveys were summarized with frequencies/percentages; transcripts were qualitatively coded to identify potential material modifications. Dental providers and patients were more comfortable with HPV and oral cancer education (87% and 96%, respectively) and screening (96%) than with HPV vaccine education (74%) and referrals (61%) during dental visits. Providers were neither sharing HPV educational materials (80%) nor initiating educational conversations with dental patients (100%). The American Cancer Society videos and the "Team Maureen" toolkit were the most liked resources (i.e., fewer negative/disagree statements) by all participant groups. Findings indicate that future dental HPV educational efforts should be informed by currently available materials. Additional interventions are needed to promote dental provider discussions and sharing of educational materials with patients to increase education and promotion of the HPV vaccine and reduce oropharyngeal cancers.

Perception of students and teachers regarding the attributes of an effective clinical teacher in dentistry: A cross-sectional analytical study.

Objective: To compare the perception of dental students and faculty members regarding the attributes of effective clinical teachers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, from August 2021 to November 2021, and comprised of third and final year dental students and associated clinical faculty members from three dental colleges in the city. Data was collected using the modified version of a pre-validated questionnaire. Data was analysed using SPSS 25. RESULTS: Of the 200 students approached, 169(84.5%) responded; 135(79.9%) females and 34(20.1%) males with mean age 21.78±1.099 years (range: 19-26 years). Of the 59 teachers approached, 49(83%) responded; 33(67.3%) females and 16(32.7%) males with mean age 31.59±5.041 years (range: 23-49 years). The students found record-keeping a tiresome task 69(42%), while teachers regarded it essential for clinical development. Unlike teachers, the students were unable to identify the relevance of clinical objectives and they also did not appreciate teachers' involvement in clinical procedures. For other domains regarding personal traits, teaching methods and clinical skills, both groups had similar responses. Conclusion: There was generally a similarity of opinions among students and teachers regarding the essential qualities of effective dental clinical teaching.

Scientometric Analysis of the World Scientific Production on Augmented and Virtual Reality in Dental Education.

AIM: The aim of this study was to perform a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications in dental education. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional research was carried out using a bibliometric methodology. This process entailed the assessment of metadata from scientific publications that are catalogued in the Scopus database, covering the period from January 2018 to August 2023. A variety of indicators were utilized to scrutinize scientific production and dissemination within the academic community. These encompassed elements such as the author, the publication itself, the number of citations, institutional and collaborative affiliations, geographical location, journal quartile ranking, h-index, Source Normalized Impact per Paper (SNIP), Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI), SCImago Journal Rank (SJR), and the CiteScore. RESULTS: Several institutions from different countries and their academic output were found. Beihang University stands out with 16 scholarly articles, followed by Stanford University with 16 articles and 170 citations. The Q1 quartile has experienced a steady increase, reaching 87 scientific articles. The top 10 authors in scientific production on augmented and VR in dentistry include Joe Amal Cecil, Avinash Gupta, and Miguel A Pirela-Cruz. In terms of co-authorship by country, the United States, Germany, and China are the most predominant in the clusters represented. However, other clusters also have a significant presence. By analyzing the explored trends and themes of keyword co-occurrence, four main clusters were identified. The yellow cluster contained the largest amount of research with the keyword "virtual reality." In addition, the blue cluster was found to be best related to the green "simulation," purple "virtual reality (VR)," and light blue "human-centered computing" clusters. CONCLUSION: This study evidenced the availability and quality of the data used for the analysis. Future studies could consider the use of VR systems with integrated eye tracking and compare their effect in dentistry during dental procedures. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The clinical importance of this study lies in its potential to improve dental education. The VR and AR can provide dental students with immersive, hands-on learning experiences, which can enhance their understanding and clinical skills. Furthermore, the translational value of this study extends beyond dental education. The insights gained from this research could be applicable to other fields of medical education where hands-on training is crucial. Thus, the findings of this study have the potential to influence the broader landscape of medical education, ultimately leading to improved healthcare outcomes. How to cite this article: Alvitez-Temoche D, Silva H, Aguila ED, et al. Scientometric Analysis of the World Scientific Production on Augmented and Virtual Reality in Dental Education. J Contemp Dent Pract 2024;25(4):358-364.

Explicit discrimination among Brazilian dental students: A multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: To test the association between socioeconomic and sociodemographic status of Brazilian dental students with discriminatory experiences suffered by them. METHODS: This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted with 531 undergraduate dental students from four different Brazilian states. The Explicit Discrimination Scale (EDS) was used to measure the experience of discrimination in several daily situations. A questionnaire about sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, form of admission, and permanence in dental schools was developed and validated by experts and six dental students through cognitive interviews. The EDS and questionnaire were sent to students by an online platform using snowball sampling. Descriptive analysis, bivariate tests, and multiple Poisson regression were performed. RESULTS: Among the participants, most were female, white, heterosexual, and cisgender. The mean EDS total score was higher among those students who used Brazilian Affirmative Actions for higher education access and permanence (p < 0.005). The multiple analysis indicated that students who were black (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.484; 95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 1.291-1.705), women (PR = 1.227; 95%CI: 1.030-1.462), had lower monthly income (PR = 1.212; 95%CI: 1.043-1.409) and were lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, pansexual, and plus (LGBTQIAP+) (PR = 1.466; 95%CI: 1.238-1.735) showed a higher probability of discriminatory experiences when compared to white, male and heterosexual students with higher monthly income. CONCLUSION: There is a racial and social class pattern among dental students. The exclusionary factors such as black race, female gender, lower monthly income and being LGBTQIAP+ make students more vulnerable to discriminatory experiences.

