A cross-sectional study of confidence in minor surgical skills amongst junior dentists

Improving dental student confidence through the use of simulated patient cases

INTRODUCTION

This study investigates whether student confidence could be improved through the use of simulated patient case-based scenarios.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Students in their 4th and 5th year of undergraduate study completed an online e-portfolio workbook consisting of activities related to five simulated patient cases. Following completion of the relevant learning activities within the e-portfolio, students then viewed a tutor case presentation video and attended simulated clinic sessions to complete corresponding exercises involving 3D-printed teeth related to the case. Subsequently, students undertook online self-reflection and goal-setting activities to aid their development. An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to all participants to gain insight into the themes of student confidence and learning support. The Cronbach's Alpha coefficient was calculated for both sections of the student questionnaire. The values for "student confidence" and "learning support" were α = 0.91 and α = 0.87, respectively.

RESULTS

There was a total of 89 valid student responses to the questionnaire (65%). A Spearman's correlation of rs  = 0.50 (p < .001) suggests a tentative causative correlation between the learning support offered through the simulated patient cases and student confidence. There was a positive directional relationship between engagement with the learning support of the simulated patient cases and student confidence scores.

CONCLUSION

Student confidence increased following the completion of simulated patient cases and students found the learning support offered beneficial to their development. This learning intervention has the potential to improve student self-efficacy, develop contextual competency and facilitate reflective practice. Simulated patient cases may be a useful precursor or adjunct to traditional patient clinics.

Dentists deployed: an insider's perspective of life on the NHS front line

The COVID-19 pandemic has stretched and overburdened healthcare services within the UK. This national crisis has led to the widespread redeployment of healthcare workers and reorganization of services throughout the NHS in the UK. The flexible and altruistic nature of healthcare workers has been inspiring, and central in the UK's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This article describes the 'first-hand' experience of a secondary care dentist, highlighting the redeployment journey to the emergency department (ED) of a major trauma hospital in the North-West of England during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Developing confidence in oral and maxillofacial dental core trainees: a national review of the trainee experience

This study considers the confidence of dental core trainees (DCTs) as they mature and progress through their first six months in an oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) training post. Trainees have different incentives for embarking on a year in OMFS: to develop additional skills before settling into general dental practice; as a step towards specialty training; and to help decide about their career direction. Traditionally, an OMFS year has been associated with creating well-rounded and confident clinicians. We surveyed 123 DCTs at three stages over a six-month period to monitor their confidence in 10 clinical domains: assessing dentofacial infection, mandibular fractures, midface fractures, intraoral/extraoral swellings, airway risks, intraoral/extraoral lesions (benign/malignant), CT/MRI scans, and performing intraoral/extraoral suturing. The study demonstrates an increase in trainee confidence across all domains over the first six months of an OMFS post, with a particularly significant increase in the assessment of dentofacial infection, mandibular/midface fracture, and both intraoral and extraoral lesions and swellings.

Self-confidence as a predictor of senior dental student academic success

PURPOSE

Noncognitive indicators, such as personality type and self-confidence, have been used as predictors of achievement. Accordingly, we investigated whether self-confidence in clinical skills predicts academic success among predoctoral senior dental students.

METHODS

Two consecutive cohorts (N = 336) of predoctoral senior dental students were invited to rate their self-confidence in clinical procedures twice: at the beginning and at the end of the academic year. Academic performance in clinical assessments was retrieved from scholastic records. Multiple linear regression models were constructed to predict clinical assessment grades using self-confidence scores as a predictor after controlling for possible confounders.

RESULTS

Self-confidence scores in clinical procedures were positively correlated with clinical and academic performance. Self-confidence in clinical procedures and grade point averages were consistent predictors of student performance. Additionally, self-confidence had improved at the end of the senior year (p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

Self-confidence in clinical procedures was a predictor of future clinical success. Therefore, fostering and nurturing the confidence of students and integrating self-confidence assessment into the curricula at relevant timepoints should be a goal in dental education. Moreover, self-assessment of confidence in clinical skills could be used to guide students and graduates in developing their own personal development plan.

Dental core training: the trainee perspective

Dental core training (DCT) is a postgraduate training period, eligible following successful completion of foundation/vocational training, which has multiple entry points and endpoints with a varied duration from one to three years. The introduction of national recruitment in 2017, away from a previous individual deanery-led process, has introduced new variables such as a ranking system for choosing training posts, with the outcome dependent on combined performance at interview and a situational judgement test for which competition is nationally against other applicants. This unique, trainee-led study provides an appreciation and understanding of the motivations and experiences of trainees who pursue DCT, such as the rationale behind location and speciality choice, the perception of national recruitment and the situational judgement test, and the influence of salary variation, alongside trainee perceptions and experiences of the training programme from inside the trainee perspective. Undertaking DCT is not a 'forever decision' and will stand the trainee in good stead in pursuit of speciality training or a return to general practice, with a wide variety of opportunities that can lead to fulfilment and a rewarding career pathway for enthusiastic dentists.

Awareness and Practices of Dental Students and Dentists Regarding Infection Control in Prosthodontic Clinics

Background:

Patient safety is a priority for achieving higher quality health care standards and human error> reduction.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of appropriate infection control practices in a prosthodontic clinic in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study included 460 dental students and dentists recruited from five centers. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaires> composed of 25 questions. The questionnaires> assessed infection control practices in prosthodontic clinics, including wearable barriers, disinfection measures among patients, disinfection of laboratory submissions, and proper infection control. Other questions assessed sources of knowledge, self-evaluation of knowledge, implementation, and satisfaction with knowledge application.

Results:

Total correct answers for proper practice (16 questions) had a mean of 12.5 with a standard deviation of 2.8. The most commonly practiced procedure was wearing a mask (99.8%) and the least was sterilizing the facebow before its use by the patient (53.7%). Participants from governmental colleges (m = 13.67, SD = 2.17) had significantly higher scores than participants from private colleges (m = 12.35, SD = 2.9),p<0.001. Only 2.8% had never attended a lecture, and only 13.8% had never had hands-on training for infection control. Despite 49.1% evaluating themselves as having very poor to poor knowledge, 90.7% had fair to very good valuation of their infection control implementations, and 87.6% were satisfied with their knowledge and performance levels.

Conclusion:

Dental students and dentists have high levels of adequate infection control practices in the prosthodontic clinic despite the moderate level of their satisfaction with their knowledge.