Professionalism in undergraduate dental education: a pause for thought

Professionalism in dental education, as well as in the wider dental profession, is a regularly discussed and debated topic. It may seem obvious what is meant by 'professionalism' and in many situations it is clear what constitutes a professional approach or behaviour, but contention exists in how to articulate, measure and consider aspects of this complex and context dependent phenomenon. Getting 'it' right early on, with our students and new graduates, is a strategic priority, contributing to 'upstream' activities which have an intention of preventing future issues or harm. The aim of this article is to summarise the challenges faced by providers of undergraduate education (and the dental regulator) in the UK in defining and determining attainment of 'professionalism' before registration. It is timely to take an opportunity for pause, re-assess frameworks and consider future direction.