Civically Engaged Reciprocal Learning Process in Dental Education, (A)

Numerous oral health complications face people living with cancer (PLWC). Data show that increasing access to oral health care prior to, during, and after cancer treatment leads to a decrease in oral health complications. Nevertheless, few newly diagnosed cancer patients or dental health professionals understand the critical connection between oral and systemic health as it relates specifically to cancer. To ensure that more dental providers understand this connection before entering the practice community, each student at the Indiana University School of Dentistry must successfully complete an Objective Structures Clinical Examination (OSCE) with PLWC prior to graduation. A constructivist grounded theory thematic analysis of student and simulated patient (SP) responses to questions about the OSCE was conducted; both SPs and dental students reported mutually and reciprocally benefitting from participating. These findings suggest that it is important that dental education involve SP's as real patients as there are benefits to both student learning and patient learning.