La evaluación en el posgrado mediante la educación a distancia durante la COVID-19 / Postgraduate evaluation through distance learning during COVID-19

Fundamento: La implementación de la educación a distancia en el posgrado durante la COVID-19 constituye una alternativa del sistema de educación superior cubana. Objetivo: Describir los resultados de la evaluación en el posgrado, mediante la modalidad de educación a distancia durante el tercer rebrote de la pandemia de COVID-19. Metodología: Se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo transversal entre junio y julio de 2021, en la Facultad de Estomatología de la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Santiago de Cuba. Se consideraron como unidades de análisis: unidades didácticas, estudiantes (residentes), la población estuvo constituida por los 146 residentes que cursaban el 1.er año de la especialidad, se seleccionó una muestra aleatoria (n= 96). Se estudiaron las variables resultados de las evaluaciones de cada unidad didáctica y general del módulo (excelente, bien, regular y mal), grado de dificultad (muy difícil, difícil y sin dificultad) y nivel de satisfacción (satisfecho, medianamente satisfecho e insatisfecho). Como instrumento de medición se empleó el registro de evaluación y de entrevista, respectivamente. Se empleó el porcentaje como medida de resumen. Resultados: Más del 70 % de los residentes evaluados se encontró en la categoría de bien sin dificultad, estando satisfechos con la modalidad de educación a distancia. Conclusiones: Predominaron los resultados de "excelente" solo en la unidad didáctica 1 y de "bien" en la evaluación final del módulo. La unidad didáctica de "mayor dificultad" resultó ser la 2. La mayor cantidad de residentes refirió estar satisfecho con la modalidad de educación a distancia en el posgrado.

Background: The implementation of distance education at the postgraduate level during COVID-19 represents an alternative in the Cuban higher education system. Objective: To describe the results of the evaluation in posgrado, through the educational modality at distance during the third regrowth of the pandemic of COVID-19. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was conducted between June and July 2021 at the Faculty of Stomatology, University of Medical Sciences of Santiago de Cuba. The following units of analysis were considered: teaching units, students (residents), the population consisted of 146 residents in the first year of specialization, a random sample was selected (n= 96). The variables studied were the results of the evaluations of each didactic unit and the general evaluation of the module (excellent, good, fair, and poor), level of difficulty (very difficult, difficult, and no difficulty), and level of satisfaction (satisfied, moderately satisfied, and dissatisfied). The evaluation and interview registers were used as measurement instruments, respectively, and the percentage was used as a summary measure. Results: More than 70% of the residents evaluated were in the good without difficulty category and were satisfied with the distance learning modality. Conclusions: The results "excellent" predominated only in didactic unit 1 and "good" in the final evaluation of the module. The "most difficult" didactic unit was didactic unit 2. Most residents were satisfied with the distance learning modality in the postgraduate program.

Dental Continuing Professional Development - Part I: Background on Dental Continuing Professional Development in Europe.

INTRODUCTION: Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is mandatory in most European countries and evidence shows a move towards mandatory CPD across all Member States in the near future. Malta is one of seven Member States where dental CPD is still voluntary. DISCUSSION: Although dental CPD is a legal requirement for recertification in many countries, integral aspects of dental CPD remain under debate, like whether CPD is truly effective. This is because the methods with which CPD programmes are evaluated are not sufficiently robust to give concrete evidence to determine whether CPD will actually improve quality of care, treatment outcomes and safety for the public. Evaluating the effect of CPD programmes on the public is an extremely difficult task that would require an enormous amount of resources and logistics. The minimum requirements for the number of compulsory CPD hours imposed by regulatory bodies are not evidence-based but purely arbitrary, and the core topics selected for CPD programmes, although supported by research to some extent, may not reflect the public's and profession's needs. The Dental Association of Malta recognised need for further research on dental CPD and embarked on a 3-year Dental CPD Research Project. This project will be presented in a two-part series of articles. This first article is focused on the background of dental CPD in Europe. An understanding of the current issues with CPD and flaws in methods of evaluation formed the basis of the Malta CPD Pilot Project, which will be covered in the next paper.

