Communication skills course in an Indian undergraduate dental curriculum: a randomized controlled trial.
This study assessed the impact of a course on communication skills for third-year undergraduate dental students at a dental institute in India. A randomized pretest, posttest controlled trial was conducted with all the students from four cohorts of third-year dental undergraduate students, divided into an intervention group (n=30) and a control group (n=30). The course was developed using Kern's six-step approach to curriculum development. Needs assessment was ascertained, and readings, lectures, and role-plays with real and simulated patients were implemented. Encounters of students during two patient interviews (simulated and real) were rated by two raters using a twenty-seven-item dental consultation communication checklist with a rating scale 0 to 3. Students completed a questionnaire regarding their acceptance of the course. A 2×2 (group × time) ANOVA with group as a between-subjects factor (control vs. experimental) and time as a within-subjects factor (pre vs. post) was performed. The two groups did not differ at pretest but differed significantly at posttest. This study showed that simply attending to patients during a clinical course did not improve professional communication skills. In contrast, the implementation of a course on communication skills did improve the students' dentist-patient interactions. Integrating the teaching and development of a relevant, outcome-based course on communication skills provided clear evidence of communication skills acquisition among these dental students. The course could be introduced in other Indian dental schools.
Department of Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge, JSS Dental College & Hospital, JSSU, Mysore 570015 Karnataka, India. drsunilabs@gmail.com
Sunila B
SB
Sangappa
Ara
A
Tekian
D001290:Attitude; D057189:Checklist; D002983:Clinical Competence; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D004497:Education, Dental; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D016544:Patient Simulation; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D016730:Program Development; D011476:Prosthodontics / Q000193:education; D012381:Role Playing; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D014743:Videotape Recording; D055815:Young Adult
India; communication skills; dental students; dentist-patient interaction