Other Titles
Interprofessional Collaboration: Nursing and Dental Medicine Students Provide Oral Healthcare Education in a Community Setting [Title Slide]
Abstract
Most of the obstetrical care occurs in the community in an outpatient setting. Early pregnancy care should include oral healthcare education to diminish the potential of pregnancy complications such as infections of pregnancy and preterm labor as the pregnancy progresses. Good oral healthcare continues beyond pregnancy and through the lifespan. Providing a multidisciplinary approach can improve patient outcomes. The purpose of this experience in the undergraduate baccalaureate nursing curriculum and the education of dental medicine students at a large, urban, public university was to introduce an interprofessional collaboration education opportunity. Interprofessional education was introduced into the curriculum when the school of nursing partnered with the school of dental medicine. The nursing students were junior level and in their obstetrical nursing course rotation. The dental students were at senior level and preparing to graduate. Most of the dental students selecting to participate in this interprofessional experience were planning to enter a postgraduate pediatric dental education program and have a strong interest in perinatal health. By developing a multidisciplinary team, the needs of the population served could be better met when patients were given a medical and nursing perspective in the educational material. Moreover, the students gained insight into working with an interprofessional team which focused on the client through effective communication. Consideration was given to how each team member would contribute to the development of teaching materials, to understand their scope of practice and how it can complement each other to improve the client experience. The objectives of the interprofessional activity include collaboration with staff and patients about provisions of outpatient care, participation in patient education experience and discharge instructions with staff, and development of skills to work together on an interprofessional teaching experience for prenatal care. Outcome measures were identified by the faculty. Following completion of the experience, students submitted a reflection document that was used for collection of qualitative data. Success of the experience was based on the student's perception. Students met in person or via zoom during the covid pandemic, to be introduced to community healthcare needs and specific details of this assignment. Groups consisted of two to four students and all used the same education topic: Oral healthcare during pregnancy and through the lifespan. Students worked in small groups following a rubric to identify their teaching objectives and develop educational materials. Each group developed a pamphlet or teaching flyer to give to patients to follow during their presentation. An opportunity for questions and answers was provided following their presentation. Students were encouraged to use the CDC guidelines as a reference when preparing materials to remain consistent with the patient education provided by the clinic staff who also used the same guidelines when preparing their educational materials. After a ten-year reflection of this activity the outcomes of this experience was seen as successful based on the positive responses from both nursing and dental students, specifically how they learned to work in collaboration and found appreciation for each other’s discipline.
Notes
Presenter notes available in attached slide deck.
References:American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 2013. Committee opinion number 569. Oral health care during pregnancy and through the lifespan. Obstetrics and Gynecology 2013; 122: 417-422.
McLaney E, Morassaei S, Hughes L, Davies R, Campbell M, Di Prospero L. A framework for interprofessional team collaboration in a hospital setting: Advancing team competencies and behaviours. Healthcare Management Forum. 2022;35(2):112-117. doi:10.1177/08404704211063584
Shakhman LM, Al Omari O, Arulappan J, Wynaden D. Interprofessional Education and Collaboration: Strategies for Implementation. Oman Med J. 2020 Jul 31;35(4):e160. doi: 10.5001/omj.2020.83. PMID: 32832104; PMCID: PMC7430136.
Soubra L, Badr SB, Zahran EM, Aboul-Seoud M. Effect of interprofessional education on role clarification and patient care planning by health professions students. Health Prof Educ 2018. Dec;4(4):317-328 . 10.1016/j.hpe.2017.12.005
World Health Organization (WHO), Framework for Action on Interprofessional Education & Collaborative Practice. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2010
Sigma Membership
Eta
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Interdisciplinary Education, Dental Students, Nursing Students, Oral Health, Collaboration, Community Health Services, Public Health, Dental Health Services -- In Pregnancy
Recommended Citation
Maurer, Geraldine M.; Braxter, Betty J.; and Milligan, Shareen A., "Interprofessional Collaboration: Nursing and Dental Medical Students Provide Oral Healthcare Education in a Community Setting" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 103.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2024/presentations_2024/103
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2024
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-03-03
Interprofessional Collaboration: Nursing and Dental Medical Students Provide Oral Healthcare Education in a Community Setting
Washington, DC, USA
Most of the obstetrical care occurs in the community in an outpatient setting. Early pregnancy care should include oral healthcare education to diminish the potential of pregnancy complications such as infections of pregnancy and preterm labor as the pregnancy progresses. Good oral healthcare continues beyond pregnancy and through the lifespan. Providing a multidisciplinary approach can improve patient outcomes. The purpose of this experience in the undergraduate baccalaureate nursing curriculum and the education of dental medicine students at a large, urban, public university was to introduce an interprofessional collaboration education opportunity. Interprofessional education was introduced into the curriculum when the school of nursing partnered with the school of dental medicine. The nursing students were junior level and in their obstetrical nursing course rotation. The dental students were at senior level and preparing to graduate. Most of the dental students selecting to participate in this interprofessional experience were planning to enter a postgraduate pediatric dental education program and have a strong interest in perinatal health. By developing a multidisciplinary team, the needs of the population served could be better met when patients were given a medical and nursing perspective in the educational material. Moreover, the students gained insight into working with an interprofessional team which focused on the client through effective communication. Consideration was given to how each team member would contribute to the development of teaching materials, to understand their scope of practice and how it can complement each other to improve the client experience. The objectives of the interprofessional activity include collaboration with staff and patients about provisions of outpatient care, participation in patient education experience and discharge instructions with staff, and development of skills to work together on an interprofessional teaching experience for prenatal care. Outcome measures were identified by the faculty. Following completion of the experience, students submitted a reflection document that was used for collection of qualitative data. Success of the experience was based on the student's perception. Students met in person or via zoom during the covid pandemic, to be introduced to community healthcare needs and specific details of this assignment. Groups consisted of two to four students and all used the same education topic: Oral healthcare during pregnancy and through the lifespan. Students worked in small groups following a rubric to identify their teaching objectives and develop educational materials. Each group developed a pamphlet or teaching flyer to give to patients to follow during their presentation. An opportunity for questions and answers was provided following their presentation. Students were encouraged to use the CDC guidelines as a reference when preparing materials to remain consistent with the patient education provided by the clinic staff who also used the same guidelines when preparing their educational materials. After a ten-year reflection of this activity the outcomes of this experience was seen as successful based on the positive responses from both nursing and dental students, specifically how they learned to work in collaboration and found appreciation for each other’s discipline.
Description
Nursing and dental students prepared educational material and presentations for patients in an obstetric outpatient clinic setting. Topics included dental health during pregnancy and through the lifespan. Outcome data gathered over 10 years demonstrates the value of interprofessional education in the development of collaborative education material and joint presentation.