Mentoring in Dentistry - Background

UG/VTInterface

VT/GPT/SHO Specialist Training CPE/CPD

PIM DDental Section

The Continuum

Tutor/Mentor

Career Advice

PDP

Problems

Trainer & Trainee

Appraisal

Career Advice

PDP

Problems

Trainer & Trainee

Appraisal

Career Advice

PDP*

Problems*

Recertification*

Performance

Career Advice

Support to Develop Enhanced Quality Training & Care

Lecturers Trainers & Advisers Hosp Trainers Dental Tutors

Mentoring in Dentistry Pilot Study

Aim:To evaluate the response of postgraduate dental tutorsand advisers to a mentoring training programme and it’s potential for future education planning.

Course:The 4 day mentoring course focused on learning to use the Egan model1. The course involved learning about the stages of the model as well as enhancing communication skills. Role play was used in order to practice and acquire the skills.

1. Egan G. The Skilled Helper, California, Brooks Cole.

MethodThe sample: 9 dental tutors/vocational training advisors.

Data: Collected before and after the course using self-completion questionnaires and by semi-structured interview 2-3 months after the course.

Data analysis:•SPSS for the questionnaires. •Interviews recorded and transcribed. •Analysis using thematic content analysis2, [detailed examination of the interview transcripts to identify important themes and quotations that are examples of the same underlying concepts ]

2. Straus and Cobin

Results:

Tutors reported an increased understanding of what mentoring is:

Mentoring happens within an ongoing relationship where the mentor facilitates the process of the demented in articulating their feelings and ideas, and in planning their actions. Confidentiality is of key importance. (Tutor 7, before)

“Mentoring is part of a relationship where the mentor helps the other person to become what they want to be and realise their potential” (Tutor 7, after)

“Traditionally, the mentor is a trusted and faithful guide for a person who is on a journey of personal, professional and career development”3

3 .Connor Mary (1998) Mentoring for Medics

Results :What they learned about themselves & mentoring

“Part of what the course did for me, made me realise that I haven’t got anybody and I wish I had”

“We are wonderful fixers, we go "problem- solution" and now, having done the course, I am more aware of the need for perspective and helping people come to their own decisions”

What skills did they acquire?

“The main skill was structured thinking. Rather than an ad hoc basis of just approaching something and jumping in… I gained listening skills, and structured thinking skills. I think those are the two most important ones probably.

Results :Initial application of mentoring was ... positive

“I've tried to use the skills .. and it (makes) an amazing difference. It makes me feel better and it makes the person think that I am someone with a different approach, someone who seems to listen a lot more.”

“I really enjoyed (brainstorming) when we were practising and so I tried it…I got the same sort of reaction that I had initially…. It was good it does work!”

“I listened to him and then went through different options and then got him to make a plan and ....”

Views on the use of mentoring to assist GDPs on continuing education planning :“I’m quite happy to discuss how you can achieve fulfilling post-graduate education, but if you don’t want to do post-graduate education, no amount of compulsory mentoring is going to help.

“I feel as though we need some additional training”.

“I would like to do this… my concern is…there may not be time or funding provided for it…(time) I mean I’m over committed now”

“Funding should be made available. It has to be sold in the right manner. It doesn’t have to be seen as a threat. It’s got to be an opportunity” … “again I think you'd have a job getting money off a GDP”

Conclusions :

Seven out of the eight tutors who took part in this study were positive about the use of mentoring to assist dentists with their educational and career development needs.

The perceived problems with mentoring were :

•a low level of uptake due to a negative image or lack of information on mentoring,

•lack of funding and time and

•a need for support and further training for the mentors.

Recommendations:•Survey the mentees, following mentoring practice to assess success and problems with mentoring.

•Uptake for mentoring will depend on a positive response from the above and on offering a choice of mentor.

•A long-term follow up of mentoring activity should ascertain the continued use/demand for mentoring.

•An advisory/support group to share information on mentoring and offer on-going training. •If demand increases, the network of mentors will need to increase to reduce the workload on the few(~20).

•A working party should be set up in order to monitor development of mentoring with particular heed to cost and benefits of the service.