title: Development and implementation of communication skills in dentistry: an example from South Africa.
abstract: Dental students should realise early in their careers -- in dental school -- the importance of developing and mastering sound communication skills with patients. As a result, the aim of this study was to develop and implement a course in communication skills for third year dental students. The methodology employed in the study comprised the following three phases: Phase I: identification of specific outcomes essential for the dentist to be competitive in the emerging South African dental environment. Phase II: development of an outcome-based course according to the South African Qualifications Authority format (Purpose, Embedded knowledge, Assessment criteria). Phase III: implementation of the course. Implementation of the course involved a pre- and post-training cycle. The subjects were 67 third year dental students. The following instruments were employed: a study guide; a case study; an assessment rubric; two questionnaires, namely "Patient's" feedback and "Dentist's" feedback; a standardised patient. The results were as follows: the class as a whole scored significantly higher during training cycle 2 compared with training cycle 1 (P < 0.0001). The important roles of trust, empathy and active listening in establishing a meaningful relationship with a patient, which was conveyed by means of the course, were emphasised by the majority of students.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Management Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. gwhite@medic.up.ac.za
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krüger
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Snyman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013019:South Africa; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric