How to Acquire Your Skills

Objectives

At the end of the lecture, the student should be able to:- Identify learning & it’s importance - Identify tips to improve learning - Know how to become professional- Know how to acquire clinical skills

How to Acquire Learning Skills

Deem Al-Blaihed, BDS

Outline

•What is learning?•Why is improving learning skills important?• Tips to improve learning skills• Taking care of your brain

What is learning?

Learning is the process of gaining knowledge or skill by: StudyingPracticingBeing taughtExperiencing something

Why is improving learning skills important?• Learning is a skill and it can be improved• Everyone has the opportunity to develop their memory and

learning ability• Learning something new always takes motivation, commitment ,

self discipline & practice

Tips to improve learning skills

Identify your learning style

Identify Learning

Objectives Make Notes Make a Study

Plan

Take Regular Study Breaks

Avoid Cramming Move Around Be Curious

Take care of your Brain

Identifying Your Learning Style

1. Visual (spatial):

You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding

2. Aural (auditory-musical):

You prefer using sound and music

3. Verbal (linguistic):

You prefer using words in speech and writing

4. Physical (kinesthetic):

You prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch

5. Logical (mathematical):

You prefer using logic, reasoning and systems

6. Social (interpersonal):

You prefer to learn in groups or with other people

7. Solitary (intrapersonal):

You prefer to work alone and use self-study

Which one are you ?

Identifying Learning Objectives

• A learning objective states specifically what a student should be able to do• Learning objectives tell students what is important• Learning objectives are what the teacher want the student

to learn

Learning Objectives Example

Make notes

•Making notes helps you to gain an overview of your what you are studying• Take notes from what the lecturer is saying, not just from

texts you are shown in presentations

• Use to highlight something important

• Use show that you did not quite understand something

What are the ways to take notes?

Summary • Writing a summary or outlining in

your own words helps you to mentally organize information

Concept maps• Help you to organize information as it

illustrates the relationship between things

Make a Study Plan

• Think ahead and create an effective study plan• It will help you organize your time • It will put your mind at ease

Test Yourself as You Make Progress• You should test yourself throughout the whole study process• Create the test yourself • It helps you review the lecture & identify the important topics

Mem

ory

Time

With refresh

Without refresh

Forgetting Curve

Take Regular Study Breaks

• None of us are superhuman

• There is a limit to how long your brain can properly function without a break

• In order to maintain an optimum level of concentration you need some time to recover from the work you’ve put in

• Taking regular short breaks help improve your focus & productivity

Avoid cramming!• Your brain is like a sponge! Try to overload it and the excess will run off!• Your brain needs time to process the new information and make connections• Forcing information during the last few days is incredibly inefficient

Move around• The brain makes connections between what you’re learning and

the environment you’re in at the time• Find a place to study that is quiet and with few distractions• Alternate between locations (office , room, library, beach)

Go Beyond Memorization and Ask Why

• Go beyond just taking notes!• Be critical about what you’re learning and question it.

Be curious!

Taking care of your brainGet enough sleep: -A good night's sleep supports the functions of the brain and memory. - Insufficient sleep weakens your concentration and increases restlessness

Taking care of your brainProtect your brain• Support your brain with a healthy life style

AVOID

Taking care of your brainNourish your brain- Eat and drink enough, but not too much. Eating small, frequent

meals will keep your blood sugar levels even which is useful to effective studying.- Keeping your body well hydrated is essential to concentration and

learning

Support your brain by exercising• Exercise improves the oxygen supply to the brain• Exercise improves concentration• Exercise has a positive effect on learning• Exercise reduces stress • 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as cycling or fast

walking every week

How to Acquire Professional Skills

Shimaa Ibrahim, BDS

Outline

•Profession definition •Professional definition •How to become professional

Profession:Is an occupation involving long and specialized preparation on the level of higher education and governed by a special code of ethics.The aim of a profession is the public good.

Professional:Refers to one who practices a learned profession and has special knowledge and skills used to benefit the public, regardless of personal gain.

Officially became a participant in a profession

Professional

To become a dental professional you should

1. Look professional

2. Be concerned about conduct

3. Be ethical

What is meant by “ethics”?• Ethics are the moral principles that govern the character and

conduct of an individual or a group.

4. Integrity

5. Be honest

6. Be truthful (trust)

7. Be fair

Discrimination

8. Respects patients needs, values, confidentiality

9. Places patients’ interests first

10. Do no harm(safe and healthy)(refer to a specialist)

Knowledge

11. Do good (consider needs and value)

12. Primary concern is service, not prestige or profit

How to Acquire Clinical Skills

Rahaf Najjar, BDS

Outline:

Some tips to be a good dentist:• Diagnostic Skills• Treatment Planning• Dental Auxiliary Utilization•Manual Dexterity• Teamwork• Education Skills• Soft Skills

Diagnostic skills

In less than 1 year

Diagnosis Good Treatment

Diagnosis is important to build an appropriate treatment plan

Treatment Planning

Why?

Dental Auxiliary Utilization

Manual Dexterity

• It is the ability to use your hands in a skillful, coordinated way to grasp and manipulate objects and demonstrate small, precise movements.

Manual Dexterity

• A dentist must have superior manual dexterity skills.

Manual Dexterity

and consider for a moment the size of the average person's mouth.

Manual Dexterity

• A dentist must be able to exercise very fine motor control and possess excellent hand-eye coordination.

What to do to Refine Manual Dexterity

1. Drawing / Painting2. Woodcarving3. Creating 3D artwork through jewelry-making, sculpting or

ceramics

What to do to Refine Manual Dexterity

4. Sewing/needlepoint5. Crocheting / Knitting6. Learning a musical instrument that requires extensive

hand-eye coordination (e.g. piano, violin)

What Helped Me

Teamwork• The dental care team consists of a wide range of people with

different skills and academic backgrounds.• You need to have strong interpersonal skills and enjoy

working as part of a team.

Education Skills

Soft Skills

• Positive attitude.• Self-Confidence. • Good communication skills.

Soft Skills

• Time management skills.• Problem solving skills.• Flexibility and adaptability.