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Updated: May 12, 2026
08:47
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Soft skills and dental education
M A G Gonzalez1, N H Abu Kasim, Z Naimie
1Department of Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. gonzalez@um.edu.my
Summary
Soft skills, crucial for dental practice success, are challenging for dental schools to teach effectively. This paper explores teaching and assessing these interpersonal abilities, highlighting key issues and a university module example.
Area of Science:
- Dental Education
- Professional Skills Development
Background:
- Both soft skills and hard skills are vital for dental practice.
- Soft skills, encompassing personal values and interpersonal abilities, are key to client-facing organizations.
- Effective soft skills enhance dental practice success, yet their instruction poses challenges for dental schools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss various soft skills relevant to dentistry.
- To explore current methods for teaching and assessing soft skills in dental education.
- To identify challenges and areas for improvement in soft skill pedagogy.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and discussion of soft skill concepts.
- Analysis of teaching and assessment strategies for soft skills.
- Case study of a soft skills module developed at the University of Malaya.
Main Results:
- Soft skills are essential for client interaction and practice success.
- Teaching and assessment of soft skills present significant challenges in dental schools.
- A specific module from the University of Malaya offers a potential framework for soft skill development.
Conclusions:
- Addressing the challenges in teaching and assessing soft skills is crucial for dental education.
- The University of Malaya's module provides a model for developing essential soft skills in higher learning institutions.
- Further research and implementation of effective soft skill training are recommended for dental professionals.
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