This poster presentation deals with development and research work done to improve clinical training of oral hygienist students and dental students. A new model called „salutogenesis-based team-work in periodontal care“ was introduced to put emphasis on oral health promotion and on co-operation between health care professionals. The new model aimed to highlight oral health and to facilitate team-work among dental students of the Institute of Dentistry at the University of Helsinki and oral hygienist students of the Metropolia, University of Applied Sciences. Together the team examines their patients, documents results, and produces a tentative periodontal treatment plan for the patients. The implementation of the new model has confronted structural and practical challenges such as scheduling and organizing clinical periods of both students. The general objective of this research is to produce new knowledge and understanding of the practice of the new model in periodontal care to develop training and learning of all students and their teachers. The research questions are what kinds of challenges were faced during implementation phase of the new model and what kinds of solutions were created to solve these challenges.

The theoretical and methodological framework of the research is based on cultural-historical activity theory and developmental work research (Vygotsky, 1978, Leontjev, 1978, Engeström, 1987). Developmental work research is a Finnish originated approach that combines scientific inquiry, practical development work and learning (cf. Engeström, 2005). Research material involves videotaped treatment sessions with periodontal patients, oral hygienist students, dental students and their teachers. Also interviews of them after the treatment sessions are included into analyses.

In this poster presentation, we will present preliminary results of the analyses to research questions. For example, when implementing the new model a new type of working knowledge called knot-working is expected from the students (see Engeström, 2008) as well as boundary-crossing skills were needed from all who were involved in this multi-professional periodontal patients’ care.