Jacqueline A Singleton
University of Louisville School of Dentistry, USA
Title: Tobacco dependence treatment education for dental students using standardized patients
Biography
Biography: Jacqueline A Singleton
Abstract
The use of standardized patients (SPs) shows promise in tobacco cessation treatment (TCT) training by providing a
simulated clinical environment for dental students to practice counseling skills with individuals trained to portray
patients. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge between
dental students who received a lecture along with practice sessions using SPs and those who received a lecture only. Dental
students in an introductory clinical course at one dental school were invited to participate in the study by completing a preand
post-questionnaire. The pre-questionnaire was administered to all students prior to a tobacco cessation lecture. Students
were group-randomized to either the intervention or control group. The intervention group completed the post questionnaire
after the lecture and practice sessions with SPs, and the control group completed it after the lecture only. Of 98 students who
attended the lecture and were invited to participate in the study, a total of 94 from the two groups (96%) provided two linkable
questionnaires for analysis. In the results, training with lecture and SPs increased the students’ understanding of barriers,
subjective norms, perceived skills, self-efficacy, and intentions to provide TCT more than those in the lecture only; however,
it did not significantly increase their attitudes and knowledge. The findings suggest that using SPs is a valuable educational
method to promote the provision of TCT by dental students and graduates.