Postgraduate dental education and the 'new' graduate

It is notoriously difficult to evaluate educational initiatives. Nevertheless, with the introduction of mandatory vocational training, it seems curious that there has been no formal, structured assessment of whether dental vocational training is perceived as having fulfilled its aims. Nor is there information on how participation in continuing dental education relates to feelings of competence or confidence in clinical practice. This paper reports on the experience of two cohorts of 'new' dental graduates from Scotland and provides evidence to inform the debate on vocational training, general professional training and recertification for the dental profession.