title: Dental students' perceptions on the contribution and impact role of a clinical teacher.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted in University of Malaya to evaluate student perceptions on the contribution and role of an effective clinical teacher based on the cognitive apprenticeship model in clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 233 undergraduate dental students involved with clinical teaching. This modified and validated questionnaire focusing on students' learning environment was used in order to gain relevant information related to dental clinical teaching. Six domains with different criteria applicable to clinical teaching in dentistry were selected consisting of modelling (four criteria), coaching (four criteria), scaffolding (four criteria), articulation (four criteria), reflection (two criteria) and general learning environment (six criteria). Data analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 20.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Majority of the students expressed positive perceptions on their clinical learning experience towards the clinical teachers in the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, in all criteria of the domains. Few negative feedbacks concerning the general learning environment were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further improvement in the delivery of clinical teaching preferably by using wide variety of teaching-learning activities can be taken into account through students' feedback on their learning experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: L A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3362-0022
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Shoaib
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Safii
authors.affiliation: Department of Curriculum and Instructional Technology, Faculty of Education, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Naimie
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sukumaran
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Yunus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000592:standards*; D005179:Faculty, Dental; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024382:Professional Role; D057566:Self Report; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: dental education; dental students; effectiveness; learning environment