Attitude, ethics and communication in dental education- the road ahead

Abstract

The social dimension of healthcare sciences is fundamental, as healthcare involves interactions among various stakeholders both in education and delivery. In recent years, medical education has undergone rapid progression with much emphasis placed on student-centered active learning and the development of clinical competencies. The incorporation of the Attitude, Ethics and Communication module (AETCOM), a structured longitudinal program, by the National Medical Commission (NMC) represented a significant step forward for development of non-clinical competencies, namely in communication, attitude and ethical domains.
However, in dental education, the primary focus has been in the cognitive and psychomotor domain, with limited emphasis on the affective domain. In light of the inevitable need for a structured module for developing the affective domain among dental graduates, the existing AETCOM module framework by NMC can be adapted to dental programs in India. The peculiar nature of the dental profession involving early clinical exposure, face-to-face interactive practice, and increased workload necessitates integration of communication skills, interpersonal “soft” skills, dental ethics and practice management knowledge in dental education and healthcare delivery. With the new dawn of the National Dental Commission, guidance from domain experts and learning from peers, the proposed outcome-based curriculum that develops the affective domain can be implemented for more sustainable transformation in dental health care delivery. It will facilitate the development of competency-based dental education for better health care services.