North Texas Dentistry Volume 9 Issue 2 2019 ISSUE 2 DE | Page 5

Texas A&M College of Dentistry
The Pilot Program,
A Semester In
Student-faculty collaboration
by Jennifer Fuentes
is the cornerstone
Revamping a dental school’s curriculum
is far from an overnight process. The 12
students chosen to test-drive the college’s
new patient-care model since June 2018
will likely tell you they’ve experienced lots
of successes, a few approaches that have
been improved upon, and one unexpected
benefit: a level of collaboration with their
instructors they never otherwise would
have experienced.
“Our group leaders, Dr. Barrington and
Dr. Allen, are always open to feedback and
new ideas,” says fourth-year dental student
D4 Cameron Keylor. “Whether it is a for-
malized survey or simply daily conversa-
tion in the clinic, they are constantly asking
for our opinions. There is an open and hon-
est dialogue between the instructors and
the students on a daily basis, and I think
that is why the program works so well.”
The pilot program, composed of six D3s,
six D4s and eight faculty members, is
overseen by Dr. Jennifer Barrington, clin-
ical associate professor in general den-
tistry and director of comprehensive care,
along with Dr. Sarah Allen, clinical asso-
ciate professor in restorative sciences and
director of dental curriculum. Anytime
they encounter a problem — be it revamp-
ing current dispensary protocols to
accommodate the new program’s patient
appointment schedule or ensuring incom-
ing D3s have beefed up radiology training
prior to the fall semester so that they can
take X-rays on their own — they arrive at
a solution, in large part, because of stu-
dent input. Cooperation with other
departments, faculty and staff also is vital
to this process.
“Anything that is immediately significant,
we and students manage right then,” says
Barrington. And for changes that aren’t as
pressing? “We even have a shared Google
drive that we add comments to if students
are at home and they’re thinking about
challenges they encountered or ideas they
had during their day.
“That is one thing that the students really
like, that they do feel that they are making
a bigger difference for those who come
behind them.”
Problems are identified, solutions deter-
mined, and plans put in place for fall
2019, when the rest of their peers transi-
tion to the new curriculum in anticipation
of a move to the college’s new Clinic and
Education Building in January 2020.
Flexibility in numbers
Not only do students in the program work
with a consistent, core group of faculty,
the new curriculum model calls for collab-
oration among peers in different classes.
Instead of working independently with
patients, each D3 is assigned a D4 partner.
The two work in concert; one treating the
patient, the other assisting.
“Working with a D3 student requires a
balance of offering guidance while not
stepping on any toes,” says Keylor. “In the
same breath, I find myself learning some-
thing from my D3 pilot partner every day;
there is give and take on both ends of
the spectrum.”
Gone are two appointments a day. Since
students work in pairs, they improve effi-
ciencies. There’s time for more appoint-
ments, work-ins for existing patients with
emergency needs, and the ability to pro-
vide more treatment options.
On a Thursday afternoon in January, for
instance, the fluidity of the program is on
full display. It’s quieter in the pilot pro-
gram’s corner of the Third Floor Clinic
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