Knowledge and attitude differences among students at dental-education institutions as a result of interprofessional education

Background: Interprofessional education (IPE) is an integrated-learning concept designed to improve the collaborative ability of health workers through multi-professional learning. To allow dental graduates to perform collaborative practices with other health practitioners and to support quality services at health-care facilities, IPE must be implemented throughout Indonesian dental-education institutions (DEIs). Objective: The aim of this study is to analyze the differences in knowledge and attitude between students from DEIs that have implemented IPE and those who have not. Method: Descriptive analytic observational research with cross-sectional design. Knowledge is measured via a questionnaire designed by the authors, and attitude is measured using the interprofessional-attitude-scale questionnaire. The total sample consists of 249 students from 3 DEIs: 90 from the Universtas Gadjah Mada (UGM), 76 from Universitas Muhamadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY), and 83 from Universitas Trisakti (Usakti). The subjects were selected purposively using a total sampling method. Result: Statistical testing shows that students from DEIs that have implemented IPE better understand the benefits, competencies, and approach of IPE with a P < 0.05. The Kruskal–Wallis test for attitude also found better results for students from DEIs that had implemented IPE in terms of teamwork, role and responsibility, interprofessional bias, and diversity and ethics with a P < 0.05. Conclusion: There were differences in student knowledge and attitude due to the implementation of IPE at DEIs. Students from universities that have implemented IPE (UGM, UMY) appear to have better knowledge and attitude than students from those that have not (Usakti). However, in several aspects, there were no significant differences between the two groups of students.