A extensão universitária na formação do cirurgião-dentista / Importance of university extension in the professional training of dentalsurgeons

As universidades têmse transformado ao longo dos tempos. O foco principal no ensino foi sendo ampliado com ações de pesquisa e de extensão. Esta vem ganhando cada vez mais espaço nas instituições de ensino superior, fazendo parteda tríade que sustenta a formação universitária. O objetivo desta revisão de literatura foi mostrar a importância da extensão universitária na formação profissional de cirurgiões-dentistas e para a sociedade. A estratégia de busca de artigos se deu por palavras-chave relacionadas à Odontologia e à extensão universitária em bases de dados eletrônicas, no período de agosto a outubro de 2019. A prática da extensão,em comunidades diversas, fortalece a compreensão dos estudantes quanto ao processo saúde-doença, permite conhecer arealidade econômica e social em diferentes cenários, permite vivenciar a rede deserviços públicos de saúde, assim comoparticipar da prestação de serviços à população, tornando-osmais humanizadose capacitados a promover a saúde da comunidade em que estão inseridos. A extensão universitária tem um importante papel na formação profissional do cirurgião-dentista, colaborando para que atue deforma competente para contemplar as diversas necessidades da população, estimulando ações de promoção de saúde e informação à população emgeral, que também se torna beneficiada com estas ações, e fortalecendo o compromisso da universidade com a sociedade (AU).

Universities have transformed over time. The main focus of teachingstarted to expandwith research and extension activities. Extensioncourseshavebeen increasingly introducedin higher education institutions, participating inthe triad that sustains university education. Thisliterature review aimed to show the importance of university extension in the professional training of dental surgeons and society. The strategy for searching articles was based on keywords related to dentistry and university extension,in electronic databases, from August to October 2019. In different communities, the practice of extension strengthens the understanding of students about the health-disease processandallows knowing the economic and social realitiesof different scenarios, experiencing the public health care network, and participating in the provision of services to the population, which makesstudents more humanized and able to promote health to theircommunities. University extension plays an important role in the professional training of dental surgeons, helping them to workcompetently assisting in the diverse needs of the population, stimulating health promotion and information tothe general population who also benefitsfrom these activities, andstrengthening the commitmentof the universityto society (AU).

Challenges and Dilemmas for Dental Undergraduate Teaching with the Advent of COVID-19

ABSTRACT Since the 1980s, the development of neoliberalism has been observed in Brazil, which has led to the progressive weakening of public policies (including those of education) and the population's impoverishment. In the field of education, there was an increase in the privatization of higher education, inadequate to the requirements of national development, characterizing it more as a commodity than as a right. This article aims to discuss some challenges, risks, and possible strategies to face the impact of the COVID19 pandemic in undergraduate dental education. This pandemic had an immediate and dramatic impact on dental education in more than 130 countries, prompting teachers and students to adopt remote teaching activities. In Brazil, theoretical classes were offered remotely, mainly in private institutions where there was an intensification of academic work for both teachers and students. This process requires support in technological and pedagogical aspects, including tools, resources, and training courses. In the resumption of clinical education, changes in biosafety actions are being proposed to preserve the health of the actors involved. The application of these measures will imply a great mobilization of students, teachers, and technicians and extra attention so that the constitutive dimensions of the teaching-learning process in health are not minimized or forgotten.

Long-term skill improvement among general dental practitioners after a short training programme in diagnosing calcified carotid artery atheromas on panoramic radiographs.

PURPOSE: To study general dental practitioners (GDPs) ability to detect calcified carotid artery atheromas (CCAAs) in panoramic radiographs (PRs) and if their diagnostic accuracy in long term is improved after a short training programme. METHODS: Fourteen GDPs had their diagnostic accuracy regarding CCAA in PR assessed at baseline, 2 weeks and 1 year after training. Comparison was made with a reference standard based on consensus results from two experienced oral and maxillofacial radiologists. At each session, 100 radiographs were assessed individually by the GDPs. After the baseline assessment, the GDPs participated in a 2-hour training programme comprising a lecture and diagnostic training by calibration. The GDPs results before and after training were compared, as well as between follow-up sessions. RESULTS: A significant improvement in diagnostic accuracy was observed with increased sensitivity (from 41.8% to 55.7%, P = 0.02) without a significant decrease in specificity (from 87.2% to 86.7%, P = 0.87). The Kappa values also increased (from 0.66 to 0.71, P = 0.04). At 1-year follow-up, the improvement compared to baseline remained significant. There were no significant changes between the 2-week and 1-year follow-up assessment. CONCLUSION: A short training programme can significantly and sustainable improve GDPs diagnostic accuracy regarding CCAA.

