perspective on mentoring dental students of Dow international dental college [Dow university of health sciences]: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

The objective was to determine the perception and the effects on mentors regarding mentoring dental students at Dow International Dental College, Karachi; Pakistan. There was a qualitative research study consisting of 16 mentors, in which data collection was done by questionnaire designing. Study of the close-ended questions showed that the majority of the mentors had 6-10 numbers of mentees [81%], but unluckily they did not have any communication with mentees' parents. However, 50% of the mentors gave chief preference to their mentees. They helped their mentees in communicating with people which they did not find easy to approach [69%].Most of the mentors met their mentees once a week [62%]. All the mentors shared their private phone numbers with their mentees [100%].Majority of the mentors were aware about their mentees' hobbies [69%]. All the mentors guided their mentees in professional advancement [100%]. If mentees showed misconduct or misbehaved with their mentors in any aspect then most of the mentors counseled them [87.5%].Unfortunately half of the mentors believed that by so much of effort on mentoring and supervision, their mentees did not show any enhancement in academics. It was concluded that mentoring program was acknowledged by the mentors to be a prosperous and pleasing approach for educating young dental students