The transition from dental school to postgraduate dental foundation training: strengthening the interaction between stakeholders

Dental core training: the trainee perspective

Dental core training (DCT) is a postgraduate training period, eligible following successful completion of foundation/vocational training, which has multiple entry points and endpoints with a varied duration from one to three years. The introduction of national recruitment in 2017, away from a previous individual deanery-led process, has introduced new variables such as a ranking system for choosing training posts, with the outcome dependent on combined performance at interview and a situational judgement test for which competition is nationally against other applicants. This unique, trainee-led study provides an appreciation and understanding of the motivations and experiences of trainees who pursue DCT, such as the rationale behind location and speciality choice, the perception of national recruitment and the situational judgement test, and the influence of salary variation, alongside trainee perceptions and experiences of the training programme from inside the trainee perspective. Undertaking DCT is not a 'forever decision' and will stand the trainee in good stead in pursuit of speciality training or a return to general practice, with a wide variety of opportunities that can lead to fulfilment and a rewarding career pathway for enthusiastic dentists.

Preparing dental students for independent practice: a scoping review of methods and trends in undergraduate clinical skills teaching in the UK and Ireland

Introduction The governing bodies for dentistry in the UK and Ireland require dentists, at graduation, to possess the knowledge, skills and attributes which enable them to practise safely, without supervision. The means by which dental schools achieve this may differ and may undergo modification in response to changes in the expectations of governing bodies and challenges within the teaching environment. It is therefore important to identify which of these approaches works well and to disseminate good practice described in the literature.Objectives To use a scoping review to identify from the published literature the methods used to teach clinical dental skills, including innovations, motivations for changes, and factors affecting the delivery and quality of teaching.Method Scoping review methodology was used to select and analyse 57 articles published between 2008 and 2018.Results Innovations in didactic teaching were facilitated by advances in IT and development of virtual learning environments, which promoted independent, self-directed learning. Pre-clinical practical teaching took place in clinical techniques laboratories utilising mannequin heads, with a minority of dental schools using virtual reality simulators in addition. Clinical experience was gained mainly in multi-disciplinary clinics and offsite outreach teaching centres. Insufficient numbers of suitable patients, increasing student numbers and a fall in teaching staff contributed to a reported reduction in clinical experience of certain treatments.Conclusions Contemporary clinical dental skills teaching produces new graduates who possess excellent theoretical knowledge, are prepared and confident in basic clinical skills, but are lacking in experience of complex treatments which may result in a reduced preparedness for independent practice.

Transition to dental practice: Newly graduated dentists' views of being successful in dental practice

BACKGROUND

The transition of dental graduates to the workforce is of interest to dental educators. The ways dentists think about success and successful practice tend to be tied to business parameters, patient flow and job satisfaction. These measures are narrow, however, and there is scant literature exploring success in ways that connects with professional identity formation. This study aims to add to scholarly understanding about the experiences of newly graduated dentists by asking: What is the variation in the ways new graduate dentists experience success in practice?

METHODS

The qualitative methodology used in this study is phenomenography. Phenomenography studies the variation in the way a group of people experience a common phenomenon. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 new dentists who had graduated from the University of Sydney.

RESULTS

Five increasingly sophisticated, qualitatively distinct categories of description were identified: the day runs smoothly, keeping busy, providing quality patient care, generating personal meaning and having a sense of connection and belonging.

CONCLUSIONS

This study gives insights into the complex ways newly graduated dentists think about successful dentistry. It broadens our view of successful practice beyond commercial aspects to include practitioner identity. Importantly, sense of responsibility, the practice environment and mentorship emerge as key players in this transitional career stage.