Use of a problem-oriented dental record in undergraduate dental education.

This paper describes how the concepts and methods of problem-orientation have been applied in the clinical education of dental students. It makes the point that the problem-oriented dental record is only one part of a complete system which has five interrelated components. The problem-oriented dental record is discussed in detail, and the paper includes examples of all four sections of the record. All sections of the record are interrelated, and the steps in identifying and resolving problems follow a logical sequence: (1) collect the data base, (2) write the cue list, (3) write the problem list, (4) write the initial plan, (5) write the final plan, and (6) record progress. The problem-oriented dental record is seen as a tool for patient care, audit, and education. The main advantage lies in the way information is organized and recorded. The record is highly communicative and permits everyone involved an opportunity to relate the data collected to the problem list and to the decisions made regarding how problems will be resolved. The record and the systems were borrowed from Weed and are being adapted for use in dentistry. Although still in the trial stages, this system has proven to have many more advantages than other record-keeping systems and is invaluable as a tool for education. In the future we plan to use computers to help store and retrieve data from these records. We anticipate that a dental education built on this record will have a lasting impact on the graduates' approach to patient care. This should result in a graduate who is conversant with medical colleagues and systematic in the collection of data, listing of problems, and resolution of patient problems. Finally, we believe that the problem-oriented dental record is also a good tool to help the dental graduate become more empathetic with patients and more aware of their total health needs. The record provides a mechanism for recording physical and emotional information as well as the oral status.