Dental–Pharmacy Collaboration: A Mixed‐Methods Evaluation of a Case‐Based IPE Session
Abimbola Oladayo, Mohamed Rahhal, Amy M. Tiemeier, Jeneen Panezai, Hanan OmarABSTRACT
Purpose
Safe management of medically complex dental patients increasingly depends on purposeful collaboration between dentists and pharmacists, yet discipline‐spanning training opportunities remain uneven. This study aims to evaluate the impact of a brief, case‐anchored interprofessional education (IPE) session on collaborative practice competencies between dental and pharmacy students, using anticoagulant management as the shared clinical problem.
Methods
In a single 3‐hour session, third‐year dental and second‐year pharmacy students (n = 118) completed a case on dental extraction for a patient taking apixaban, role‐clarification exercises, and a team counseling simulation with gamified review. A retrospective pre–post Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS) assessed self‐rated competencies (paired‐samples t ‐tests; Cohen's d). Open‐ended reflections were analyzed with reflexive thematic analysis aligned to CRe‐DEPTH reporting.
Results
Nineteen of 20 ICCAS items improved significantly (p < 0.05). Effect sizes were small‐to‐moderate (0.49–0.71), with largest gains in non‐judgmental communication, respectful conflict management, co‐developing care plans, and constructive feedback. Thematic analysis indicated (1) clearer understanding of complementary roles and consult triggers; (2) greater confidence communicating across disciplines; and (3) logistical frictions (timing/instructions) that reduced engagement for some learners.
Conclusions
A concise, case‐based dental–pharmacy IPE focused on high‐risk pharmacotherapy can measurably strengthen collaborative competencies and role clarity. Enhancing logistics and embedding explicit consult pathways may further amplify impact. Findings support integrating targeted dental–pharmacy IPE into predoctoral curricula to accelerate readiness for safe, team‐based care.