• Rainer Haak, Jakob Rosenbohm, Armin Koerfer, Rainer Obliers, and Michael J Wicht.
• Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. rainer.haak@uk-koeln.de
• Eur J Dent Educ. 2008 Nov 1; 12 (4): 213-8.

PurposeTo determine whether students improve their communication skills as a result of supervised patient care and whether a newly implemented communication course could further improve these skills.MethodWe conducted a randomised, controlled trial including all participants of the first clinical treatment course (n = 26) between October 2006 and February 2007. Randomisation was balanced by gender and basic communication skills. The test group practised dentist-patient communication skills in small groups with role-plays and videotaped real patient interviews, whereas the control group learned in problem-based workshops both on a weekly basis. Before and after the interventions (two group pre- and post-design) all students conducted two interviews with simulated patients. The encounters were rated using a 10-item checklist derived from the Calgary-Cambridge Observation Guide I.ResultsRepeated measures ANOVA (alpha = 0.05) showed a significant difference of the sum scores of the ratings between test and control group (P = 0.004). The participants educated in communication skills improved significantly (Delta = +14.9; P = 0.004), whereas in the control group no accretion of practical communication competence was observed (Delta = -3.9; P = 0.23).ConclusionIt could be demonstrated that solely interacting with patients during a clinical treatment course did not inevitably improve professional communication skills. In contrast, implementation of a course in communication skills improved the practical competence in dentist-patient interaction.

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