Moving EAN Training from the Classroom to the Clinic

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Moving EAN Training from the Classroom to the
Clinic

• Melanie W. Gironda, MSW, PhD
• Karen Lefever, PhD
• Division of Public Health
• Community Dentistry
• UCLA School of Dentistry

Project Funded by the Archstone Foundation Elder
Abuse and Neglect Initiative 08-01-04
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Successes and Accomplishments

• Addressed skeptics who said curriculum cant
  handle additional content by using a modular
  approach
• Developed an EAN knowledge, attitudes, beliefs
  survey for dental professionals
• Gathered data (focus group and survey) from
  faculty and dental students
• Added EAN content to DDS curriculum
• Developed collaborative relationships with other
  Archstone grantees
• Presented findings at key dental and gero
  conferences

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Phase II Project Goals

• Improve detection and reporting of EAN in a
  dental school clinic
• Institutionalize the EAN training curriculum to
  provide lasting change to the culture and mission
  of the UCLA School of Dentistry
• Disseminate program progress and results

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The Big Picture

• Phase I
• Put EAN on the radar of students and faculty
• Increased focus on aging in schools curriculum
• Demystified the EAN reporting process

• Phase II
• Institute EAN assessment protocol on clinic
• Formalize the EAN modules in the curriculum
• Include EAN assessment and response as a
  graduation competency

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Value Added

• Identified a group of health providers who are
  mandated reporters and who see EAN.
• Improve services to EAN victims in CA by adding
  another group of health providers to the
  front-lines.
• Educating other EAN providers of the role dental
  professionals can play in detecting and reporting
  EAN.

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Get Smart

• Used drop-in modules versus one new course
• Understood the need for different methods for
  different topics with different student cohorts.
• Addressed factors that limit student motivation
  to consider oral health in a broader context
• Linked EAN content to students clinical
  experiences
• Emphasized dentists role as part of a larger
  team of care providers

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Surprise!

• A CARROT CAME UP
• Broader impact on School culture than anticipated
• Self-neglect
• Large patient pool of medically compromised
  and/or frail elderly
• No formal protocol in place when abuse is
  suspected
• A key goal of Phase II