Patients are screened in the Oral Diagnosis Clinic. This clinic is staffed by faculty and assigned students on an oral diagnosis rotation (see section 1.1.3.1 Clinic Schedules). After completing the screening process, patients may be recommended for the student clinic, Advanced Education in General Dentistry program, or may be rejected from all school programs.
Common reasons for rejection from the student clinics are the case may be too complex for a student or other reasons that may make it difficult to deliver the dental care required.
During the assessment examination, key factors are entered into the axiUm record to categorize the patient’s dental needs. Once the examination is complete and the patient has been provisionally accepted into the program, the assessment information is provided to the Assistant Dean of Clinical Affairs.
On a bi-weekly basis, these patients are assigned to the Group Practice Directors. Senior patient assignments are made by the Group Practice Director to his/her students via the Communications Center. Junior patient assignments are made by faculty designated to either Miranda, Robertson, or Shillingburg Clinic. Sophomore patients are assigned by the Sophomore faculty designated for assignments.
While students are on scheduled rotation in the Oral Diagnosis clinic, they may screen a patient whose needs match their clinical requirements. A request for a specific assignment of a patient, who a student has personally screened, may be submitted to the Assistant Dean of Clinical Affairs; however, there is no agreement that the patient will be assigned to the requested student. Students are not to make promises to any patient regarding when or to whom the assignment will be made.
A student may personally screen and request assignments from family members, friends, or relatives of patients already in their patient family. Such assignment requests will usually be honored, provided the patient’s dental needs meet the student’s level of ability.
Once a patient assignment has been made by the Group Practice Director or DS2 Faculty Advisor, the patient’s information is referred to the Communications Center for entry of the assignment and scheduling of the initial workup appointment.
