title: A national follow-up survey of UK graduates opinion of undergraduate oral surgery teaching.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A national follow-up survey was undertaken to determine whether dental graduates from 2009 perceived that their undergraduate oral surgery education had equipped them for general dental practice 4 years after graduating.
  
  
  METHODS
  Graduates from the same 13 United Kingdom dental schools who had taken part in the original survey were invited to take part in this follow-up online survey. Their contact details were identified via the general dental council register, social media and alumni groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 161 responded (2009b) which represents 16% of the graduates of the original survey in 2009a. A similar percentage of these respondents perceived that the teaching in oral surgery had given them sufficient knowledge to undertake independent practice (83% and 79% in 2009a and 2009b, respectively). Most respondents (99% in both years) reported confidence in undertaking simple forceps exodontia. Confidence in surgical exodontia was poor in both surveys, but one area that appeared improved in the follow-up related to the sectioning of teeth (84% in 2009b compared with 49% in 2009a). Areas of weakness identified in 2009 were reported to be improved in the follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This follow-up survey supports the findings of the original survey. Future longitudinal studies would allow institutions to identify possible weaknesses in their curriculum and to track the career development of their graduates and facilitate robust data collection.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Oral Surgery and Medicine, Univeristy of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Macluskey
authors.affiliation: Unit of Oral Surgery and Medicine, Univeristy of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shepherd
authors.affiliation: Oral Surgery, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.affiliation: Oral Surgery, The School of Dentistry, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bulsara
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Durham
authors.affiliation: Glasgow University, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: Oral Surgery, School of Oral and Dental Sciences, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dargue
authors.affiliation: Oral Surgery, Cardiff University School of Dentistry, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Emanuel
authors.affiliation: Oral Surgery, University of Sheffield School of Dentistry, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Institute of Dentistry Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Oral Surgery, Guys Kings and St Thomas' Dental Institute, London, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khawaja
authors.affiliation: Oral Surgery, Eastman Dental Institute, London, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leeson
authors.affiliation: Oral Surgery, Queens University of Belfast, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marley
authors.affiliation: Dental Institute, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andiappan
authors.affiliation: Oral Surgery, School of Dentistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Millsopp
authors.affiliation: Unit of Oral Surgery and Medicine, Univeristy of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nayyer
authors.affiliation: Oral surgery, Kings College London Dental Institute, London, UK.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Renton
authors.affiliation: Oral Surgery, School of Dentistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.affiliation: Oral surgery, The School of Dentistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Toedtling
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003162:Competency-Based Education; D003479:Curriculum; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004499:Education, Dental, Graduate / Q000592:standards*; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012575:Schools, Dental; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013515:Surgery, Oral / Q000193:education*; D013663:Teaching; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: dental graduates; follow-up; longitudinal; national survey; oral sugery