Strategy for teaching communication skills in dentistry

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Communication Skills Training
• Medical Pedagogy

Background:

• Effective communication is crucial for dental professionals.
• Existing communication skills training in dentistry requires further development.
• There is a need for evidence-based teaching strategies in dental education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel teaching strategy for enhancing communication skills in dental students.
• To assess the effectiveness and student perception of the implemented communication skills course.
• To provide a framework for future communication skills training in dental curricula.

Main Methods:

• A two-phase approach was used: course development and implementation, followed by strategy evaluation.
• The strategy integrated experiential learning with didactic teaching methods.
• Third-year dental students (n=67) participated, utilizing study guides, case studies, standardized patients, and feedback questionnaires.

Main Results:

• Students demonstrated significant improvement in communication skills post-training (p < 0.0001).
• Both male and female students highly rated the strategy's value, appropriateness, and effectiveness (mean scores 4.18 and 4.26/5).
• The assessment rubric and feedback questionnaires provided quantifiable data on skill improvement and strategy perception.

Conclusions:

• The developed teaching strategy is effective for improving dental students' communication skills.
• The strategy was perceived positively by students, indicating its value and appropriateness.
• This approach offers a robust model for communication skills education in dentistry.