Research

8 • Evaluation of Education to Operationalise Research

Background

A continuing focus of DHSRU work, in partnership with the Scottish Dental Practice Based Research Network (SDPBRN) and NHS Education for Scotland (NES), is evaluation and impact analysis of the training of undergraduate dental students and other educational initiatives.

Progress

The broad aim of the undergraduate dental curriculum is to produce caring, knowledgeable, competent, skilful and ethical dentists whose practice is in the best interest of patients. However, when evaluating whether or not this aim has been achieved it is necessary to consider not only educational outcomes which are formally assessed within the curriculum, but also outcomes which, typically, are not assessed. The Scottish Undergraduate Dental Student Study is conducting, in collaboration with the Dental Hospitals and Schools in Dundee and Glasgow, a longitudinal evaluation of non-assessed educational outcomes within Scotland’s undergraduate dental schools. Questionnaires assessing stakeholder-identified outcomes have been completed by final year students in Scotland’s dental schools over the last five years. These outcomes included clinical and non-clinical self-efficacy, attitudes and beliefs towards continued professional development and evidence-based clinical decision-making. The results suggest that, in general, Scotland’s dental schools provide an education which addresses not only traditionally assessed educational requirements, but also other equally important non-assessed requirements that are necessary for the development of caring, knowledgeable, competent, skilful and ethical dentists whose practice is in the best interest of patients. Each year individual reports are prepared for each of Scotland’s dental schools and results are discussed and considered at an annual national meeting.

The infrastructure is now established for continued data collection on Scotland’s undergraduate dental students and in 2011 data will be gathered from the first, final year undergraduate cohort in Aberdeen Dental School. Extended applications of the data gathered are currently being investigated including:

• whether it can be used to inform curriculum development by identifying areas which may particularly drive evidence-based practice and identify which behaviours are more likely to be evidence-based
• the feasibility of conducting longitudinal follow-up of students following graduation to identify if future behaviour, for example, continuing professional development activities, can be predicted during the undergraduate years.
  

Images below

Section of questionnaire relating to final year undergraduates’ beliefs about outreach and two graphs showing the results.

Impact Statement

Research findings have been shared widely and, in partnership with Scotland’s Dental Hospitals and Schools, have led to beneficial changes in the education and training processes. Evaluating undergraduate education in this longitudinal manner has led to informed curriculum development and provides a quality management tool for education providers.