title: Evaluation by dental students of a communication skills course using professional role-players in a UK school of dentistry.
abstract: This paper reports student (n = 180) feedback on the role-play teaching methodology used in behavioural sciences teaching at The School of Dentistry in Birmingham (UK). The feedback received on this well-established (since 1995) educational programme was collected via questionnaire (100% response rate), requiring Likert scale and free text responses. Generally students reported that they had enjoyed and valued the session. Over two-thirds (69.7%) of students rated the role-players as 'very real' and over three-quarters (78.9%) rated their feedback as 'very fair'. The data collected from this study will inform future curriculum development. Student feedback was very positive and demonstrated that the cohort (86% of all students studying in years 1, 2 and 3) found the use of professional role-players involved in behavioural sciences teaching to be both acceptable and valuable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care and General Practice, Learning Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. p.croft@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Croft
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: C M D
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Wiskin
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Allan
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D001525:Behavioral Sciences / Q000193:education; D002983:Clinical Competence; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D004497:Education, Dental; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012381:Role Playing; D012575:Schools, Dental; D013335:Students, Dental; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D006113:United Kingdom