Analysis of different factors on dental students' perception of a flipped classroom model: A 6-year follow-up study.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate different factors affecting two different cohorts of dental students' perceptions with the flipped classroom (FC) model in a preclinical dental course over six years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 2016 (cohort #1) and 2022 (cohort #2), second-year dental students participated in FC model in a preclinical dental course consisting of pre-class recorded videos and lectures along with classroom interactive exercises. Students then completed an anonymous pen-and-paper survey evaluating three factors influencing students' overall study experience with the FC model. Survey responses from cohort #1 and cohort #2 were compared to assess the effect of generation, student demographics and COVID-19 pandemic on students' perceptions. RESULTS: When asked to rate the FC experience out of 5, the mean ratings of cohort #1 and cohort #2 were 4.3 (±0.9) and 4.0 (±0.8), respectively. Cohort #2 preferred viewing slides and videos prior to class and had a higher agreement that pre-class course materials were beneficial to class preparation. Conversely, cohort #1 had a higher agreement that in-class discussion and exercises helped them to learn course content. From cohort #2, 88.6% of males and 71.6% of females preferred the FC approach over traditional lecture. CONCLUSION: Both cohorts reported positively with the FC model of teaching. Cohort #2 had higher positive reports with the pre-class work and cohort #1 had a higher positive report with in-class work. Course design should reflect the students' points of view and learning perspectives with careful consideration of the student population in the classroom.

Challenges in implementing community-based dental education programs in Australia: The lived experiences of program coordinators.

PURPOSE: The benefits of community-based dental education (CBDE) are well documented and reach far beyond students' educational growth, encompassing advantages for both dental schools and their community partners. Nonetheless, barriers associated with administering CBDE programs can have a significant impact on program outcomes. This study aims to explore the challenges faced by dental school CBDE coordinators in implementing and managing their programs. METHODS: This Interpretive Phenomenological study employed in-depth semi-structured interviews with CBDE program coordinators from Australian dental schools (n = 6). Interviews, conducted between February and May 2023, via Microsoft Teams, were audio and video recorded and lasted an average of one hour each. Interviews were analyzed using NVivo 13. Questions explored administrative challenges, required resources, student management issues, and development goals for CBDE programs. RESULTS: Data analysis included deductive and inductive coding through a seven-step iterative process, organizing information into codes and sub-codes, forming emerging themes. Four major themes with subthemes emerged: 1) Program administration, encompassing challenges in scheduling, coordinating, and adapting to changes; 2) Funding, crucial for establishing and maintaining remote educational sites; 3) Student experience management, highlighting student supervision, student behavior, and exposure; and 4) Partner site relationships, particularly in clinical supervisor recruitment and training. CONCLUSION: The successful implementation requires meticulous planning, effective coordination, and recognition of CBDE as an educational activity that should be grounded in evidence-based pedagogy. Dental institutions are therefore encouraged to establish collaborative partnerships with local community organizations, allocate resources for outreach initiatives, and facilitate appropriate guidance to coordinators, students, and external clinical supervisors.

Performance of three artificial intelligence (AI)-based large language models in standardized testing; implications for AI-assisted dental education.

INTRODUCTION: The emerging rise in novel computer technologies and automated data analytics has the potential to change the course of dental education. In line with our long-term goal of harnessing the power of AI to augment didactic teaching, the objective of this study was to quantify and compare the accuracy of responses provided by ChatGPT (GPT-4 and GPT-3.5) and Google Gemini, the three primary large language models (LLMs), to human graduate students (control group) to the annual in-service examination questions posed by the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP). METHODS: Under a comparative cross-sectional study design, a corpus of 1312 questions from the annual in-service examination of AAP administered between 2020 and 2023 were presented to the LLMs. Their responses were analyzed using chi-square tests, and the performance was juxtaposed to the scores of periodontal residents from corresponding years, as the human control group. Additionally, two sub-analyses were performed: one on the performance of the LLMs on each section of the exam; and in answering the most difficult questions. RESULTS: ChatGPT-4 (total average: 79.57%) outperformed all human control groups as well as GPT-3.5 and Google Gemini in all exam years (p < .001). This chatbot showed an accuracy range between 78.80% and 80.98% across the various exam years. Gemini consistently recorded superior performance with scores of 70.65% (p = .01), 73.29% (p = .02), 75.73% (p < .01), and 72.18% (p = .0008) for the exams from 2020 to 2023 compared to ChatGPT-3.5, which achieved 62.5%, 68.24%, 69.83%, and 59.27% respectively. Google Gemini (72.86%) surpassed the average scores achieved by first- (63.48% ± 31.67) and second-year residents (66.25% ± 31.61) when all exam years combined. However, it could not surpass that of third-year residents (69.06% ± 30.45). CONCLUSIONS: Within the confines of this analysis, ChatGPT-4 exhibited a robust capability in answering AAP in-service exam questions in terms of accuracy and reliability while Gemini and ChatGPT-3.5 showed a weaker performance. These findings underscore the potential of deploying LLMs as an educational tool in periodontics and oral implantology domains. However, the current limitations of these models such as inability to effectively process image-based inquiries, the propensity for generating inconsistent responses to the same prompts, and achieving high (80% by GPT-4) but not absolute accuracy rates should be considered. An objective comparison of their capability versus their capacity is required to further develop this field of study.

