Value-based care (VBC) is a new concept in dentistry, and moving to VBC models will require work and support in dental education, according to a new article in the Journal of Dental Education. The article, authored by researchers at CareQuest Institute and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Adams School of Dentistry, found that dental school faculty have some understanding of VBC, but more training and guidance is needed to prepare faculty to teach the concept to dental students.
Researchers interviewed dental school faculty to establish a baseline of their knowledge of VBC and to understand what they need to educate dental students about VBC. The authors write:
“If dental graduates are to be ready to emphasize health outcomes and be part of a value-based system, dental curricula must include a focus on these components. Teaching VBC is a paradigm shift from traditional dental curricula focused on clinical skills . . . "
Faculty and subject matter experts interviewed said that a change in teaching to include VBC will need support from clinical faculty and institutional leadership.
Read the article in the Journal of Dental Education (subscription required)
You may also be interested in:
- Exploring Connections to Value-Based Care in Dental Education, a poster presentation at the 2022 National Oral Health Conference examines results from a survey of dental school deans about current VBC approaches and designs. Sixty-five percent of respondents said that VBC was not currently included in didactic curriculum.
- An Introduction to Value-Based Care — in Five Minutes, a blog post that provides a basic understanding of VBC and compares a traditional dental care model to a VBC model.
- Value-Based Care: The Federally Qualified Health Center Story, a white paper, developed in collaboration with the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), that discusses how FQHCs can lead the transformation into a value-based system.