Use and perceived effectiveness of student support services in a first-year dental student population.

Full Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the severity of problems common to the first year of dental school and to assess the use and perceived effectiveness of formal and informal peer and professional support programs in addressing those problems. First-year students at one California dental school were surveyed on the severity of problems encountered, support services used, and perceived effectiveness of services. Results indicated that the problems perceived as most serious by students in this sample were of an emotional nature relating to academic performance. Findings showed that students relied heavily on themselves and on informal advice from peers to handle problems and that they perceived these resources to be very effective. Findings also showed that low-ranking students used both formal and informal resources to resolve problems and that females used resources outside of the school more than males did. Results of the study offer some evidence to support providing both formal and informal peer and faculty support programs for first-year dental students. Results also provide insight into the use of peers and "self" to resolve problems common to the first year of dental education.

Author information

Author/s: Burk, Dorothy T (DT); Bender, Daniel J (DJ);

Affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, 2155 Webster Street, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA. dburk(-atsign-)pacific.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Journal of dental education (J Dent Educ), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2005-Oct; vol 69 (issue 10) : pp 1148-60

Dates: Created 2005/10/05; Completed 2005/11/28;

PMID: 16204681, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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