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Background: Student feedback obtained through traditional end-of-course evaluations may not provide information needed to make substantive adjustment to course curricula. Mid-point student evaluations could potentially provide greater insight for improved teaching and instructional changes. Purpose: This paper describes the use of mid-course feedback to modify the structure and enhance student experience for a service-learning (SL) program. Methodology: Dental students completed mid-course surveys during four academic years, ranking their perceptions of level of preparedness for, and value of, the SL program components as well as suggestions for program improvement. Results were analysed for differences by academic year. Qualitative analysis was conducted for open-ended questions. Findings: Students' rankings varied by SL activity but were primarily positive for all academic years. Statistically significant increases in student value for specific program activities were observed in later years in response to course changes. Over time, student recommendations changed from an early focus on logistics to an emphasis on program content and value. Implications: Actively seeking timely and specific feedback from students enabled course faculty to make changes that lead to improvement in students' experience and a greater appreciation of the purpose of SL.

Background Successful medical-dental integration is key to achieving children's health equity. In 2015, a community health center (CHC) in Boston, Massachusetts, implemented a model of interdisciplinary care in a nationwide pilot. Based on the Oral Health Delivery Framework, pediatricians were trained to assess dental caries risk and apply fluoride varnish. They were trained to offer education materials to patients, incorporate oral health assessment in pediatric practice, and document preventive dental care in the electronic health record. This study assessed the level of medical-dental integration achieved by the pilot and maintained over 2 years after program implementation. Methods Deidentified data were provided by the CHC on all well-child visits during 2014 to 2018 for children 72 months or younger, including appointment dates, age, ethnicity, race, insurance status, and outcomes of interest (ie, whether a dental assessment was performed and whether fluoride varnish was applied). Outcomes were stratified by visit year to allow pilot (2015-2016) outcomes to be compared to pre-pilot (2014) and post-pilot (2017-2018) outcomes. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Results Pediatricians performed fluoride varnish applications and dental assessments in 25% and 0% of visits, respectively, at baseline; in 50.2% and 49.4% of visits, respectively, at the pilot's end; and in 56.7% and 57.3% of visits, respectively, 2 years post-pilot. Conclusions The proportion of well-child visits during which pediatricians integrated oral health preventive measures increased by roughly 25% to 50% from baseline (2014) to the end of the pilot (2016) and by at least 5% from 2016 to 2018. The success of this medical-dental integration pilot underscores the need for broader implementation of interprofessional education and practice to promote children's health equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an early stage of memory loss beyond the typical cognitive decline that can happen during aging. Other studies have documented the bidirectional relationship between poor oral health and other chronic health conditions, most of which are also related to host inflammatory response, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease ([3]). The analytic sample included 5 709 Hispanic/Latino adult immigrants enrolled in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos and the Study of Latinos - Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging. [Extracted from the article]