Testando uma Metodologia de Ensino para Capacitação dos Profissionais do SUS / Testing a teaching methodology for the training of SUS dental surgeons

O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar uma metodologia de ensino viabilizando a qualificação profissional com vistas à melhoria de suas práticas cotidianas, onde foram acrescentados os aspectos relacionados ao planejamento, execução e avaliação dessa atividade. Vinte Cirurgiões-Dentistas, que trabalham no SUS, compareceram à Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro para participar do projeto que foi dividido em duas fases, executadas no mesmo dia. Na Fase 1, os profissionais confeccionaram uma restauração em manequim com resina composta, no primeiro molar superior, uma face (classe I), de acordo com seus conhecimentos prévios. Foi utilizada a resina Vittra (FGM), com adesivo convencional de dois passos (Âmbar APS-FGM). O tempo foi cronometrado, para cada profissional foi dado uma cartela onde foi colocado o tempo de início e término da restauração. Foi aplicado um questionário de auto avaliação. Na Fase 2 (F2), foi ministrada uma aula teórica abordando os temas: sistemas adesivos e resinas compostas em dentes posteriores. Em seguida, foi realizado um Hands on, de acordo com as aulas ministradas. Foi demonstrado a confecção de uma restauração no primeiro molar superior, uma face (classe I), no qual foi usada a técnica Incremental. Nessa fase foi utilizada a resina Vittra (FGM) e o adesivo universal (Ambar Universal-FGM). Em seguida os participantes confeccionaram uma nova restauração no primeiro molar superior, uma face (classe I), de acordo com os conhecimentos adquiridos nas aulas ministradas e no Hands on. Nessa fase foi utilizada a resina composta e o adesivo usado utilizado no Hands on. O tempo foi cronometrado da mesma forma que na etapa anterior. Ao término, foi aplicado um novo questionário de auto avaliação. As restaurações foram avaliadas por dois avaliadores calibrados. Os participantes não tiveram conhecimento da referida avaliação. Concluiu-se que as atuações em educação permanente devem ser continuadas nos serviços de saúde, o que contribui desta maneira para uma formação mais qualificada, levando esses profissionais à um atendimento mais técnico, gerando assim um melhor atendimento clínico. (AU)

The objective of this study was to evaluate a teaching methodology enabling professional qualification with a view to improve its daily practices, in which aspects related to the planning, execution and evaluation of this activity were added. Twenty Dental Surgeons, who work in SUS, attended the Dental School of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro to participate in the project, which was divided into two phases, executed on the same day. In Phase 1, the professionals made a restoration in mannequin with composite resin, in the first upper molar, one face (class I), according to their previous knowledge. Vittra resin (FGM) was used with conventional two-step adhesive (Amber APS-FGM). The time was timed, for each professional was given a placard where was placed the time of beginning and end of the restoration. A self-assessment questionnaire was applied. In Phase 2 (F2), a theoretical lecture was given addressing the themes: adhesive systems and composite resins in posterior teeth. Then, a Hands on, according to the classes taught. It was demonstrated the creation of a restoration in the upper first molar, a face (class I), in which the Incremental technique was used. Vittra resin (FGM) and universal adhesive (Ambar Universal-FGM) were used in this phase. Then the participants made a new restoration in the first upper molar, one face (class I), according to the knowledge acquired in the lessons taught and Hands on. In this phase, the composite resin and the used adhesive used in Hands on were used. The time was timed in the same way as in the previous step. At the end, a new self-assessment questionnaire was applied. The restorations were evaluated by two calibrated evaluators. Participants were not aware of this assessment. It was concluded that the actions in permanent education should be continued in the health services, which contributes in this way to a more qualified training, leading these professionals to a more technical service, thus generating a better clinical care. (AU)

How do dental faculty members relate to Evidence-Based Dentistry?

