Making the most of teaching at the chairside

Abstract

This study examines the chairside as an opportunity for teaching and learning. It sets out to understand how students learn in the dental clinic so that they can better be supported in their clinical learning. The study draws on current theories of learning to establish a rationale for effective chairside teaching. Current theories highlight the active role of learners in ‘constructing’ their own knowledge of a field, and emphasise the importance of active learning and reflection in this process. The study is practical in nature. It weaves evidence from empirical studies of medical and dental clinical teaching, as well as ‘best practice tips’ from the literature, with theory to suggest a strategy for effective teaching in the clinical context. The study concludes with a caveat, warning that effective clinical teaching requires an investment in time.

Effect of individual structured and qualified feedback on improving clinical performance of dental students in clinical courses‐randomised controlled study

“…The implementation of numerous factors proven in other studies to support learning by FB has resulted in high quality of the provided FB, explaining the high effect sizes: FB was elaborated , focussing on adequate comprehensiveness, including diagnostic and corrective information on how the dental treatment steps were performed and how they could be improved. Scaffolding by providing cues, hints and direct instructions was used to guide the dental student's learning process . FB was given verbally , important cues were recorded in writing on the assessment form and dental students were involved in the FB discussion .…”

“…FB was given verbally , important cues were recorded in writing on the assessment form and dental students were involved in the FB discussion . Cues and recommendations given by the FB provider were specific , directed at unsatisfactory or outstanding elements of performance . FB was given in a constructive way.…”

“…FB was given in a constructive way. Praise, critiques and suggestions were solution oriented . Special attention was given to provide valid and relevant content in the FB because invalid and irrelevant FB not only impairs learning but also interferes with the processing of relevant FB .…”

“…FB was provided face‐to‐face in a confidential and secure environment , after patient discharge . The FB provider showed respect for the dental student's self‐esteem and emotions . In all FB situations, c orrective and reinforcing/corroborative comments were combined .…”

The perceptions of dental practitioners of their role as clinical teachers in a UK outreach dental clinic

“…The assumption was made that "bed-side" teaching in medicine was akin to "chair-side" teaching in dentistry. 20 A questionnaire (Table 1) based on the skills list was piloted and distributed to: pre-clinical and clinical dental undergraduates (n1=358); dental care professionals which included dental nurses, hygienists and therapists (n2=50);…”