Gathering information 2: methods of assessment

Undergraduates' and graduates' perception of achieved competencies in temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain in a problem-based dental curriculum in Sweden

AIMS

Aims of this study were to assess undergraduates' and graduates' perceptions of their education by documenting their attitudes and investigating acquired competencies in temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and orofacial pain (OP).

METHODS

In 2006, 141 undergraduates (in semesters 1, 6, and 10 of a 5-year dental programme) and 60 graduates of 2000 and 2001 were invited to fill in questionnaires designed for their levels. The four questionnaires contained open-ended questions, closed-ended questions, and questions requiring a scaled response on an 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS). Questions covered personal experience of pain, attitudes toward TMD/OP, clinical competencies, and satisfaction with their education. Participants rated importance of and satisfaction with clinical competencies on a 5-point scale.

RESULTS

The importance of understanding TMD/OP patients was rated high (NRS 9-10) and attitudes to given statements about TMD/OP patients were positive. In general, perception of clinical competencies increased with level of education. Mean scores for importance of and satisfaction with clinical competencies of 10th semester undergraduates and graduates were above 4.0. Median graduate satisfaction with undergraduate education in TMD/OP patient management was high (NRS 9). All but one graduate had treated patients with TMD/OP. One-third of the responding graduates expressed a wish for additional training, such as in pharmacological treatment and evaluation of treatment outcome.

CONCLUSION

In general, the perception of acquired clinical competencies in TMD and OP increased with level of education, and the importance of, and satisfaction with, training was highly rated. Positive attitudes toward these kinds of patients were expressed at all levels.

Clermont-Ferrand dental school curriculum: an appraisal by last-year students and graduates

OBJECTIVE

Last-year students and young graduates of the Clermont-Ferrand dental school (France) assessed their professional skills in order to shed light on those which are perfectly mastered and those which are not, with the aim of improving the undergraduate training given by the school.

METHODS

A questionnaire was handed out to students in their last two years and to young graduates (n = 170). They were asked to appraise their self-assessed level concerning 52 skills using a 0-10 visual analogue scale. The respondents also had to highlight the five skills which, according to them, needed to be improved during the programme.

RESULTS

Thirteen skills obtained a score lower than 5/10 showing a need of more thorough training, notably in the fields of implantology, paradontal surgery, temporomandibular joint disorders and dental practice financial management. Among these, five skills were found that demand in depth acquisition according to respondents. However, these five skills are not necessarily the ones which obtained the lowest scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Our school needs to improve the quality of its training, notably by reorganising some of its courses and by intensifying student' training in outreach programmes, particularly in private practice, where skills like the financial management of a dental practice could be more easily acquired than in a hospital environment.

A Survey of Self-Perceived Educational Needs of General Dental Practitioners in the Merseyside Region

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the self-perceived educational needs of a randomly selected group of general dental practitioners (GDPs) in the Merseyside region (UK).

Materials and Methods

Eighty-seven GDPs were randomly selected from 850 in the region and asked to complete a self-evaluation questionnaire regarding their self-perceived educational needs.

Results

Seventy-five (86%) responded, of which 52 (69.3%) were male and 23 (30.7%) female. There was no significant difference in self-perceived knowledge in any of the dental disciplines when gender and period of time since qualification were used as predictor variables. The majority of the GDPs felt they had a good knowledge of restorative dentistry and dental radiography. Some of the GDPs felt they had poor knowledge in implant dentistry, oral medicine, orthodontics, dental sedation techniques, oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics and dental radiography. None of the respondents felt they had poor knowledge in restorative dentistry, prosthodontics and paediatric dentistry. Seventy-four (98.7%) of the responding GDPs were motivated to attend continuing professional development (CPD) courses because of an interest in a particular dental discipline and only one reported attending out of personal learning needs. Implant dentistry was indicated by 30 (40.0%) of the respondents as their training programme of choice.

Conclusions

The respondents had high self-perceived knowledge of restorative dentistry, dental radiography, periodontics, endodontics, paediatric dentistry and prosthodontics. The respondents had low self-perceived knowledge of implant dentistry, orthodontics, oral medicine and dental sedation techniques. Of GDPs surveyed, 98.7% applied for courses they liked to attend, rather than needed to attend. Fifty-two per cent of male GDPs surveyed expressed a desire for training in implant dentistry.