Building the rationale to critically appraise scientific evidence on the best approach for each patient requires incorporating the Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD) model, preferably into undergraduate dental courses. This approach would favor the diffusion of EBD culture amongst dental professionals. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the relationship of dental faculty members with the EBD model. The study was conducted in 2018 with all 23 dental faculty members (100% response rate) of a community university. They responded the Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (EBPQ) and a set of supporting questions involving sociodemographics, search for information, proficiency of foreign languages, and perceived need for knowledge on issues related to EBD. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. A total of 73.9% of faculty members claimed having been prepared to search for scientific evidence and 69.5% are aware of connected computer systems for research. Scientific journals, the internet, courses, and colleague opinions were the main sources of information. Reading and comprehension of foreign languages was limited to 30%. The practice and attitudes towards EBD by dental faculty members were positive, with the lowest mean value of 4.85. Knowledge and skills related to EBD had lower mean values, which coincided with a relatively high perceived need for knowledge on EBD. Dental faculty members present a positive attitude towards the EBD model, have been trained to search for scientific information and acknowledge the existence of institutional structure for applying and teaching EBD. On the other hand, knowledge and skills associated with EBD may require improvement (AU).

A construção do raciocínio para avaliar criticamente a evidência científica sobre a melhor abordagem para cada paciente requer a incorporação do modelo de Odontologia Baseada em Evidências (OBE), preferencialmente ainda no ensino de graduação. Essa abordagem favorece a difusão da cultura da OBE entre os profissionais de Odontologia. Assim, este estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar a relação de docentes de um curso de Odontologia com o modelo OBE. O estudo foi conduzido em 2018 com todos os 23 professores de uma universidade comunitária. Eles responderam o EvidenceBased Practice Questionnaire (EBPQ) e algumas perguntas complementares envolvendo fatores sociodemográficos, busca por informação, proficiência em idioma estrangeiro e necessidade percebida de conhecimento sobre aspectos relacionados à OBE. Os dados foram analisados descritivamente. Aproximadamente 74% dos professores afirmaram ter sido preparados para pesquisar por evidência científica e 69,5% reconheceram a existência de computador conectado para essa finalidade. Periódicos, internet, cursos e opinião de colegas foram as principais fontes de informação. Leitura e compreensão de idiomas estrangeiros foram limitadas a 30%. A prática e as atitudes voltadas à OBE pelos professores foram positivas, com um valor mínimo de 4,85. O conhecimento e as habilidades relacionadas à OBE tiveram valores mais baixos, que coincidiram com alta necessidade percebida de informação sobre OBE. Os professores apresentaram uma atitude positiva com relação ao modelo da OBE, foram treinados para buscar informação científica e reconhecem a estrutura institucional para fazê-lo e ensiná-lo. Por outro lado, o conhecimento e as habilidades relacionadas à OBE requerem melhorias (AU).

Knowledge and attitude of general dentists regarding common emergencies in dental offices: A cross-sectional study in Shiraz, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Medical emergencies are likely to occur in dental offices due to the use of anesthetics, anxiety, and systemic complications of the patient. Since such emergencies are life threatening in many cases, preparedness of the dentist is highly required. AIMS: This study was carried out to evaluate the dentists' knowledge and attitude regarding diagnosis and treatment of medical emergencies in dental offices in Shiraz, Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on 150 general dentists in Shiraz with at least 5 years since graduation in 2015. They were asked to complete a validated questionnaire including the dentists' demographic information and inquiries about their performance and knowledge in emergency situations. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used in this study. RESULTS: According to the inclusion criteria, 105 dentists participated in the study. The mean knowledge and attitude of the dentists was estimated 4.98 (±1.50) out of 10. No significant correlation was detected between age, sex, number of patients per day, and working hours with the knowledge of managing an emergency situation (P > 0.05). Out of the number of studied dentists, 49% had attended training workshops and 90% called for re-attending a workshop. The knowledge score of those who had participated in workshops was significantly higher than those who had not (P = 0.016). CONCLUSION: The results of this study revealed that the dentists' knowledge about emergency situations was average while the knowledge was higher in those who had attended emergency workshops. Thus, retraining courses and workshops must be considered more often for graduated dentists.

Feasibility of assessing training of primary care dental practitioners in endodontics of moderate complexity: mapping process and learning.

