Interpersonal managerial skills in the training of dental students

Responsibilities of the dental practitioner impose stress situations similar to those of any manager. These deal with elements of interpersonal behavior and skills not customarily taught to the dental practitioner. In an effort to train dentists so that they may better cope with these managerial situations a method was devised using as the primary instrument the Dental Managerial Situation Study (DMSS). The DMSS employs a variety of problem situations that the dentist is likely to encounter as a means of eliciting his or her managerial tendency (Managerial Profile). A managerial profile is then applied for diagnostic and training purposes. In group discussions, most appropriate behavior (i.e. normative responses) is determined and new ways to behave are learned as each student witnesses advantages and disadvantages of certain responses. The method described in this paper imparts a lexicon (knowledge) of alternative coping or non-coping behaviors to managerial situations. The dental practitioner is able to apply this knowledge in future situations in a way that is more coping and thus he or she may alleviate some managerial stress.