1564 Personal Development Planning for Dentists: Impact on Continuing Professional Development
A.D. BULLOCK1, V.R. FIRMSTONE2, J. BEDWARD1, J. FRAME3, J. HALL4, and P. LOWNDES5, 1University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, 2University of Birmingham, England, UK, 3Postgraduate Office, Birmingham, 46 Ways Dental Practice, Birmingham, United Kingdom, 5Postgraduate Office, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Objectives: To investigate whether a personal development plan (PDP) makes a difference to how continuing professional development (CPD) activities are selected (relation to learning needs), extent of new learning and whether that CPD changes professional practice.

Methods: Eighty-seven UK dentists took part in the study divided into two groups, experimental (n=42 supported by a tutor in developing a PDP) and control (n=45). Both groups recorded their CPD activities over a 6-month period in 2002 and rated relation to learning needs, extent of new learning, immediate and longer-term impact on practice.

Results: The 87 participants undertook 1710 activities in the 6-month period (1005 control group; 705 experimental). Most frequent activities were reading (44% of all activities) and courses (20%).

On a 6-point scale, 28% of the control group and 37% of the experimental gave ratings of 5 or more for the extent to which the CPD activity related to learning needs. The difference was statistically significant (Mann-Whitney): those with a PDP (experimental) selected their CPD more in relation to their learning needs than did the control group (p<0.01).

On a 6-point scale, 21% of both the control and experimental groups gave ratings of 5 or more for the extent of new learning. There was no significant difference between the groups.

Immediate and later impact of the CPD on practice was rated on a 20-point scale. High impact ratings (of more than 15) were given by 13% and 10% of the control group for immediate and later impact. Comparably, 20% (immediate impact) and 15% (later impact) of the experimental group gave high ratings. These differences were statistically significant: those with a PDP rated both significantly higher (p<0.001).

Conclusions: These data, based on self-ratings within a controlled study, show that dentists with a PDP derive greater benefit from their CPD than those without.

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