Patient-Dentist Interaction ; Standardized Patient Practice ; Communication Skills Training
Abstract
Each college of dentistry in Korea is examining and reorganizing its own curriculum to prepare students for the
practical examination of the National Dental Licensing Examination. Conducting an assessment of students’ compe
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tency of communication skills with standardized patients is the first attempt for the examination. Yonsei University
College of Dentistry carried out the evaluation of communication attitude, communication written exam, and commu
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nication skills practice with standardized patients for Third year predoctoral students. The purpose of this study is a)
to find out the relationship between the variables measured in communication skills education and b) to make a new
basis for the application of communication education and evaluation in dentistry
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Based on the results of the study, the following suggestions for the operation of a dental communication curriculum
can be drawn: First, the communication classes and the practice with standardized patients should be based on the
wide support of the school. In addition, the patient-dentist interaction (PDI) should be practiced in the same way as
practically possible by predoctoral students. Moreover, a space is required to allow predoctoral students to practice
PDI. Second, the communication score given by the standardized patients was the most influential on the total score
of PDI. This indicates that the communication practice with the standardized patients for the practical examination of
the National Dental Licensing Examination is a meaningful process in the course of its communication education.