Sociology and Psychology for the Dental Team: An Introduction to Key Topics HARDBACK [Scambler - Wiley - Blackwell]

The role that the social and behavioural sciences play in the daily practice of dentistry is now an essential part of all dentistry training, but it can often seem distant from the reality of daily clinical practice. Dentists often ask: what is sociology? Why do I need to know about psychology? Why do I need sociology to be an effective dentist? How can sociology and psychology help improve my clinical practice? This new textbook answers these important questions and shows how the social and behavioural sciences can inform the practice of dentistry and allied healthcare services in the twenty-first century. It provides a comprehensive, accessible introduction to sociology and psychology for dentistry students with no prior knowledge of the subject, as well as postgraduate (post-qualification) practising dentists with experience of dealing with social and behavioural issues in their daily work. Although the book assumes little or no previous knowledge of psychology or sociology it also provides enough depth to meet the needs of those with some background in these fields. Throughout, the links between sociology and psychology and everyday practice are emphasised and explained and theoretical concepts are put into the context of everyday clinical work. The book provides clearly defined learning aims and objectives and summaries of important concepts and questions for discussion. The authors have extensive experience in teaching and researching the social and behavioural sciences from basic undergraduate to post-doctoral levels. This book will be an indispensable teaching aid within dental health education, and other allied health and social care disciplines.