22 December 2011
Dental regulator launches new learning outcomes
The General Dental Council (GDC) has published its new learning outcomes for dental education with the aim of increasing patient protection and meeting current and future oral health needs.
The new learning outcomes – for all courses that lead to registration with the GDC – have been in development since 2009 and are designed, among other things, to:
• have a greater patient focus and put their interests and needs first;
• meet current and future oral health needs;
• cover the full range of skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to work in dental practice (i.e. clinical, professionalism, communication, and management and leadership);
• cover all registrant categories in one publication with a consistent approach;
• allow more flexibility for training providers.
Both the dentists’ curriculum ‘The First Five Years’ and the dental care professionals’ (DCPs) curricula ‘Developing the Dental Team’ are being replaced by a combined publication; ‘Preparing for Practice – Dental Team Learning Outcomes for Registration’.
Head of Quality Assurance at the GDC, Paul Feeney said:
“The development process of the learning outcomes has been a lengthy and in-depth process. It’s involved research, input from a strategic development team, feedback groups, consultation, analysis and finally approval by Council. But the ultimate benefits of increased patient protection have been worth the hard work.”
It is planned that the learning outcomes will be incorporated into training programmes and assessments for the first time in the academic year 2012-13.
Workshops are planned for February 2012 to allow education and training providers to discuss with the GDC the implementation of the learning outcomes and the GDC’s new outcomes based quality assurance process.
The new learning outcomes document can be found here.
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