Twenty-one Entrusted Professional Activities in German Dental Education-Day-One Competencies

In medical education, entrusted professional activities (EPAs) have been an integral part of the curriculum, primarily being used in clinical traineeships and postgraduate medical education. The use of EPAs in postgraduate medical education is transferable to dental training, as clinical skills are already part of the curriculum. The data from this study could help propose dental EPAs that reflect competencies expected in the professional field, potentially aiding in more effectively evaluating student competencies and standardizing assessment criteria.

After research on the use of EPAs in dental education across Europe, Asia, and the United States, 21 EPAs were chosen, covering all areas currently taught in the German dental graduate program, and matched with the domains of the National Catalog of Learning Objectives in Dentistry. Following, an electronic survey was developed and distributed to dentists working at university hospitals in the Rhine-Main region, as well as in private practices. Participants were asked to evaluate each EPA statement on a 6-point Likert scale and encouraged to provide qualitative feedback on the EPAs.

120 participants responded to the survey (20.7%). Overall, there was substantial agreement on the EPAs chosen to represent the tasks expected of young dentists on their first day in practice. Participants also provided qualitative feedback in the form of optional comments. Concerns raised included the perceived lack of experience for certain tasks.

The data from this study suggest that the proposed EPAs accurately reflect the professional tasks expected of newly graduated dentists on their first day in practice.