The use of the arts to encourage reflection in the dental professions — A commentary

Abstract

Reflective practice is viewed internationally as an important activity within the dental professions and one which the General Dental Council expects to be part of all dental technician programmes in the United Kingdom (UK), irrespective of academic level. Informal discussions with colleagues delivering dental technology in UK higher education institutions agree that reflective practice is an important aspect of the curriculum, and learning is facilitated and assessed using various methods, for example, an online portfolio. Anecdotally, many of the current methods are shown to be ineffective, with up to fifty percent of students not meeting the reflective component. In the dental professions, consideration needs to be given to the use of creative methods to support reflective practice, in order to engage learners and contribute to the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes in this student group.