Objectives: To explore the feasibility of measuring quality of endodontic care provided by general dental practitioners (GDPs), using clinical, radiographic and patient-related outcomes, as well as understanding practitioner views and estimating financial costs. Methods: Multi-faceted mixed-methods two-part study involving retrospective analysis of the educational component (course assessments, endodontic training blocks and analysis of a sample of teeth treated at the beginning and end of training), and prospective analysis of patients treated by these dentists after completion of training. Participant: Dentists working in and patients treated in primary dental care in London. Intervention: Twenty-four-month training in endodontics. Comparison: Dentists enrolled in the training at different time points. Outcome: Measuring outcome of endodontic treatment. Results: Eight dentists (mean 36 years, SD = 8.2 years) participated in training. Subsequently, five of these dentists (mean 34.2 years, SD = 7.08 years) contributed to the prospective study and recruited 135 patients. Thirty-five patients completed all patient-related outcome questionnaires, and of these there were 16 cases with complete clinical and radiographic data (12%) at follow-up (10.1­36.4 months). Preliminary analysis revealed that a minimum of 45 cases of complete data would be required for multivariate analysis, requiring the recruitment of in excess of 375 patients to future studies to account for this level of loss to follow-up. Conclusions: Findings suggest it is possible to carry out mixed-methods and treatment-related outcome-based research in primary care. Measurement/data capture tools developed were tested and used successfully in measuring the adherence to treatment processes and outcome of endodontic treatment.

[A glance at the American training mode of the clinical postgraduate students of periodontology through postdoctoral program in periodontics of University of Washington School of Dentistry].

To provide references and recommendations about periodontal professionals training for our country by introducing American training mode of clinical postgraduate students of periodontology. Based on ground visits and surveys of University of Washington School of Dentistry's postdoctoral program in periodontics, the professional training mode and its characteristics which adapt to the development trend of American periodontology were summarized and concluded. The discussion is in the following three parts: the overall status of postgraduate education of periodontology in the United States, the training mode of the clinical postgraduate students of periodontology at University of Washington School of Dentistry, and the observation of the American Academy of Periodontology's annual conferences. This kind of training mode supervised by the American Dental Association, giving priority to clinical practice and emphasizing cultivating the multidisciplinary comprehensive ability are worth learning. Meanwhile, the development trend of periodontology in the United States which pay increasing attention to carry out implant therapy with periodontal features and the adaptive training mode of clinical postgraduate students of periodontology also deserves our deep reflection and can be used for reference.

MasterOnline Periodontology and Implant Therapy-revisited after seven years: A case study of the structures and outcomes in a blended learning CPD.

INTRODUCTION: There is a great need for postgraduate training and continuing professional development (CPD), specifically in the field of periodontology. Despite the plenty of periodontal CPDs, there is a lack of information about the performance of CPDs in a blended learning setting. This study is a case study of the structures and outcomes in a blended learning CPD programme in periodontology, the MasterOnline Periodontology and Implant Therapy hosted by the University of Freiburg's Dental School. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The structures of the blended learning CPD were analysed with the aims to (i) make explicit how various innovative educational methods and ICT tools can be successfully applied to a Web-supported postgraduate periodontology training programme, (ii) identify the programme's impact on learning transfer in students' dental practices and (iii) identify other outcomes, synergies and any changes required during the existence. Using qualitative interviewing, the various types of learning transfer and elements of the study programme that foster transfer could be exemplified. RESULTS: A period of 7 years was analysed. In this duration, 50 students successfully graduated to a master of science. Qualitative interviews were performed with six students and four teachers affirming the learning transfer in a blended learning setting. CONCLUSIONS: This case study shows that blended learning can be a successful approach for CPD in dentistry.

Changing Health Professionals' Attitudes and Practice Behaviors Through Interprofessional Continuing Education in Oral-Systemic Health.

