The article deals with the structure of future dentists’ foreign language competence based on the analysis of data from scientific sources on the problem of research and own pedagogical experience.In particular, its main components are distinguished as gnosiological, activity and reflexive ones. Gnoseological component characterizes the system of knowledge in speech covering linguistic, deontological and socio-cultural constituents. The linguistic one is considered as knowledge of professional vocabulary, grammar and phonetics. Deontological part is described as the complex of knowledge, skills and moral as well as educational qualities for performing professional activity. Sociocultural constituent is defined as proper understanding of the culture of a foreign country.These constituents of gnoseological component are closely interconnected among each other. The second component of future dentists’ foreign language communicative competence is the activity one that reflects the ability to implement the acquired knowledge during practice. It consists of academic and foreign language communicative competences. The formation of foreign language communicative competence for future Dental Specialists is aimed at developing the skills of timely selection of appropriate professional terms, based not only on the content but also on the ability to grammatically correctly formulate sentences in practical speech and overcome the language barrier. In this way, the readiness of a specialist to use professional vocabulary in speech is realized. Therefore, it is expedient to introduce discursive and strategic components into the structure of the foreign language communicative competence.And the final component of foreign language structure is called reflexive element which involves the self-assessment of own achievements and the ability to increase their level.

The problem of definition of key principles of forming the praxeological competence of a future specialist in the system of higher medical, especially dentistry, education, is considered, based on the analysis of the international experience, especially one of countries-participants of the Bolognese process that the Ukrainian system of higher education continues to integrate in, and contributions of native scientists-teachers. It is underlined, that modernization of the educational process at globalization and migration of the planet population needs constant renewal and optimization of its theoretical grounds, based on the competence approach for providing specialists' employment. An important place in this process belongs to the definition of basic functioning principles of all development elements of the education system, especially practical training. Attention is paid on the importance of observance of both legally accepted development principles of the education system, students' civic rights and ones, providing its innovativeness and social demands. The retrospective analysis of the development of "praxeology" science and views of modern scientists on introduction of the praxeological approach and its importance for increasing the quality of practical training of graduates of higher medical educational institutions has been conducted. It is determined, that one of main components of the effective practical training of future dentistry masters at higher medical educational institutions is praxeological competence formation that provides further high-quality professional activity in the sphere of not only manual skills, but also determination of optimal organizational forms, methods, selection of materials in the professional activity of a physician-dentist. Based on the analysis of scientific sources and own studies, there have been concretized main principles of praxeological competence formation in dentistry masters,

The article deals with the importance of a portfolio for future dentists’ praxeological competence formation in the way it can help assess objectively results accomplished in educational process. The definition of «portfolio» was provided and its structural components were established. They include a motivation letter, where the future dentist determines his/her own conception of education, goals, tasks of vocational training for each term of training on the basis of the Education sectorial standard, educational syllabus; a diary with the fixation of practical elements of preparation, and self-assessment of the achieved result; research work that contains presentations, abstracts, texts of speech at conferences, congresses, workshops, etc.; resume; glossary. These components demonstrate the dynamics of praxeological competence formation from the aim of professional training towards the level of its achievement. The importance of future dentists’ foreign language competence formation was substantiated for performing professional activity in international environment. The article sets out the criteria for determining the level of future dentists’ praxeological competence formation which include the availability of systematic training and special skills, integration of knowledge from different subjects; the ability to find, analyze and use information to solve professional problems; the ability to choose the best forms and methods of activity, identify drawbacks and resolve conflicts in working process; the ability to study, analyze, summarize and use the latest experience in the field of professional activity; the ability to design models of professional activity, anticipate and take into account possible obstacles.

The article reveals the roles and functions of the modern teacher of higher medical educational establishment (instructor, trainer, tutor, mentor, coach, facilitator, manager, researcher) in creating high-quality experience for students and ensuring conditions for their knowledge acquisition, competencies and skills. It was substantiated the necessity of updating the pedagogical paradigm in the higher medical school according to evolutionary personal changes of the modern youth generation. It is also established that future doctors’ healthcare and foreign language competencies formation are not evaluated adequately among the university teachers’ functions. The key tasks of the modern medical university teachers, which are interrelated and interdependent with each other, are determined.

The article deals with the relevance and importance of praxeological competence of the master in dentistry, which reflects the maturity of future graduates to integrate acquired knowledge, skills, competencies during the study of academic disciplines and implement them into professional activity effectively. The structure of praxeological competence of a specialist in the field of dentistry is determined. It contains motivational, gnostic, activity, deontic, research, reflective constituents. The first motivational constituent reveals the aims setting in dental education acquiring and in professional realization. The next is gnostic one that consists in integrated system of professional and background knowledge which ensures the effectiveness of practical field. The activity element is one of the specific components that effect the practical activity of the student the most. The deontic unit encourages proper professional behaviour formation in the process of dental manipulation performing as well as communicating to medical staff, patients and their relatives. The scientific and research part of praxeological competence reflects the skills of scientific analysis. The last constituent is reflexive one; it encourages the formation of student’s ability to assess his own scientific performance adequately. The structure of the activity constituent provides a description of such components as manual, simulation-technological, organizational-managerial, ergonomic, economic, juridical, creative and innovative. Understanding this structure is considered important for the purposeful influence on the process of future dentists’ professional competence formation. The article proves that the harmonious formation of all constituents, that compose praxeological competence of masters in dentistry, will help increase their competitiveness in the international professional environment.