Dental Undergraduatesâ’ Self-Assessed Confidence In Paediatric Dentistry

ABSTRACT

Aim: Self-assessment based on benchmarked professional standards is an excellent tool to assist inimproving the dental curriculum. Areas of strength and weaknesses can be identified. It can also actas a baseline standard when significant changes are introduced to the dental curriculum. The aimsof this prospective cross-sectional study was to investigate self-assessed confidence of final yeardental undergraduates in paediatric dentistry enrolled at University of Malaya in 2013. Methods: 65undergraduates completed anonymised questionnaires which were formulated based on expectedprofessional competencies in three domains namely clinical skills, patient management, and professionaldevelopment and clinical governance. Visual analogue score (VAS) represented by a 10cm line withscore ‘0’ no confidence at all and ‘10’ complete confidence was used to measure the level of confidence.Results: The overall analysis of self-assessed confidence was very positive with median VAS ≥ 5cmin; clinical skills, 7.66±1.31cm (range=2.41–9.97cm n=62; 95.4%), patient management 7.73±1.27cm(range=5.09–9.95cm n=64; 100.0%), and professional development and clinical governance,8.13±1.21cm (range=5.22–10.00cm n=64; 100.0%). High confidence was reported for routine dental care(fillings and preventive care) while lower confidence reported for basic life support (median VAS=5.65cm)and pulp therapy for immature permanent teeth (median VAS=5.95cm). Conclusions: The final yeardental undergraduate students of the University of Malaya appear to have good overall self-assessedconfidence in core areas in paediatric dentistry.