Self-reported experience of Outreach activities amongst undergraduate Oral Health students at a University in South Africa

Abstract

Abstract: Outreach activities is regarded as a form of experiential education defined through structured learning experiences, combining intentional learning goals with service to the underserved community through student participation. Oral health students at the University of Pretoria participated in outreach activities on the Phelophepa Train and local school-based programmes performing dental extractions, dental restorations, scaling and polishing and oral health education. The objective of this study was to identify the type and number of dental services that were rendered during outreach activities and to determine if outreach activities contributed to self, social and academic development of the students. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study and all undergraduate final year dental (N=52) and oral hygiene students (N= 13) enrolled for 2019 at UP, School of Dentistry were invited to participate. Students completed a self-administered modified questionnaire consisting of both open and closed questions after participation in outreach activities. Confidentiality and anonymity was ensured by not asking the students to write down their names or any other variable that might link them to their responses. Ethical clearance was obtained from the University of Pretoria, Ethical Committee. Data was captured on an Excel spreadsheet and then imported onto Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 26 for analysis. The analysis was purely descriptive. Quantitative variables included the means, standard deviations, range and percentages of the demographic data; number and type of procedures performed daily on the Phelophepa Train and school outreach; work-related limitations: personal work, self-development and personal development traits; academic development and civic responsibility Results: The response rate was 93% (N=65). 70.8% were female. The results for both groups of students (dental and oral hygiene) did not indicate any significant differences; however, the Phelophepa Train reported performing more procedures compared to the school activities. Dental students completed more dental examinations 85.5%, screening services 86.6% dental extractions 96.2% and dental restorations 75% on the Phelophepa Train in relation to the local school-based programmes; dental examinations 57.6% screening services 38.4% dental extractions 42.2% and dental restorations 69.2%. Oral hygiene students reported that they completed the same amount of dental examination procedures 69.3% and screening services100% on the Phelophepa Train and local school-based programmes. Oral hygiene 38.5% students completed between one and five fissure sealants at the school-based programmes than on the Phelophepa Train 15.4% and between 11 and 15 scaling and polishing’s 7.7% at school-based programmes in comparison to the Phelophepa Train 46.2%. Collectively inadequate materials 100%, infection control 69.3% and defective equipment 56.9% were some of the major work-related concerns experienced. Students reported and agreed that outreach activities encouraged them to develop and improve their independence, accountability, humanitarianism and compassion towards communities and patients. Overall 97% of students reported, that during and after participation of outreach activities they were more responsive to the needs of the attended communities and they believed their motivation to treat underserved communities would contribute immensely to their social responsibility after qualifying as dental professionals. Conclusion: Overall students were able to perform dental examinations, screening services, dental extractions, oral health education, scaling and polishing’s and more while on outreach activities. Students reported on the positive influences that outreach activities had on their personal, self, social development, including their academic and civic responsibility towards the underserved communities. Students reported that teamwork 81.5% on the Phelophepa Train and 38.5% at school outreach projects respectively benefited their personal work experience with eighty percent of students reporting that enhancement of clinical skills were experienced on the Phelophepa Train and 23.1% by school outreach projects respectively. Students reported their self-development improved due to working independently both on the train 92.3% and at the school outreach 47.7% projects respectively with 66.2% of students on the Phelophepa Train reporting they experienced personal growth compared to 32.3% of students at school outreach. In total 86.1% of students reported, they strongly agreed that their academic curriculum prepared them effectively to work on patients of diverse ethnicity in relation to 13.9% who strongly disagreed with eighty one point six percent of students who strongly agreed they were able to apply their theoretical learning and practical competence skills on the outreach activities compared to 18.5% students who strongly disagreed. In total 97% of students self-reported they strongly agreed that outreach activities made them more responsive to the needs of the attended communities and 3.1% of students strongly disagreed with ninety-seven percent of students reporting that after qualifying, they would be motivated to contribute to the social responsibility for the underserved communities, however 2.65% of students strongly disagreed with the statement. Recommendations based on experiences of self-reporting by students included inadequate materials of which seventy four percent and 41.5% of the students reported as one of the most common work-related limitations for the Phelophepa Train and school outreach projects. Additionally students reported defective equipment 30.8% on Phelophepa Train and 38.5% at school outreach including infection control 41.5% at school outreach and 15.4% on Phelophepa Train as important limitations. Self-reporting by students indicated that the specific objectives of the study which where to; determine the number and type of dental services rendered during outreach activities; determining if outreach activities contributed to self and social development of students and determining if outreach activities contributed to the academic and civic development of students have been achieved as stated. The autonomy to work alone and the exposure to the community encouraged students to develop and improve their independence, accountability, humanitarianism and compassion towards communities and patients. Participants were confident in applying their theoretical learning and practical competence skills during the outreach activities. The results of the survey, taking in the considerable limitations suggest that outreach activities may be important because of the self-reported benefits and positive development traits experienced by students as a result of the outreach activities. Outreach activities demonstrated to have an impact on the personal work, self and academic development and civic responsibility of reporting participants.