KCU-CDM’s Oral Health Center is an ap- proximately 100,000 square foot state-of- the-art clinical facility that will house our clinical education activities. The Oral Health Center has 92 patient operatories, 84 dental simulators and four reality dental simulators, a cutting-edge digital design lab with milling and 3D printing capabilities, and several dental imaging suites. With our integrated electronic health record, our students can apply what they have learned in the innova- tive curriculum and connect efficiently with other healthcare centers in the Four State Area to provide person-centered care to the local community. The Oral Health Cen- ter provides a welcoming environment to patients through myriad sustainable design features which maximize natural light, con- serve energy and mitigate future respiratory transmitted viruses. The configuration of our dental operatories support a Group Practice Model with eight teams of 10 students, each having a Group Practice Leader, Assistant Group Practice Leader and a Patient Care Coordinator to educate and coach students as they provide comprehensive oral health care for patients. The KCU Oral Health Cen- ter will hold its Ribbon Cutting on June 26 and will open for patient care in July 2023.
There is a wide range of opinions shared by doctors outside academia as to the quality of education that students are receiving today. How competent will new grads from KCU- CDM be, and what are you doing to assure you’re graduating professionals who can fill the dental needs of Missouri and elsewhere? And are they taught the latest techniques and provided with the best materials and tools?
The goal of the KCU-CDM is to graduate “practice-ready new dentists”. To accomplish this, we’ve built a state-of-the art Oral Health Center to provide clinical education that en- compasses the latest techniques and current materials. The Oral Health Center houses a simulation lab and virtual reality dental simulators to facilitate the development of clinical skills and to practice providing dental treatment for their patients virtually, prior to caring for the patients in person. A digital design center within the Oral Health Center will allow students to take digital impressions and either mill or print the restorations.
While students will learn the latest tech- niques in the newest facilities using current materials, student assessment is the more important aspect of clinical education. Faculty will be trained as coaches to pro- vide feedback with a growth mindset and use rubrics that have been developed to assess the clinical procedures students will perform. These rubrics can be used by faculty across clinical settings—in the sim clinic, in the Oral Health Center or in community rotations (rubrics are available at Kennedy E, Champion K and Niessen LC, Rubric development and peer review for predoctoral dental education. Journal of Dental Education, March 2023.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ doi/10.1002/jdd.13195).
Lastly, we have a passion for helping new dentists care for their community and for themselves. Our University-wide coaching program and resilience initiative, THRIVE, are foundational elements in the curriculum to assure these graduating professionals can pursue their careers with a sense of balance personally and professionally as they meet the oral health care needs of communities in Missouri and beyond.
KCU-CDM, like most dental schools, provides a viable safety net for individuals who may be unable to access the private sector for care. Is that beneficial to our readers who work in the private sector or are dental schools really their competitors?
Dental schools and our community’s practic- ing clinicians are partners in improving oral health care for patients. We have learned in Joplin both the private sector dentists and the dental school are all working toward the same goal, to “improve the well-being of the communities we serve.” Many commu- nity dentists serve as clinical faculty one or several days per week. Patients who visit a dental school may have oral conditions too complicated for dental students and may be referred to community dentists. Similarly, patients seen by community clinicians may be referred to dental schools for various reasons, e.g. patients have special healthcare needs or financial needs. As the dental com- munity increases, working together we will improve the health of the communities we serve.
As you know, the word “doctor” is derived from the Latin verb “docere,” meaning to teach. Many of the dentists I know are natural teach- ers and assume that role with patients, staff and others. My current position at the UMKC SOD allows me to share my passion for teach- ing. It often provides a highly rewarding transi- tion between private practice and retirement or on a part-time basis while still working. What types of opportunities might there be for dentists in the Missouri area to teach or share their expertise at KCU-Joplin?
Many dentists are natural teachers, and we welcome them to consider becoming faculty, either full-time or part-time. KCU-CDM has an excellent onboarding program to assist dentists to transition from practice to educa- tion and provide dentists with coaching training to enable them to provide feedback in a more positive manner. KCU-CDM is cur- rently seeking general dentists and special- ists in several areas. If you are interested in applying for a faculty position, contact Tosha Cunningham at
dentaljobs@kansascity.edu.
Dr. Niessen, in closing, are there any final thoughts that you would like to share with our readers regarding KCU-CDM or the challenges it will face?
I would like to thank the dentists of the Southwest Dental Society and Missouri Den- tal Association for welcoming Kansas City University College of Dental Medicine as a member of the dental community. Our den- tal students will benefit from your expertise and caring of your patients and as you serve as role models for this next generation of dentists. While our students will spend four years with KCU CDM, I hope they spend 40 years with MDA!
Dr. David Thein is a periodontist and associate clinical professor at UMKC School of Dentistry, where he advises students/residents/recent grads in professional career development and is course director for the practice management curriculum. Contact him at 816-835-7480 or drthein@drthein. com.
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