Dental and dental hygiene students' perceptions of a standardized patient instructor conflict resolution program.

The aim of this study was to examine students' perceptions of the value of a standardized patient instructor conflict resolution program designed to strengthen their communication and confidence during difficult patient conversations. Three cohorts of students at one dental school were part of the study: the dental class of 2013, the dental class of 2014, and the dental hygiene class of 2013. The same groups of students completed surveys immediately following the program and one, two, or three years afterwards. Response rates for the survey immediately after the program were 98 percent (n=99) of the dental class of 2013, 97 percent (n=103) of the dental class of 2014, and 100 percent (n=25) of the dental hygiene class of 2013. Response rates for the subsequent survey were 41.5 percent (n=42) of the dental class of 2013, 74.5 percent (n=79) of the dental class of 2014, and 100 percent (n=25) of the dental hygiene class of 2013. In the results, all students reported a high level of satisfaction in their immediate assessment of the program and its ability to prepare them for conflict situations. They also reported a high level of satisfaction in their retrospective self-assessment of conflict resolution skills. However, their assessment of the program's value and applicability appeared to have diminished over time. This study suggests that the program should continue being a part of both dental and dental hygiene curricula, with more training and guided experiences in self-assessment and perhaps supplemental experiences added.