Community-based education: Experiences of undergraduate dental therapy students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Background: Community-based education (CBE) is a learning strategy that provides meaningful opportunities for students to apply theory learnt in a larger social and cultural context in various community settings. Although the benefits of CBE to health professional students are well documented, to date, there is little evidence describing dental therapy students' experiences.

Objectives: To describe the experience of CBE by undergraduate dental therapy students in the School of Health Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Methods: This descriptive study, conducted in 2016, gives insight into the experiences of community-based education among dental therapy students using a self-administered questionnaire eliciting qualitative data. Ethical clearance was obtained from the institution.

Results: Students reported perceived benefits of improved professional and personal growth, and a deeper understanding of cultural, social and economic influences on oral health care. Some of the perceived challenges included language barrier, limited resources and adapting to new environments.

Conclusion: The reported experiences of undergraduate dental therapy students involved in community-based clinical training suggest that students gained awareness of the context-specific challenges facing communities and health professionals in different oral health settings.