Tackling Stress Management, Addiction, And Suicide Prevention In A Predoctoral Dental Curriculum

Evidence Base:

"More than 500 students’ self-reflections collected over the past five years illustrate the seriousness of the issues discussed and the level of discomfort students experience when pondering such issues. The instructors hope to have increased students’ awareness of the stressors in their profession. Further studies are needed to unravel the extent to which such pedagogy influences a balanced practice of dentistry"(p.1286)

Relevance To Canadian Context:

Explaining the relevance of the Canadian intervention they explore in the paper, authors state: " Although dental students may receive some education on stress management, the harmful effects of addiction to licit and illicit drugs, and coping skills development,1,2,7,11 less attention has been placed on suicide prevention"(p. 1287)

Other Important Information:

The authors conclude the paper by calling on "other dental schools to foster an open dialogue about the benefits and challenges of incorporating suicide prevention within predoctoral dental training."(p.1292)