The University of Texas
Dental Branch at Houston A Part of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Dental Student Rotation
in Quality Assurance and Risk Management

Purpose:

The purpose of this rotation is to provide third and fourth year dental students with practical applications of quality assurance and risk management concepts and methods. The four hour experience will be lead by the Director of Quality Assurance and Risk Management, and will focus on record reviews, risk management case discussions, and an infection control exercise.

Format:

After an introduction to quality assurance and risk management concepts, each student will review five patient electronic patient records selected at random using a standardized evaluation instrument provided during the session. Secondly, the students will view a presentation of de-identified dental records with adverse clinical results. Interactive discussion will follow on steps that could have been taken during the treatment to better the eventual outcome for the patients. Thirdly, the students will evaluate the infection control process of an assigned clinic area utilizing the UTDB Infection Control Monitoring Form.

Objectives:

• To help students develop an appreciation for the concepts of quality assurance and risk management.
• To provide students with experience in evaluating the clinical records of others.
• To provide students with experience in applying risk management knowledge to evaluate cases with adverse outcomes.
• To provide students with experience in monitoring and reporting infection control practices in a clinical environment.

UTDB Competencies for the Predoctoral Curriculum addressed by this rotation:

Competency I: Principles of Professionalism, Ethics and the Law

• 2. Continuously analyze patient treatment outcomes for improvement of patient care.
• 4. Recognize the role of lifelong learning and self-assessment in maintaining competency
• 7. Apply the principles of ethical reasoning and professional responsibility as they pertain to patient care and practice management.

Competency II: Information Management and Critical Thinking

• 1. Apply critical thinking and problem solving skills in the comprehensive care of patients
• 2. Apply information technology resources in contemporary dental practice.

Competency III: Practice Management Philosophies

• 1. Perform and monitor infection control and environmental safety measures according to current standards.
• 2. Establish and maintain patient records.

Competency VI: Establishment and Maintenance of a Healthy Dental Patient

• 17. Anticipate, prevent and manage complications of dental treatment.
• 18. Periodically assess and monitor the patient's preventive care.

Evaluation Methods:

Completion of this rotation will be achieved through the student's active participation in the pre-assigned session and satisfactory completion of the exercises. The Director of Predoctoral Education will be notified of any deficiencies as they occur to allow remediation of the session, per criteria published in 5.50 of the Clinic Manual: Clinical Rotations & Blocking.

Location:

The preferred location for this rotation is the Simulation Center, or alternatively, the Library LRC with access to the EPR.

Logistics:

This rotation, beginning in Fall 2008, will be scheduled by the Director of Predoctoral Education during clinic hours.

One-half of a clinical practice will be scheduled per session (i.e. 8-10 students).

Third Year Dental Students will be scheduled in the Spring semester, and Fourth Year Dental Students will be scheduled in the Fall semester.