Shifting the Focus Using Remote Training on Shared Decision-Making and Motivational Interviewing: A Quantitative Evaluation

Objective: To compare the pre–post intervention findings of dentists remotely trained to use shared decision-making (SDM) and motivational interviewing (MI) techniques. Methods: In partnership with the New York Simulation Center for the Health Sciences and a Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers consultant, three scenarios regarding interprofessional care were developed toward fostering the essential skills to build nonjudgmental dentist—patient partnerships: (1) screening and referral for the social determinants of health with an older adult dental patient; (2) parental consideration of the human papillomavirus vaccine for a 9-year-old dental patient; and (3) engagement with an obese adolescent dental patient to decrease their sugary drink intake. A Welch t-test was used to compare the importance and confidence ruler poll ratings pre–post intervention. Results: In Fall 2024, four remote objective structured clinical exercise training sessions were conducted where standardized participants previously trained as patients rotated between three different breakout rooms so that dentist learners were able to participate in all three scenarios. The subset of dentist learners who responded to both the pre- and post-intervention surveys (37%) reported both greater use and usefulness of MI when discussing oral health recommendations with their patients/parents after the training. Poll results with 16 dentist learners were that they were more likely to feel confident in using SDM and MI techniques with parents/patients post- versus pre-intervention: mean difference [95% confidence interval] = 1.12 [−0.16, 2.41]. Conclusions: Respectful, participatory training strategies can shift the focus from healthcare providers as the authorities to patients as the agents of their behavior change.