Student and clinical supervisor perceptions of community-based dental educational experiences: A scoping review

Purpose: This scoping review was conducted to map the breadth of experiences in community-based dental education (CBDE), as reported by students and clinical supervisors.
Methods: This scoping review was conducted following the structured framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley and adhering to PRISMA-SCR guidelines for scoping reviews. Applying specified eligibility criteria, a systematic search of four electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science) was followed by data extraction and data synthesis of full-text articles. Research was conducted between June 2022 and September 2022.
Results: Sixteen articles were identified for the final full-text review. Utilizing a narrative thematic review, the following five domains emerged: preparation for autonomous practice, understanding of primary care dentistry, understanding of health disparities and patient needs, clinical confidence, clinical diversity, and skill development, and perspectives on quality of teaching and assessment.
Conclusion: Community/outreach dental education effectively supplements traditional dental school-based education from the perspectives of students and community-based clinical supervisors.