The clinical and classroom information and experiences encompass the vital components of a dental hygiene curriculum. Ensuring that the students have a complete understanding of how to incorporate and utilize information gained in the classroom setting into clinical situations is vital for the students and instructors in the success of the dental hygiene program. Establishing the habits of pre-clinic and post-clinic conferences is a way to establish goals, focus attention and to emphasize the information gained from classroom and link it to experiences gained in the clinic. This process of these conferences will allow for a deeper level of thinking and learning to occur. Students will no longer just be able to recite information (lowest level of cognitive domain) they will be able to adapt to situations and create solutions to any problem that they come in contact with and be critical in their thinking about how they responded to the situation ( highest of cognitive domain). (234-237)
Preconference is intended to establish goals for the day and prepare the student for the scenarios that they come in contact with that day. This time may establish a level of understanding from the instructor’s point of view as to how well prepared each student is on that given day. (181)
Post-conference is a great way to allow for the student to self-reflect on the day and what went right, what could have been better and what they learned during that particular clinic experience. (195)
Establishing the habits of preparing and evaluating our performances will create lasting habits that carry over into the real world. Connecting the information we learn from the classroom and incorporating a deeper understanding in the clinic experiences will cause a longer lasting and more meaningful educational journey to occur.
Clinical Instruction and Evaluation, a Teaching Resource, 3rd Edition. Andrea O’Connor