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A skills audit for the dental curriculum
1Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, UK. d.mcdonald@sheffield.ac.uk
Summary
Dental graduates require core clinical, technical, and professional skills. Most essential skills are acquired during vocational training (VT), with some unexpected skills emerging by graduation and end of VT.
Area of Science:
- Dental Education
- Professional Skills Development
- Graduate Competencies
Background:
- Identifying core competencies for dental graduates is crucial for effective training.
- Understanding skill acquisition timelines informs curriculum development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the essential skills expected of new dental graduates.
- To assess when these core skills are acquired during vocational training.
Main Methods:
- A postal questionnaire surveyed General Dental Practitioners (GDPs) and Vocational Dental Practitioners (VDPs).
- Skills were defined as those expected by >50% of GDPs or used by >50% of VDPs during their VT year.
Main Results:
- GDPs identified 45 core skills for new graduates.
- The majority of these core skills were acquired by VDPs by the end of their VT year.
- VDPs acquired 10 unexpected skills by graduation, with 6 of these mastered by the end of VT.
Conclusions:
- This audit provides a benchmark for essential dental graduate skills.
- Findings support monitoring and enhancing skills development in undergraduate dental programs.