Interdisciplinary health professions faculty's lived experiences with oral health curricular integration : an interpretative phenomenological analysis

The integration of oral health into health professions education and practice, or oral health integration, is one of the most pressing issues facing the United States health care system. Health professions faculty must be ready to engage in curriculum change to incorporate oral health clinical competencies in the education and training of future health professionals. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of oral health curricular integration among interdisciplinary health professions faculty at a large urban university in the northeastern United States. An interpretative phenomenological analysis approach was utilized. Data were collected through individualized, semistructured interviews. Data analysis yielded three superordinate themes: Support of curriculum change to reflect progress in the profession, Appreciation for support, and Sense of security when resources were available for oral health integration. Findings revealed that participants experienced a range of positive and negative reactions to oral health curricular integration. Participants described barriers and challenges associated with integrating oral health into their curriculum, through which they persevered. Several factors were identified as influencing the participants’ experiences, including support from peers and college leaders, positive feedback from students, and the availability of financial resources and ready-touse tools. Findings are relevant to health professions faculty and college administrators who aim to develop an integrated curriculum that addresses oral health and overall health. Additional research is needed to explore faculty experiences at various stages of the curriculum change process and at educational institutions that have difficulty with oral health curricular integration.