Knowledge Attitude and Perception of Soft Skill Competencies in Indian Dental Undergraduates

Jafri Z

Published on: 2024-12-11

Abstract

Background

Throughout the undergraduate course in India, the dental curriculum emphasizes on skills that assist dental students in acquiring theoretical knowledge and clinical acumen. However, like with any other area, it is generally recognized that soft skills, in addition to cognitive and psychomotor skills, are necessary to have a professional lead. The present curriculum for dental undergraduates in India has no formal guidelines for imparting the same. This study has been done to know about knowledge, attitude and perception of soft skills competencies in Indian dental undergraduates.

Materials and Method

This descriptive questionnaire-based study was conducted in a central government teaching dental institute in New Delhi. After due scientific and ethical approval, a questionnaire was circulated in Google form, online, via whats app groups and email groups of students. Participation was voluntary, with informed consent, and with assurances of confidentiality. 789 Indian Dental undergraduates responded over a time frame of four months. Data was analyzed using SPSS (Version 16.0. Chicago, SPSS Inc.). Demographic variables and responses to different items of the questionnaire were summarized and presented as frequencies. As the responses were recorded on a Likert scale, the individual item scores and domain scores were summarized as means & standard deviation. The responses to various items were compared across gender & year, using Chi square test. The level of statistical significance was set at 0.05.

Results

Out of 789 respondents, 80 % knew and understood soft skills (p value = 0.282) showing a non-significant result. Many of them were not aware of the different categories of soft skills (with significant p value=0.044) and that it can be acquired by training and learning methods. Regarding perception of having the different categories of soft skill, most of the respondents perceived to agree to have these soft skills in them. The mean score for ability to identify nonverbal parts of communication was 2.41 and for financial and entrepreneur skills it was 2.34 and 2.49.

Conclusion

Although the majority of respondents  had knowledge of  soft skills, many of them were not aware about the various categories of soft skills, and many did not strongly agree that they possessed these soft skills, particularly nonverbal parts of communication and financial and entrepreneur skills  such as, managing the workforce and finances of a private dental set up.

This gap needs to be bridged through modules which can be scientifically designed and can be included in the curriculum after evaluation by an evaluating body.