Research article summary:

Use of the OSCE to evaluate brief communication skills training for dental students.

Full Abstract

Although communications competency is recommended by the American Dental Education Association, only a few (n=5) dental schools report evaluating students' skills using a competency examination for communication. This study used an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) to evaluate dental students' competency in interpersonal and tobacco cessation communication skills. All students were evaluated on their interpersonal communication skills at baseline and at six months post-OSCE by standardized patients and on their tobacco cessation communication skills by two independent raters. First- and second-year dental students (n=104) were randomized to a control or intervention group. One month after the baseline OSCE, students in the intervention group participated in a two-hour training session in which faculty members communicated with a standardized patient during a head and neck examination and counseled the patient about tobacco cessation. There were no statistically significant differences from baseline to post-test between the intervention and control group students as measured by the OSCE. However, among first-year students, both the intervention (n=23) and control (n=21) groups significantly increased in tobacco cessation communication scores. Second-year students in both intervention (n=24) and control (n=28) groups declined in interpersonal communication skills from baseline to post-test. Overall, this one-shot intervention was not successful, and results suggest that a comprehensive communication skills training course may be more beneficial than a single, brief training session for improving dental students' communication skills.

This information was obtained from the public area of Pubmed, part of the National Library of Medicine (NLM). Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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Author information

First Name	LastName	Initials
Gabrielle F	Cannick	GF
Alice M	Horowitz	AM
David R	Garr	DR
Susan G	Reed	SG
Brad W	Neville	BW
Terry A	Day	TA
Robert F	Woolson	RF
Daniel T	Lackland	DT

Affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.

Grants: F30DE017046-01 (Agency:NIDCR)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Journal of dental education (J Dent Educ).

Reference: 2007-Sep; vol 71 (issue 9) : pp 1203-9

Language: eng

PMID: 17761627 (status: MEDLINE) (last retrieval date: 12/1/2007)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Clinical Competence
Communication
Counseling - education
Diagnosis, Oral - education
Education, Dental
Humans

Professional-Patient Relations
Smoking - prevention & control
Smoking Cessation
Students, Dental
Teaching - methods
Tobacco Use Cessation

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