Opportunities for faculty-librarian collaboration in an expanded dentistry curriculum.

Abstract

With the increased emphasis on evidence-based practice, developing information literacy (IL), as well as other literacies (e.g., oral), earlier in programs is becoming widely accepted in medicine and allied fields. However with long-standing programs integration of IL instruction is often unplanned at the programmatic level. This contributes to deficiencies in advanced students and frustrations for students and faculty. The Indiana University School of Dentistry has expanded its Dental Hygiene curriculum from a two-year program to a four-year Bachelor of Science. This expansion provided the opportunity to plan integration of information and oral health literacy instruction and evidence-based practice across the new curriculum. Library and Dental Hygiene faculty collaborated to adapt existing undergraduate and oral health pedagogies and assessments, as well as create new ones which are appropriate for integration into various courses. This expanded curriculum integrates lesson plans, assignments, and assessments that support dental hygiene and other health fields but also complement general education and provide transferrable skills for any major. Courses have heavy librarian integration, both in the classroom and the course management software, as well as asynchronous learning tools, with opportunities for team teaching and robust student assessment, including authentic assessment.