This is the first study which investigates the self-perceived preparedness of final year undergraduate dental students in Pakistan. The results show that the self-perceived preparedness of final year students was satisfactory for a range of clinical and affective skills. However, several areas of weaknesses were identified which underscore the need for additional training and consolidation.

AimsTo investigate the impact of progress testing on the learning experiences of undergraduate students in three programs namely, medicine, dentistry and dental therapy.MethodsParticipants were invited to respond to an online questionnaire to share their perceptions and experiences of progress testing. Responses were recorded anonymously, but data on their program, year of study, age, gender, and ethnicity were also captured on a voluntary basis.ResultsA total of 167 participants completed the questionnaire yielding a response rate of 27.2% (n = 167). These included 96 BMBS students (27.4%), 56 BDS students (24.7%), and 15 BScDTH students (39.5%). A 3 -Program (BMBS, BDS, BScDTH) by 8-Topic (A-H) mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted on the questionnaire responses. This revealed statistically significant main effects of Program and Topic, as well as a statistically significant interaction between the two (i.e. the pattern of topic differences was different across programs).ConclusionsUndergraduate students in medicine, dentistry, and dental therapy and hygiene regarded PT as a useful assessment to support their learning needs. However, in comparison to students in dentistry and dental therapy and hygiene, the perceptions of medical students were less positive in several aspects of PT.

Objective: To investigate the self-perceived competence of house-officers from three dental institutions in Pakistan. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Islamabad Dental Hospital, Fatima Memorial Dental Hospital and Islamic International Dental Hospital, from Jan to Dec 2018. Methodology: House-officers from three dental institutions were invited to participate in a cross-sectional study. A previously validated preparedness assessment scale was used to gauge the perceptions and experiences of the participants on a range of clinical, cognitive and affective skills. The results were compared to data from Dental Foundation Trainees in the UK. Results: In total 128 house-officers responded to the online questionnaire (18 participants were excluded due to missing data). All but four participants were in the 20-25 years age group (96.4%). The mean overall score of participants was 70/100 (SD ± 11.71). Self-perceived competence was reported to be low for clinical skills in radiography, crowns, cast-partial dentures and endodontics on multi-rooted teeth. Conclusions: This study investigated self-perceived competence amongst new graduates and provides information for comparison with data from Foundation Dentists in the UK. Pakistani House-Officers felt less prepared than Dental Foundation Trainees in 49/50 attributes. Several areas were identified where graduates from both countries may benefit from further education, training and consolidation. The findings may be of interest to dental educators and other stakeholders.Keywords: , , ,

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