Using standardized patients to assess presentation of a dental treatment plan.

In this new era of relationship-based care, involvement in treatment planning and goal setting is a high priority for patient satisfaction. This study reports on the use of standardized patients (SPs) in training third-year dental students to gather dental, medical, and psychosocial information from patients and to involve the patient in the decision-making process leading to the dental treatment plan. Among the skill areas measured, students were most successful in gathering dental information, with 94 percent of the students obtaining the complete set. Students were least successful in identifying the patient's goals for treatment (81 percent of the students identified the patients' goals). Students were most challenged by discussing sensitive topics with patients such as grief-related depression (25 percent of the students recognized and discussed such topics). It is important that dental schools familiarize students with patient issues and teach them how to talk effectively to patients about personal issues and to incorporate those issues into a discussion of the treatment plan for the patient. Standardized patients can be used effectively toward this end.