Evaluating Skills and Confidence Status of House Officers in Managing Dental Patients: A Mixed Method Study in a Private Dental Institute of Karachi

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the skills and confidence status of house officers in managing dental patients.

Study Design: Mixed method (Sequential-explanatory) study.

Place and Duration of Study: Altamash Institute of Dental Medicine, Karachi Pakistan, from Mar 2019 to Mar 2020.

Methodology: A self-administered questionnaire was developed for the 1st phase of the study. After validation from the content experts, a pilot test was run on 18 house officers before administering the questionnaire. It included 46 dental procedures; participants rated their skills and confidence in performing them using a Likert scale of 1 to 5 points ranging from poor to excellent. In the 2nd phase, sixteen face-to-face interviews were conducted to explain the reasons for acquiring skills and confidence status.

Results: The response rate was 100%. Fifty-eight house officers filled out the questionnaire. Participants with multiple rotations reported significantly above average confidence status with multiple rotations of retainer insertion (81%), treatment of malocclusion using removable appliances (82%), fissure sealants (78%), anterior endodontic (80%), posterior amalgam (69%), oral hygiene (69%), and diagnosis of caries (67%), TMJ disorders (69%), rubber dam placement (71%) and properly prescribed recommended medicine (65%) when compared to the single rotation. The most important high-confidence status themes in evaluating skills were practising the procedures and internal motivation.

Conclusion: Multiple rotations with repeated practice sessions enhanced house officers' skills and confidence status.Procedures that were least practised scored the lowest in overall mean confidence.
Keywords: Confidence status, Curriculum, Dental graduates, Dental procedures, Evaluation, House officers, Skills.