Integration of oral-systemic science into clinical care holds promise for improving patient outcomes and presenting opportunities for individuals in various health care professions to learn with, from, and about each other. The aim of this study was to examine whether an interprofessional continuing education program dedicated to oral-systemic health improved participants' attitudes toward interprofessional education and collaboration between dental and non-dental health care professionals and whether it influenced the physicians' practice of screening for debilitating oral diseases. The study took place in 2014 and used a mixed-methods approach, consisting of Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) surveys conducted before, immediately after, and six months after the intervention, as well as surveys of self-reported practice behaviors and semi-structured interviews. A total of 231 health care professionals participated in the lectures and roundtable discussions. Of those, 134 responded to the pre-program survey (58% response rate), 110 responded to the post-program survey (48% response rate), and 58 responded to the survey six months after the program (25% response rate). The participants' median total RIPLS score at baseline was 76.5, which increased significantly immediately following the program (81.0) but returned to baseline six months later (76.5). Participants' RIPLS domain scores also increased significantly by profession from before to after the event, with effects returning to baseline after six months. Significantly more physicians reported screening for caries and periodontal disease after the intervention. An overall theme of "learning with, from, and about each other" was drawn from the interviews with 15 participants. The physicians took away a message of "just look in the mouth," while the dental professionals reported feeling valued as members of the health care team. Although reported improvements in oral-systemic health practice immediately after the intervention were encouraging, further research is necessary to understand why collaborative behaviors were not sustained.

OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE IN DENTISTRY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW.

OBJECTIVES: Technological development and the need for electronic health records management resulted in the need for a computer with dedicated, commercial software in daily dental practice. The alternative for commercial software may be open-source solutions. Therefore, this study reviewed the current literature on the availability and use of open-source software (OSS) in dentistry. METHODS: A comprehensive database search was performed on February 1, 2017. Only articles published in peer-reviewed journals with a focus on the use or description of OSS were retrieved. The level of evidence, according to Oxford EBM Centre Levels of Evidence Scale was classified for all studies. Experimental studies underwent additional quality reporting assessment. RESULTS: The screening and evaluation process resulted in twenty-one studies from 1,940 articles found, with 10 of them being experimental studies. None of the articles provided level 1 evidence, and only one study was considered high quality following quality assessment. Twenty-six different OSS programs were described in the included studies of which ten were used for image visualization, five were used for healthcare records management, four were used for educations processes, one was used for remote consultation and simulation, and six were used for general purposes. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis revealed that the dental literature on OSS consists of scarce, incomplete, and methodologically low quality information.

Virtual Simulation Teaching Centre in Dental Education: a Report from Fujian Medical University, China.

This report gives a brief introduction to the Virtual Simulation Teaching Centre of Fujian Medical University School of Stomatology (VSFMUSS), China. As one of the best dental simulation laboratories in China, the VSFMUSS aims to train dental students and clinicians to be professionals who are able to provide optimal oral health care by giving them the best virtual patient care experience possible in a nonclinical setting. The features, achievements and future directions of the VSFMUSS are addressed. Moreover, the role of the VSFMUSS was evaluated and discussed based on the students' and faculties' perceptions, rate of employment after graduation, and so on.

[Improvement of training quality in continuous medial education of dentists and maxillofacial surgeons]. / Povyshenie kachestva podgotovki spetsialistov-stomatologov i cheliustno-litsevykh khirurgov v sisteme nepreryvnogo meditsinskogo obrazovaniia.

The new concept of continuous medical education is based on individual learning paths of each specialist in conjunction with the use of modern educational technologies, including IT. The aim of this study was to undertake a review of modern methods of health care professionals training in the framework of continuous medical education profile introduced by the Ministry of Health. The paper presents the best IT practices of Central Research Institute of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery in the training of dentists and maxillofacial surgeons aimed for the modernization of medical education.

Enhanced skills in periodontology: evaluation of a pilot scheme for general dental practitioners and dental care professionals in London.

