Introduction This paper reports participation of dentists in continuing professional development (CPD) and factors affecting participation. Method All general dental practitioners (GDPs) in three deaneries in England were surveyed. The overall response rate was 54% (n = 2082); by deanery it was 68% West Midlands, 45% South West and 44% Anglia. Findings across deaneries were remarkably similar. Comparisons with national data show no notable bias in the sample for gender, owners/partners and age/experience. Results Most frequent forms of CPD were journal reading and courses in which almost all engaged. A score based on individual participation in CPD over the 12-month period was calculated. The mean score (hours) for participation in verifiable CPD was 31 (median 25) and for general, 29 (median 29). In terms of the GDC's Lifelong Learning Scheme, 57% were already undertaking 50 hours. Net of other effects, those less likely to be doing 50 hours are those with more years in practice and single-handed practitioners. Greater access to courses and media-based CPD is desired. Conclusion Certain groups of dentists will need support to meet the requirements of the GDC's Lifelong Learning Scheme. Statutory peer review or clinical audit will significantly alter the CPD profile of most dentists. This has implications for facilitators.

This study is based on a systematic review of studies using a randomized controlled trial or quasi‐experimental design in order to synthesize existing evidence evaluating the effectiveness of continuing professional development (CPD) interventions in dentistry on learning gains, behavior change, or patient outcomes. The authors searched a range of electronic databases from 1986 to the present and screened all potentially relevant studies for inclusion, using pre‐established inclusion/exclusion criteria. Following data extraction and quality appraisal of all included studies, a narrative synthesis of the studies was undertaken. Ten studies (in fourteen articles) were included. All were evaluation studies of CPD interventions targeted exclusively at dentists. The ten included studies evaluated a range of interventions: courses/workshops, written information, CAL, audit/self‐reflection, face‐to‐face support, and black box combinations of these interventions. Two high‐ and moderately high‐quality studies evaluated CAL CPD for dentists and found equivocal impact of CAL for dentists. A black box combination of interventions was rigorously evaluated and showed moderate impact on patient care. This finding suggests that multimethod and multiphased CPD has potential for the greatest impact. There is a need for more high‐quality randomized controlled trials evaluating CPD interventions in dentistry. It is important that future evaluations of CPD interventions clarify the nature of the interventions such that they are explicit and replicable and that appropriate outcomes are selected (health of patients and change in practice or behavior as well as knowledge and understanding) in order to move the evidence base of effective practice forward in this area of dental education.

Introduction: This paper reports the impact of course attendance on the practice of dentists. Method: Phase One: A survey sent to all general dental practitioners (GDPs) in three deaneries in England. The survey included self-ratings of the impact of course attendance on practice. Phase Two: Interviews with 20 dentists before and two to three months after they had participated in a self-selected course. The response rate to the survey was 54% (n = 2082). Comparisons with national data showed no notable bias in the sample for gender, owners/partners and age/experience. An ordered logit model was used to explore the net effect of factors (including years' experience in general dental practice and gender) on dentists' ratings of course impact. Results: Course attendance was judged to impact on practice. Impact rating was affected by participation rate and years' experience. Barriers to implementation included cost, time, NHS constraints and personal or staff issues. Impact was enhanced when selection of courses was based on learning needs although courses may also serve usefully to confirm current practice. Conclusion: There is much that dentists themselves can do to enhance the impact of courses, principally by reflecting on learning needs. They should be supported in the development of personal learning plans.

The future health-care workforce and the changing skill-mix within occupational teams is a current topic of discussion. This paper contributes to the skill-mix debate by focusing on UK primary care dentistry, revealing unintended as well as intended consequences of a modularized, technocratic view of dentistry. In part one, relevant literature about dental therapists and skill-mix in dentistry is organized into a framework used to review factors operating at macro, meso and micro levels. Part two considers the role that education and training may play in realizing skill-mix change. Part three synthesizes conditions required for modifying skill-mix in UK primary dental care and sets out the dimensions of seven factors: funding focus, the profession's response, workforce, the practice, dentist's knowledge, dental therapist's motivations and patient attitude. A review of these factors could be used to inform the policy decisions of managers operating at the macro level, as well as more local staffing decisions. Without consideration of the complex interplay of these factors, skill-mix in dentistry will be slow to develop and could bring unwelcome consequences.

The aim of this study was to investigate the implementation and impact of personal development plans (PDPs) for UK dentists. Eighty‐seven UK dentists were divided into two groups, experimental (n = 42; supported by a tutor in developing a PDP) and control (n = 45). Both groups recorded their continuing professional development (CPD) activities over a 6‐month period in 2002 and rated their relation to learning needs, extent of new learning, immediate and longer‐term impact on practice. All in the experimental group were interviewed 1 month after completing a PDP, 6 months later they rated the match of their CPD activities with their PDP, and at 12 months a sub‐sample of 10 were interviewed. The results show that developing a PDP with the aid of a tutor was viewed positively. Participants undertook a median number of 17 educational activities in the 6‐month period (mean of 50 hours). Most frequent activities were reading and courses. Ratings for impact, both immediate and later, were higher among the experimental group who had been supported in the development of a PDP, and this was particularly true for reading. For courses, the impact of the intervention was more clearly in evidence when there was a good match between the PDP and the CPD activities actually undertaken. In conclusion, these data, based on self‐ratings within a controlled study, show that dentists in the experimental group, who were supported to develop a PDP, derived greater benefit from their CPD than the control group.

Each United Kingdom regional postgraduate deanery offers courses and educational support for the NHS (National Health Service) primary care dental team, primarily through networks of tutors (dental educators). After reporting literature on effective continuing education and the role of evaluation, this article provides an analysis of five educational evaluations (2005-08), identifying key messages and distilling ways to enhance educational support for the UK dental team. These evaluations adopted case study design and principally employed interviews (n=51) and questionnaires (n=221). The studies' key messages and recommendations are as follows: clarify dental educator roles; provide strategic management and educational support for educators; ensure continuing education is matched to the learning needs of dental teams and specific groups; and use practice (office) visits to support practice (team) development plans. Evaluation enables initiatives to be evidence-informed, focus effort where most needed, argue for continued funding, and give voice to stakeholders. However, there is added value in a collective consideration of evaluation findings from related studies. Doing this has identified ways to enhance the strategic development of educational support for the UK dental team and is applicable in a wider context both nationally and internationally. Dr. Firmstone is

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EDUCATION I N B R I E F• Temporary registration in primary care provides a transition for overseas-qualifi ed dentists planning to work in the UK and helps them prepare for the IQE.• The scheme allowed the dental attachments to become familiar with the requirements of primary care NHS dentistry in a supervised and protected training environment.Temporary registration in primary care for dentists moving to the UK from outside the EU: an evaluation of a national pilot scheme