Professional development for dentists: patterns and their implications

Approaches to models of professional development for dentists continue to evolve. This study examined the participation and attitudes of dentists in non-formal and informal professional development and continuing dental education.

Two methodologies were utilised: a self-administered cross-sectional survey of dentists in Victoria, Australia (conducted October to December, 1994), and a review of the records of the Continuing Education Unit of the School of Dental Science at The University of Melbourne for 1995 to 1999. For the cross-sectional survey, the sampling frame was the register of dentists of the Dental Board of Victoria in 1994.

From a sample of 616 dentists invited to participate, 396 usable questionnaires were returned (response rate, 66.8 per cent). The valid data indicated that 52.5 per cent of dentists belonged to a study group, 66.5 per cent subscribed to at least one dental journal (other than the Australian Dental Journal), 88.9 per cent discussed dental matters with colleagues regularly, 98.6 per cent personally assessed their own work, 13.3 per cent did not attend continuing education courses and 18.1 per cent did not complete any courses in the year preceding the survey. Participation patterns in continuing education courses were related to socio-demographic characteristics of dentists. Some support was apparent for flexible delivery options for professional development.

Involvement of dentists in Victoria, Australia in professional development activities is high, with complex participation patterns. Whether these patterns adequately address their own and the community's needs for such activities is debatable. Such issues should impact on any regulatory models for professional development for dentists and the development and use of alternative continuing education modalities.