The importance of good communication in dental settings the focus at consumer workshop

On 29 November, the Australian Dental Council (ADC) brought together volunteer consumers, from around the country, for the organisation’s first consumer-led communication skills workshop.

Earlier this year the ADC commissioned the University of Sydney to review the available evidence about the involvement of consumers in the design and delivery of examinations and assessments which test competency for entry to professions.

The research, titled Consumer involvement in the design and delivery of examinations and assessments for professionals and health professional education: a scoping review of literature, found that consumer involvement was most effective when consumers used their own experiences of healthcare to contribute to the development and implementation of assessment and examinations. The research can be viewed here.

The ADC is using the learnings from this research in the continuous improvement of its examinations. As a first step, the organisation is drawing on the views and experiences of a diverse group of dental consumers when communicating with their dental practitioner. To achieve this, the ADC invited consumers to participate in two complementary workshops.

At this first workshop, participants discussed the value of good communication in the dental setting. The consumer group identified a range of communication skills which were important to them and which they believed contribute to patient health and well-being.

The ADC will bring this consumer group back together for a second workshop in early 2020. At this time, the group will work closely with experienced academics and examiners to identify the communications skills passing standard for the practical examination for overseas-qualified dentists.

More information about the ADC’s work to strengthen consumer involvement in its work is available here.