Enablers and Barriers to Achieving Clinical Competency among Dental Students: Lessons for Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Adaptations to the teaching and learning during the pandemic affected dental students’ ability to achieve clinical competency. This study aimed to: (1) assess the self-reported competencies of dental students affected by the pandemic; (2) describe the enablers and barriers to achieving clinical competency among these students; and (3) to elucidate factors related to the resilience of the teaching and learning system during the pandemic for future adaptations and implementations. A questionnaire consisting of eight domains with 43 questions was sent to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s (UKM) recent dental graduates from the 2021 cohort. Eight students from the cohort were also interviewed. The semi-structured, in-depth interviews were recorded and transcribed. A total of 56 questionnaires were returned, resulting in a 100% response rate. Seven out of the eight studied domains had a high self-perceived competency score, while only six of the 43 skills had a self-perceived competency score of less than 80%. Eight participants were interviewed for the second part of the study. Multiple enablers and barriers were identified and categorised into five themes, which were clinical time, student mental health, clinical teaching, cross-infection protocols, and communication and other faculty policies. Dental graduates affected by the COVID-19 pandemic had a good level of self-perceived clinical competency. The multiple factors identified as enablers and barriers to achieving clinical competency can be utilised as references in curriculum development, planning and policymaking, especially with regards to adaptations made to the undergraduate dental curricula worldwide.