Determinants of dietary behaviors among dental professionals: insights across educational levels.

BACKGROUND: Healthy dietary behaviors are fundamental for maintaining optimal health. Understanding the dietary behaviors of dentists is vital for designing effective interventions to foster healthier behaviors. However, investigations into dietary behaviors and their associations among dental professionals have been limited. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the dietary behaviors of dental professionals, along with the associated factors influencing their dietary options. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A self-administered online questionnaire was constructed to collect data from three groups of dental professionals: undergraduates (UG), postgraduates (PG), and practicing dentists (DT). The questionnaire encompassed inquiries regarding demographic characteristics, knowledge assessment, evaluation of attitudes, and examination of dietary behaviors. Data analysis procedures included descriptive statistics, Spearman's rank correlation, and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: A total of 842 individuals participated in the study (UG: 264, PG: 247, DT: 331). Attitude emerged as the strongest association of healthy dietary behaviors across all groups (UG: ß=0.370, PG: ß=0.512, DT: ß=0.642; P < 0.001), while alcohol consumption showed a negative correlation with healthy dietary behaviors (UG: ß=-0.135, PG: ß=-0.220, DT: ß=-0.216; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Significant variations in dietary behaviors across diverse educational levels of dental professionals were observed. Attitude emerged as the predominant factor influencing dietary behaviors, while knowledge was found to have a weak association. Tailored interventions addressing individual challenges at different career stages should be considered to enhance dietary behaviors and overall well-being in dental practice settings.

Dental and dental hygienist trainee satisfaction with their veterans affairs clinical training experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly altered dental practice, training, and education. This study investigates the pandemic's impacts on the clinical training experiences of dental and dental hygienist trainees at the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). METHODS: Using data from post-doctoral general practice dentists, dental specialists, and dental hygienist trainees who completed the VA Trainee Satisfaction Survey before and during COVID-19, we performed logistic regression and thematic content analyses to determine whether COVID-19 was associated with training satisfaction and likelihood of considering future VA employment. RESULTS: While post-doctoral dentist and dental specialty trainees did not report significant differences, dental hygienist trainees reported increased overall satisfaction and an increased likelihood to consider future VA employment during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic. Similar reasons for dissatisfaction were identified for both the pre-pandemic and pandemic groups. CONCLUSIONS: Research outside VA indicates the pandemic's association with trainees' intentions to leave health profession education programs. Our results suggest the likely existence of factors that could lead to positive changes for at least some portion of the dental workforce. Future studies should explore those potential factors as some may be replicable in other settings or may apply to other health professions.

A multi-faceted construct to guide geriatric dental education: Findings from a scoping review with consultation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Older adults report unmet oral health care needs and barriers in access to care, due in part to provider attitudes and discomfort towards treating older patients. Our study asked: What is known from the literature about the use of undergraduate dentistry programmes to influence dental students' attitudes, perceptions and comfort towards treating geriatric patients? And how can interdisciplinary care facilitate the ability of dentists to work with geriatric patients? MATERIALS AND METHODS: A scoping review and stakeholder consultation followed established methodological guidelines. Four databases and two grey literature sources were searched. Two researchers independently selected articles using predefined inclusion criteria. Pertinent information was inputted into an iteratively developed extraction table. NVivo 12 was used to organise the extracted data into themes. Key findings were confirmed through stakeholder consultation. RESULTS: Sixty-eight articles were included in the scoping review. Five key themes emerged: (1) Curricular targets; (2) Intervention components; (3) Dentist and patient factors; (4) The role of interdisciplinary care; and (5) Post-graduation insights on knowledge-seeking patterns. Stakeholder consultations involved 19 participants from Southwestern Ontario and generally confirmed our findings. CONCLUSIONS: Inconsistent reporting of multiple intervention dimensions constrains our ability to strengthen this knowledge. Future interventions and their reporting could be improved by adopting "willingness to treat" as an overarching, multi-faceted concept which encompasses knowledge on ageing, attitudes towards older patients, perceived competence and empathy. Stakeholder interviews complemented these findings.