Providing preventive dental care in the community using the team approach: a comparison of five training programs

Five dental schools developed training programs for dental and dental auxiliary students in planning and delivering preventive dental services in a community setting. The schools (1) designed a curriculum that would train dental students to plan, organize, and manage the delivery of community preventive services using a team approach; (2) developed a related curriculum for dental auxiliary students; (3) implemented the program intramurally and extramurally in selected community settings; and (4) planned and conducted an evaluation of the program. Each school individualized the program to the interests of its students, the constraints of its curriculum, and the needs of community groups. A total of 228 dental and 576 dental auxiliary students were trained. A full range of community sites and target populations were provided with preventive dentistry services.