Background The need for periodontal management is great and increasing; thus, the oral and dental workforce should be suitably equipped to deliver contemporary care. Health Education London developed a training scheme to extend the skills of dentists and dental care professionals (DCPs).Aim To examine the feasibility of assessing a skill-mix initiative established to enhance skills in clinical periodontology involving the views of patients, clinicians and key stakeholders, together with clinical and patient outcomes in London.Methods This mixed methods feasibility and pilot study involved four parallel elements: a postal questionnaire survey of patients; analysis of clinical logbooks; self-completion questionnaire survey of clinicians; and semi-structured interviews of key stakeholders, including clinicians.Results Twelve of the 19 clinicians participated in the evaluation, returning completed questionnaires (63%) and providing access to log diaries and patients. Periodontal data from 42 log-diary cases (1,103 teeth) revealed significant improvement in clinical outcomes (P = 0.001 for all). Eighty-four percent (N = 99) of the 142 patients returning a questionnaire reported improved dental health; however, responses from hospital patients greatly exceeded those from dental practice. Interviews (N = 22) provided evidence that the programme contributed to professional healthcare across four key domains: 'service', 'quality care', 'professional' and 'educational'. Clinicians, while supportive of the concept, raised concerns regarding the mismatch of their expectations and its educational and service outcomes.Discussion The findings suggest that it is feasible to deliver and evaluate inter-professional extended skills training for dentists and dental care professionals, and this may be evaluated using mixed methods to examine outcomes including clinical log diaries, patient questionnaires and stakeholder interviews. This inter-professional course represents a positive development for patient care using the expertise of different members of the dental team; however, its formal integration to the health and educational sectors require further consideration.

Understanding continuous professional development participation and choice of mid-career general dental practitioners.

OBJECTIVE: Participating in continuing professional development (CPD) activities is a requirement for dental practitioners to keep their skills and knowledge up to date. Understanding the ways dental practitioners engage with professional development and the impact on practice is not fully known (Eaton et al. 2011, http://www.gdc-uk.org/Aboutus/policy/Documents/Impact%20Of%20CPD%20In%20Dentistry.pdf). The aim of this study was to gain insights into the ways that dentists reflect on their professional development and what may be influencing their choices. METHOD: Empirical qualitative data were collected by semi-structured interviewing of five mid-career dentists. Using grounded theory, the data were analysed for themes about CPD choice and participation. RESULTS: Three themes were identified as influences to dentists' choices of CPD with pragmatic considerations of how new learning could benefit their patients and their practices. Dental practitioners were influenced by the requirements of external regulatory bodies which they did not consider to necessarily improve practice. CONCLUSION: Dentists working in primary care in the UK are undertaking CPD which is influenced by the pragmatic requirements of running a small business and to meet regulatory requirements. In this sample, dentists are not critically reflecting on their education needs when choosing their CPD activity. Protected learning time and organisational feedback and support are recommended as a way to promote more meaningful reflection on learning and to improve professional development.

[Dentist's satisfaction of continuing education: survey among dentists in Jerusalem].

Continuing professional development (CpD or Continuing education is defined as a career-long process required by dentist to maintain, update and broaden their attitudes, knowledge and skills in a way that will bring the greatest benefit to their patients and improve patient care. This research is a survey among 295 dentists, members of the IDA in Jerusalem. The study was conducted, in order to examine their satisfaction of CPD programs offered by IDA Jerusalem. Results indicate that in most variables )lecturer, knowledge and comfort)the satisfaction degree was at a high level. Differences in the level of satisfaction were found between general dental practitioners and dental specialists, and between dentist who graduated in Israel as compared to dentists who graduated abroad. There is a great need to further investigate this issue, in order to develop, promote and improve CE studies and arrive at practical conclusions to support the development of high-quality continuing dental education programs designed to upgrade high-quality dental care, similar to other countries that have CE programs.

Pilot study to train dentists to communicate about oral cancer: the impact on dentists' self-reported behaviour, confidence and beliefs.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of a brief, focused training session on the use of an oral cancer communication guide on dentists' intentions, self-efficacy and beliefs with regards to communicating about oral cancer with patients. DESIGN: Pre-post intervention study. SETTING: The training session took place in a lecture theatre at King's College London. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Dentists working in various settings were trained on the use of the oral cancer communication guide via a structured session that included an update on oral cancer, modelling the use of the guide in practice, and role playing. Dentists (n = 39) completed questionnaires pre-training, immediately post-training (n = 31) and after 2 weeks (n = 23). Questionnaires assessed current practice, self-efficacy and barriers to discussing oral cancer. RESULTS: A significantly higher proportion of dentists reported that they informed patients that they were being screened for oral cancer post-training (44%) than pre-training (16%). Significantly fewer perceived barriers and higher self-efficacy to discuss oral cancer were also reported. CONCLUSION: Training dentists in the use of the guide showed positive impact by reducing perceived barriers and increasing self-efficacy.