An Evaluation of Interprofessional Education in the Teaching of Dental Technology

Abstract

It is now fifteen years since Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council called for a collaborative approach to the education of dental health professionals. In spite of this, challenges remain in improving the cohesiveness of the oral health team. While the potential value of interprofessional education is strongly asserted by various stakeholders, in reality a paradigm shift still needs to occur at educational, professional and organisational levels. To contribute to the limited knowledge in the field of dental technology education, this research compares the attitudes and perceptions of dental technology students and graduates from two different curricula about collaborative working as a member of an oral health team. Differences in curriculum structure and content between the Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and University sectors were analysed in relation to the extant literature on interprofessional education. A mixed method approach then explored attitudes and readiness of students and graduates for collaborative professional practice. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used. Cross-sectional data were collected from participants during and after the completion of the Bachelor of Oral Health in Dental Technology at Griffith University, Gold Coast, and Diploma of Dental Technology at Southbank Institute of Technology, Brisbane. Third and fifth year dental students at Griffith University were also included, as exemplars of other members of the oral health team who learn alongside dental technology students.