title: Assessing graduating dental students' competencies: the impact of classroom, clinic and externships learning experiences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study assessed recent dental graduates' educational experiences with regard to competency development in different learning contexts and preparedness for independent professional performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study employed a questionnaire examining University of Manitoba graduating dental students' confidence and perceived importance of 47 competencies expected by the ACFD/CDA by requiring students to rate each competency on a five-point Likert scale. In addition, contribution of each of the three learning environments (classroom, clinic, and externship) towards competency development was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent graduates reported most confidence in areas of basic clinical procedures involving radiographic, pharmacologic and caries management, with least confidence in implantology, orofacial pain, trauma and surgical management. Most importance was attributed to interpersonal-communication and basic clinical skills, with least importance in scientific research, implantology and prosthetic laboratory aspects. Overall, graduates felt that clinical setting contributed the most to competency development, followed by classroom and then externship contexts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Graduating students' professional preparedness can reflect the quality of dental programme. However, the amount of importance that graduates place on each competency might impact their confidence in the associated competencies and vice versa. In addition, learning settings must be effectively utilised for particular competencies' development.
authors.affiliation: Educational Resources and Faculty Development, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. schonwet@cc.umanitoba.ca
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schönwetter
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mazurat
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sileikyte
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nazarko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003162:Competency-Based Education; D003479:Curriculum; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000379:methods; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008350:Manitoba; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult