Bieliaieva O. M., Skrypnikova T. P., Khmil T. A., Lysаnets Yu. V., Hutsol M. I., Kіryk T. V., Taran Z. M.

COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE OF DENTISTS IN CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: FROM LEARNING TO SUSTAINED PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOUR

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Bieliaieva O. M., Skrypnikova T. P., Khmil T. A., Lysаnets Yu. V., Hutsol M. I., Kіryk T. V., Taran Z. M.

Heading:

MEDICAL EDUCATION

Type of article:

Scientific article

Annotation:

The contemporary concept of continuing professional development for dentists entails a shift from the formal documentation of educational activity towards the assessment of its professional outcomes. Particular attention should be paid to communicative competence, as the quality of dentist-patient interaction depends not only on knowledge of the principles of professional communication but also on the ability to consistently apply relevant skills in real-world clinical situations. A critical and analytical synthesis of contemporary research has shown that the number of educational hours or credits, or participation in an educational activity, are insufficient indicators of the professional effectiveness of continuing professional development. Contemporary approaches focus on assessing the outcomes of professional learning and their impact on professional practice. The development of communicative competence requires practical skills training, reflective practice, feedback, motivational interviewing, and shared decision-making. At the same time, educational outcomes, intentions to change professional practice, and actual behavioural change should be clearly distinguished; readiness for change represents an important intermediate indicator but cannot substitute for the assessment of actual professional behaviour. Longitudinal evidence indicates that motivational interviewing skills can be maintained and further developed over an extended period. At the same time, the evidence regarding the direct impact of continuing professional development on patient-centred outcomes remains heterogeneous, underscoring the need for further research. Dentists’ communicative competence should therefore be regarded as a dynamic professional outcome that is developed, maintained, and refined throughout professional practice. Evaluation of the effectiveness of continuing professional development should take into account actual changes in professional behaviour and, where feasible, patient-centred outcomes; a promising approach is to combine objective assessment of communicative skills with self-assessment, reflection, evaluation of behaviour in real-world practice, and measures of patient experience.

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Publication of the article:

«Bulletin of problems biology and medicine», 2026 Issue 3, 182, 365-369 pages, index UDC 378.046-021.68:616.31:316.77

DOI:

10.29254/2077-4214-2026-3-182-365-369