The impact of clinical and didactic curriculum in Geriatric Dentistry on Ageism attitudes amongst dental studentstitle

Project lead: Nick Tong, Oral Health Sciences
Co-applicant: Chris Wyatt

Project description

The Canadian population is aging. The World Health Organization has identified ageism, both in society as well as amongst health care workers, as being a barrier to optimal health for older adults. The Faculty of Dentistry has allocated dedicated curricular time for Geriatric Dentistry in Year 3 and 4 of the DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) program, Graduate Specialty programs (Prosthodontics and Periodontics), and post-graduate hospital training programs. This includes didactic and clinical curricula. I am interested in measuring the impact of our Geriatric dentistry curricula on student’s ageism attitudes, using a validated Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS).

Research questions

  1. To what degree does curriculum in geriatric dentistry affect student’s scores on the ASDS (Ageism Scale for Dental Students)?
  2. What elements of the curriculum have the greatest impact on ageism attitudes amongst dental students?
  3. Can our curriculum in geriatric dentistry be improved to better serve older adults in British Columbia?