The impact of expert- and peer feedback on communication skills of undergraduate dental students - a single-blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of peer- and expert feedback on communication skills of undergraduate dental students.

METHODS: All students of the first clinical treatment course (n=46) were randomly assigned into two groups. For three times a medical-dental interview/consultation of each student with a real patient was videotaped. After every consultation the videos were assessed either by a person experienced in communication (expert group) or by a fellow student (peer group), giving the students feedback regarding their chairside performed communication skills. Before and after the feedback-interventions all students conducted an interview with simulated patients, which was rated using a validated global rating and analyzed statistically.

RESULTS: Global ratings mean scores after feedback-intervention were significantly improved (p<0.05). Thereby, no significant differences in the overall assessment could be observed between expert and peer feedback (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION: During this study students improved their communication skills in dentist-patient interactions. The communication experience of the feedback provider seems not to have any impact on the communication skills in undergraduate dental students.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The clinical courses in dentistry offer the opportunity to implement peer-feedback interventions in real treatment situation as part of communication training to longitudinally improve communication skills.