Kotter's change management approach to transforming oral healthcare delivery: A case study

Introduction: Despite progress in research and technological advancements, the delivery of oral health care continues to be plagued by disparities in accessibility and affordability. Dental caries and periodontal disease remain major issues, and new challenges such as socioeconomic disparities and emerging public health dangers also contribute to the complexity of the issue. To address these challenges, dental education and oral healthcare delivery must shift their focus from disease treatment to disease prevention and health promotion.

Methods: This paper presents the framework for implementing such a change at the UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry (UTSD) in keeping with its vision of improving both oral and overall health.

Results: To achieve this goal, the change process was guided by Kotter's 8-stage change process, which has resulted in accomplishing various objectives, including specific curricular modifications and establishing a clinical Center for Health Promotion (CHP).

Conclusion: Overall, the change process at UTSD was a systematic and collaborative effort to move toward a comprehensive person-centered clinical care model focused on disease prevention and health promotion. This approach reflects the commitment of the institution to improve oral and overall health for its patient population and to prepare the next generation of oral health care providers who practice within a compassionate, integrated, person-centered framework.