Widening participation – a comparison of the characteristics of successful UK applicants to the five-year and four-year dental programmes in 2007 and 2008

Niven, Victoria; Cabot, Lyndon; Gallagher, Jennifer E.

doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.2013.107

Cited by 14 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…This study has two main limitations which should be noted. First, males who comprise at least 40% of graduates were under‐represented; this is partly due to the lower male representation in the target population and compounded by poor response during the recruitment period. Second, this research only considered the views of early career stage dentists who had returned to take up core training at this academic health science centre across two dental hospitals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Role models and professional development in dentistry: an important resource

Gallagher

2017

Eur J Dental Education

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Background: The importance of role models, and their differing influence in early, mid and late careers, has been identified in the process of professional development of medical doctors. There is a paucity of evidence within dentistry on role models and their attributes. Aim:To explore the views of early career dentists on positive and negative role models across key phases of professional development, together with role models' attributes and perceived influence.Methods: This is a phenomenological study collecting qualitative data through semistructured interviews based on a topic guide. Dentists in junior (core training) hospital posts in one academic health science centre were all invited to participate. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using framework analysis.Results: Twelve early career stage dentists, 10 of whom were female, reported having role models, mainly positive, in their undergraduate and early career phases. Participants defined role models attributes in relation to three distinct domains: clinical attributes, personal qualities and teaching skills. Positive role models were described as 'prioritising the patient's best interests', 'delivering learner-centred teaching and training' and 'exhibiting a positive personality', whilst negative role models demonstrated the converse. Early career dentists reported having largely positive dentist role models during-and post-dental school and report their impact on professional values and aspirations, learning outcomes and career choice. Conclusion:The findings suggest that these early career dentists in junior hospital posts have largely experienced, and benefitted from, positive role models, notably dentists; perceived as playing an important and creative influence promoting professionalism and shaping the career choices of early career stage dentists.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Role models and professional development in dentistry: an important resource

Gallagher

2017

Eur J Dental Education

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“…The pattern for dental education was part of the wider emancipation of women providing access to university education, degrees, and the professions, 8 and remains so today. [9][10][11][12] In so many of these developments, we have followed, or at least paralleled, developments amongst our medical colleagues.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reaching A Female Majority: A Silent Transition for Dentistry in the United Kingdom

Gallagher

Scambler

2021

Prim Dent J

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This paper highlights the process of transition to a female majority for dentistry, examines various influences on this trajectory, and considers the implications for the profession, health systems and patients, as well as individual dentists. This celebratory transition has been facilitated by educational systems that provide both males and females with equal opportunities and is supported by legislation, as well as societal change that has spanned decades. In crossing this gender representation threshold, we have outperformed doctors nationally. In order to embrace our highly educated workforce and support them to better serve their patients and the population, urgent debate and action aimed at reshaping current systems of dental care provision are required. In this regard, flexible working arrangements, together with reshaping professional leadership to better represent the workforce, as well as changes in terminology can all play their part; however, we will need careful discussions about how this might happen effectively. A collaborative effort between the dental profession and wider health systems is required to ensure that there are opportunities for everyone to flourish and contribute back to the profession and society. Our medical counterparts have been considering how healthcare should be shaped creatively, particularly in relation to working patterns, economic models and quality patient care: we need to catch up.

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“…(30) Past cross-sectional analyses of the two courses suggest that dentistry attracts, and admits, more females than males, in parallel with medicine and universities as a whole. (13,31) Also, that dentistry is more attractive to minority ethnic applicants than medicine and university in general, with gender, ethnicity, maturity, and school type associated with probability of acceptance for dentistry, (32) and the challenges associated with the introduction of higher fees. (13) Whilst a recent paper highlights certain trends in medicine, no analyses, to the knowledge of the authors, have explored and compared trends over time and the implications of tariff on admission.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%