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

This study evaluated a pilot workshop for teaching communication skills to dental students. The methodology is based on an experiential learning approach, the use of realistic clinical scenarios, simulated patients, and an integrated teaching team of both educational researchers and dentists. Furthermore, the methodology was adapted for short workshops, which is thought to offer better possibilities for frequent and effective training of communication skills throughout the curriculum. The work-shop was piloted with groups of six to ten students from the sixth and tenth semesters (n=94). Results show that the majority of students found the tasks meaningful and well aligned with how they perceived their future profession as dentists. Most students also thought that they learned from the task. An interesting finding is that students not only found it instructive to practice how to communicate in authentic situations, but that they generally found the workshop to be thought-provoking while at the same time providing structure and intellectual tools for the future. A possible explanation for this finding is the sharing of explicit criteria for high-quality communication.