A national evaluation of workplace-based assessment tools (WPBAs) in foundation dental training: a UK study. Effective and useful but do they provide an equitable training experience?

A questionnaire study was undertaken with trainers and trainees from 12 deaneries in England and Northern Ireland in June 2010 to evaluate workplace-based assessments (WPBAs) in foundation training. From the sample consisting of 741 trainers and 643 foundation trainees, experience of WPBAs was positive overall, playing an important role in trainees' learning during foundation training and building confidence. However, there is a need for comprehensive training in the WPBA tools used to ensure their efficacy.

Evaluation of workplace based assessment tools in dental foundation training.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this survey were to evaluate the effectiveness of workplace based assessments (WPAs) in dental foundation training (formerly vocational training [VT]). METHODS: Two online questionnaire surveys were sent to 53 foundation dental practitioners (FDPs) and their 51 trainers in the Mersey Deanery at month four and month nine of the one year of dental foundation training. The questionnaires investigated the effectiveness of and trainers' and trainees' satisfaction with the WPAs used in foundation training, namely dental evaluation of performance (D-EPs), case-based discussions (DcBD) and patients' assessment questionnaires (PAQs). The questionnaires also investigated the perceived impact of reflection and feedback associated with WPAs on clinical practise and improving patient care. RESULTS: A total of 41 (7.4%) FDPs and 44 (86.3%) trainers responded. Of the 41 FDPs, the majority found that feedback from WPAs had a positive effect on their training, giving them insight into their development needs. Overall 84.1% of the FDPs felt the WPAs helped them improve patient care and 82.5% of trainers agreed with that outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this study demonstrate the value of WPAs in dental foundation training by the use of feedback and reflection in directing the learning of foundation dental practitioners and that this can lead to improved clinical practise and patient care.

A dental undergraduate course for the management of medical emergencies in dental practice.

There is a specific requirement for undergraduate dental students to be trained in the management of medical emergencies that may arise in dental practice. This paper describes a practical skills course that has been developed specifically to fulfil this requirement. The rationale, course structure, methodology of delivery and assessment methods are discussed in detail.

A practical skill one day medical emergencies course for dentists and DCPs.

This paper describes a practical skills one day course in the 'management of medical emergencies' which is aimed at fulfilling the requirements for training for dentists and DCPs as defined by the Resuscitation Council UK and prefaced by the GDC.

[Nasal polyps and osteolyses]. / Nasenpolypen und Osteolysen.

A 38-year-old man presented with a 2-month history of progressive leg pain. An x-ray film of both tibial bones showed multiple osteolysis. At the same time, nasal polyps were present. A biopsy of the tibial bone remained unclear. A carcinoma was not found. A biopsy of the nasal polyps revealed a Rosai-Dorfman-Destombes disease.

Constrictive tuberculous pericarditis in a HIV-positive patient.

Constrictive pericarditis is a relatively rare clinical manifestation nowadays. We present the case of an HIV-positive patient with constrictive calcified pericarditis due to an infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Pericardectomy was performed. The therapeutical approach is discussed and the literature is reviewed.

Left recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy associated with silicosis.

Left recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy usually results from invasion or compression of the nerve caused by diseases localized within the aortopulmonary window. This study reports the case of a 76-yr-old male with vocal cord paralysis due to lymph node involvement by silicosis. This rare entity was identified by video-mediastinoscopy, which revealed a granulomatous and fibrosed recurrent lymph node encasing the nerve. The nerve was dissected and released from scar tissues. Progressive clinical improvement was observed followed by total and durable recovery of the voice after 15 weeks follow-up.

[Blunt thoracic trauma with hemorrhage into a mediastinal lymphangioma--case report]. / Stumpfes Thoraxtrauma mit Einblutung in ein mediastinales Lymphangiom--Fallbeschreibung.

We describe a young snowboarder suffering from dyspnea, chest pain and dysphagia following a blunt chest injury. These symptoms were caused by an accident-related hemorrhage within a preexisting lymphangioma of the right posterior mediastinum. At the same time a lymphangioma of the left anterior mediastinum was found. The lymphangioma of the posterior mediastinum was resected through a right posterolateral thoracotomy after thoracoscopy had demonstrated that a complete resection could not be performed on this way. The lymphangioma of the left side was resected 4 month later by a left-sided hemiclamshell approach due to its size and localisation. Complications arising from mediastinal lymphangioma are described as compression, infection, spontaneous bleeding, rupture and chylothorax. This is the first description of a posttraumatic, symptomatic hemorrhage within a mediastinal lymphangioma.

Pneumosinus dilatans.

Deformity of the forehead is usually the first clinical presentation of the abnormally enlarged paranasal sinuses caused by pneumosinus dilatans. The diagnosis and surgical treatment of two cases are reported. The type of osteotomy described is recommended as a method of surgical treatment of this condition.