Tools to share good chairside teaching practice: a clinical scenario and appreciative questionnaire

Abstract

VERIFIABLE CPD PAPERThis article provides a scenario for analysis of good chairside teaching practice to serve as a starting point for continued discussion in this complex fi eld. Documented issues of good chairside teaching practice are cross-referenced to a clinical scenario with explanations in the form of a commentary. This provided the context for generating a set of questions that are provided as tools to support good chairside practice. These tools are designed to be used with 'Appreciative Inquiry', which claims that there is much to be gained by discovering where excellence is possible and elaborating upon this. Although this process can be carried out in single units or departments, it is proposed that collaboration between institutions would allow sharing of valuable innovations and greater understanding of educational training, production of good practice guidance and professional development of staff. This article is the third in a series of three and provides a scaffold for a scenario and questions to encourage collaboration in evolving and sharing good chairside teaching practice. The fi rst article investigated the perceptions of stakeholders in chairside teaching at a single dental school and the second evaluated chairside teaching on a UK wide scale. A further accompanying article reviews some of the educational methodology and innovations in teaching and learning that may be applied to dentistry. Sharing good practice

Making the most of teaching at the chairside

“…These behaviours relate to inter‐personal conduct, communication and the learning environment. Interpersonal behaviours that are deemed useful in clinical teachers are enthusiasm (12), empathy (13), ‘putting yourself into their shoes’ (14), approachability (14), reassurance (13), and compassion and caring (13). Effective communication that supports learning includes listening to students (5), attentive silence (which communicates that the teacher is paying attention and gives the learner time to think) (9), purposeful eye contact (to engage learners who require special teacher attention) (9), tracking (nods and grunts that indicate understanding and general approval) (9), and encouraging students to participate actively in discussion (5).…”

“…A clinical learning environment that counters fear of failure is created through showing students respect (5), encouraging students to bring up problems (5), being available and receptive (encouraging students to ask questions and seek assistance) (15), ‘getting off the pedestal’ (relates own learning experiences to students, including problems) (15), being fun and easy to work with (cooperative, positive attitude, enjoys teaching) (15), understanding and remembering sources of stress in students’ lives (15), and refraining from ‘having favourites’ (15). Providing support in a non‐threatening way is helpful (14). Ramani (16) suggests that learners should be challenged without humiliation –‘augmented by gentle correction when necessary’ (p. 113).…”

“…Demonstration at the chairside of technical procedures and clinical reasoning needs careful management (25). While direct guidance on clinical work may be useful (26), telling students what to do neglects the linking of theory and practice and joint problem solving implicit in guidance (14, 26). Knowledge underlying demonstration is often tacit and not visible to students, and needs to be clearly communicated as part of the demonstration (25).…”

Educational innovations for dentistry

“…65 A willingness to share teaching methods and theories and understandings of student learning at the chairside is likely to create an overall improvement in clinical teaching. This is the process that we recommend in our paper presenting tools for dissemination of good chairside teaching practice 3 where it is envisaged that dental tutors will be publishing, presenting or discussing aspects of student learning or their teaching in the dental clinic. A further aspect of scholarship that follows on from this is the way in which, by creating a forum for discussion and debate about elements of chairside teaching, ideas and actions are challenged and development opportunities are created.…”

Factors Facilitating Academic Success in Dental Students After Initial Failure: A Qualitative Study

“…Watkins et al in 2016 reviewed the role of AI as an intervention for positive change in nursing practice in terms of fostering bonds, reducing defensiveness, and improving patient care 24 . There is yet only limited literature in dentistry on AI: Zakariasen et al in 2002 found AI to be very helpful for dentists to create a dynamic vision of their ideal future practices, 25 and Sweet et al in 2008 recommended clinical scenarios and appreciative questionnaires as tools to share best practices in dental chairside teaching 26 . To our knowledge, the AI approach has not previously been used to identify strategies that may help dental students tackle failure in academics.…”