Abstract Each faculty of dentistry at universities and dental colleges in Japan continues to work toward the improvement and development of dental education. Sufficient preparation for clinical clerkship is considered to be especially important for these organizations because of their overriding social mission to graduate reliable dentists. The “ACKPIS” clinical performance exam, which was integrated with the newly created clinical clerkship operative concept named “ACCEPT Project”, has been made available at the Niigata University Faculty of Dentistry. ACKPIS seeks to assess the clinical performance of undergraduate dental students during clinical clerkships at the clinical site as it evaluates six basic requirements using a specified procedure. A questionnaire survey of a cohort of candidates was carried out to confirm the usefulness of ACKPIS. The basic requirements included in ACKPIS were similar to those described as competencies for new general dentists in ADEA or GDC. Furthermore, ACKPIS incorporated a feedback system for the students and was also similar to the clinical performance exam taken by medical residents both domestically and overseas. The results of the questionnaire revealed that the students recognized the importance and necessity of the ACKPIS clinical performance exam and its value in testing and evaluating criteria. Notwithstanding the need for further improvement, ACKPIS was deemed to be useful for assessing the clinical performance of undergraduate dental students.

 Abstract The qualitative improvement of educational ability of dental instructors is indispensable for practical dental education. The aims of this study were to verify the influence of clinical instruction evaluation by trainee dentists on developing the instruction ability of dental instructors and to motivate their educational activity.

 Six senior dental instructors and seven assistant dental instructors in the dental trainee program of Niigata University Medical and Dental Hospital in 2015 were included in the study. Twenty-two trainee dentists evaluated the clinical instruction of the dental instructors using a Maastricht clinical evaluation sheet at the end of the training period, and the evaluation results were fed back to each instructor. Then, a questionnaire survey of the instructors was carried out.

 The senior dental instructors considered that the evaluation by the trainee dentists was reasonable and that the evaluation was necessary. Half of the assistant dental instructors answered that the evaluation was useful and will use it for their future instruction, however, some of them seemed to become aware of their role as an instructor for the trainee dentists. Both senior and assistant instructors indicated that clarifying the points to be noted in instruction was meaningful for all instructors to reach a consensus on the way of clinical instruction, thus improving the clinical training system.

 Clinical instruction evaluation of instructors by trainee dentists may be useful to improve the motivation for developing clinical educational ability and accepted willingly by dental instructors.

 Abstract In Fukuoka Dental College, summative evaluation has been carried out to assess student performance, in which we set our objectives to be those required in the clinical practice of dentistry. The aim of this study was to judge the educational effects of our summative evaluation of the students and to survey the patients’ understanding and satisfaction.

 In 2015, 67 fifth-year students attempted the Advanced OSCE, the objective of which was “fluoride application for incipient caries of permanent teeth,” and two evaluators were assigned to each student to assess that objective. Following the summative evaluation, we gave a questionnaire survey to both the students and patients.

 The overall assessment of the summative evaluation by the evaluators was generally good, with grades averaging 8.6 points on a 10-point scale. In the student evaluation focusing on the objective of explaining the recalcification of enamel to patients, the average score was 1.85 on a 2-point scale, and 79% of the students improved their explanations and helped increase the patients’ understanding. In the patient evaluation, 94% of patients were able to understand the improved explanation by the student, and 48% of the patients wanted to receive future fluoride treatments, while 49% indicated that they might receive future fluoride treatments.

 This summative evaluation could be useful for improving students’ understanding of incipient caries of permanent teeth and for increasing their fluoride treatment skills. We believe that by providing feedback, the students’ knowledge and skills will be deepened, and the patients will also benefit.

 Abstract The ratio of elderly people aged over 65 years old in Japan is 26.7% ; gerodontology will become increasingly important. Educational guidelines of gerodontology have been created in Europe (European College of Gerodontology : undergraduate curriculum guidelines in gerodontology). The Japanese Society of Gerodontology translated these guidelines and used them to conduct a survey on dental school students ; we examined changes in the level of understanding of the undergraduate students with the progress of lectures and training on geriatric dentistry.

 One hundred fourth-year students and 98 fifth-year students of Showa University School of Dentistry were administered the questionnaire survey four times : before the start of lectures, before the start of basic training, at the end of basic training, and after clinical clerkship. The survey contained 50 questions, and the subjects were allowed to choose one of four options : Yes, Somewhat Yes, Somewhat No, or No, to answer the questions. The chi-squared test was used to compare the study time. The present study was approved by the ethics committee of the Showa University School of Dentistry (approval number 2013-042).

 Approximately 90% of the subjects answered the questionnaires. Both before the start and at the end of the basic training, the number of positive responses (Yes, Somewhat Yes) significantly increased compared with the previous questionnaire for all the questions (p<0.05). Therefore, understanding of geriatric dentistry improved with the progress of lectures and practical training.

 Abstract It is not advisable for medical professionals to use medical terminology frequently when talking with patients. Medical interview practices were conducted through role-plays involving students, and role-plays with simulated patients in training programs for medical professionals. However, when role-plays were carried out by students alone, because of their similar educational backgrounds, they tend not to notice medical terms. Moreover, judging whether terms are technical or not varies depending on the experience of the instructor. Therefore, at Nihon University School of Dentistry, 4th year students were assigned to submit their role-play scripts and the key words used were investigated.

 As a result, 3 instructors selected 24 terms out of 63 scripts as medical or technical terms. Different terms were selected depending on whether the instructors were dentists or not and/or depending on their research fields. Among those terms, a tendency was found that students intensively used particular synonyms, such as periodontal disease, appendicitis and colorectal cancer. Especially those who acted as patients frequently used the terms and expressions that were found in the patient scenario. This indicates the significance of scenario production and suggests the necessity of making proper and appropriate scenarios.

 Abstract Dental students in the second semester of the third year have little clinical experience. Using a new worksheet, students prepared for a medical interview before performing role-playing practice for their first medical examination.

 This new A3-sized worksheet was designed in spreadsheet style. One line contained 4 cells horizontally with (1) the dentist asking the medical history, (2) the dentist asking the patient a question, (3) the patient’s response to (2), and (4) the dentist’s response to (3). Sentences, or questions for (1) and (3), are already shown in the worksheet, and (2) and (4) are left blank for students to fill in. This set is considered as one unit for this practice, and there are 36 units and 2 summary lines, one in the middle of the interview and another at the end. In total, there are 38 lines for students to describe what they find in the first medical examination, in this case, acute symptoms.

 The results of the students using the worksheet were as follows.

 1. Although the students had not acquired professional knowledge in dental diagnosis, they could still make questions to elicit answers from patients who had already been described to them beforehand, and they could make questions based on communication skills they had learned.

 2. The students could experience what a medical interview would be like. The students followed the structure of a medical interview based on their worksheet.

 3. The students could experience an introduction to what a patient-centered medical interview should be like. This enables them to learn to show consideration for patients by trying to understand their physical conditions based on traditional diagnosis methods and by dealing with patients’ responses.

 The study results illustrate the effectiveness of the worksheet.