"I'll never forget this": evaluating a pilot workshop in effective communication for dental students

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Communication Skills Training
• Experiential Learning

Background:

• Effective communication is crucial for dental professionals.
• Existing dental curricula may lack sufficient communication skills training.
• Short, integrated workshops offer a flexible training model.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a pilot workshop for teaching communication skills to dental students.
• To assess the perceived effectiveness and value of the workshop.
• To explore the impact of experiential learning on communication skill development.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an experiential learning approach with realistic clinical scenarios and simulated patients.
• Integrated a teaching team of educational researchers and dentists.
• Adapted methodology for short, frequent workshops throughout the curriculum.
• Piloted with 94 dental students from sixth and tenth semesters.

Main Results:

• The majority of students found the workshop tasks meaningful and relevant to their future dental practice.
• Most students reported learning valuable communication skills from the tasks.
• Students perceived the workshop as thought-provoking, providing structure and intellectual tools.
• Explicit criteria for high-quality communication contributed to the workshop's effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• The pilot workshop successfully enhanced communication skills for dental students.
• Experiential learning and realistic scenarios are effective pedagogical tools in dental education.
• The workshop model provides a structured and intellectually stimulating approach to communication training.
• Frequent, integrated communication skills training is recommended throughout dental curricula.