Reflective Learning in Community‐Based Dental Education

Abstract

Learners gain additional value from community‐based education when they are guided through a reflective process. The purpose of this article is to describe how structured reflection assignments and methods are incorporated in the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry's community‐based DISC (Dentistry in Service to Communities) program. The following strategies are described as ways to enrich community‐based learning experiences for dental students: photographic documentation; written narratives; critical incident reports; and mentored post‐experiential small group discussions. Fieldwork and course‐related examples are drawn from community‐based dental experiences to illustrate how reflective teaching approaches can enhance student learning. A directed process of reflection is suggested as a way to increase the impact of the community learning experience.