Journal of Disability and Oral Health

cover art

Cover Date:
June 2008
Print ISSN:
1470-8558
Electronic ISSN:
1754-2758
Vol:
9
Issue:
2

Preparedness of dental undergraduates for provision of care to individuals with special health care needs in Nigeria

Abstract Objectives: To determine the preparedness of dental undergraduates in Nigeria to provide care to individuals with Special health care needs (SHCN), to identify the area of need concerning their education and to provide recommendations for improvement of the curriculum in the areas of deficiency. Design: Three survey questionnaires were used: Deans of the four dental schools in Nigeria, lecturers teaching the course and final year dental students. Information requested include name and year of establishment of the Dental School, average number of students in the final year, the department responsible for teaching ‘Dental care of patients with special health care needs’, course content, method of teaching and rating of preparedness of the students. The students were asked if they were willing to treat such patients in their future practices, the rating of their course and their preparedness to treat such patients. Result: 100% response. Teaching is provided by different departments in the four schools; Child Dental Health, Preventive Dentistry and jointly with Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in one school. The course contents were dissimilar with a variation in hours of lectures. One school did not give the students any hands-on training. Only one Dean and two lecturers felt their students were adequately prepared to provide care to patients with SHCN. One hundred (76.9%) of the students were willing to treat the patients in their future practices while 55 (42.3%) felt they were adequately prepared to treat such patients. Conclusion: Few dental undergraduates in Nigeria are adequately prepared to provide care for individuals with SHCN. Improvement and harmonisation of the curriculum is suggested to increase student interest.

Key words: Preparedness, undergraduates, special care

Article Price
£15.00
Institution Article Price
£15.00
Page Start
81
Page End
86
Authors
J A Akinwande, Folakemi A. Oredugba

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  1. Electromyographic evaluation of anterior temporalis and masseter muscles in patients with cerebral palsy before and after postural stabilisation
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  1. Oral health status of teenagers and young adults with intellectual impairment in Athens, Greece
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  1. An investigation of the association between gingival bleeding and consultations for cardiac, ENT and immunological problems in people with Down syndrome
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  1. Preparedness of dental undergraduates for provision of care to individuals with special health care needs in Nigeria
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