[Unpad.ac.id, 26/02/2016] Every dentist should possess good communication skills. It is important since the need of greater mutual understanding between faculty and patient was necessary so that healing process can be optimal. Thus, education on communication skills for students of Dentistry should also be optimal, along with the necessary measurement equipment to measure those skills.
Lecturers of Faculty of Dentistry (FKG) Universitas Padjadjaran designed Calgary-Cambridge Guide Trans-adaptation Communications Capabilities Test Measurement for Dentist and Patient. They were Gilang Yubliana, drg., M.Kes., CH-t, Riana Wardhani, drg., M.S, Dr. Sri Susilawati, drg., M.Kes., Anne Agustina, drg., MKM., Fidya Putri., drg, Dr. Cucu Zubaedah, also in collaboration with Lecturer of Faculty of Medicine (FK) Unpad, Insi Farisa Desy Arya, dr., M.Si., as health communication expert and Lecturer of Faculty of Arts (FIB) Unpad, Rasus Budiono, M.Hum as language expert.
Drg. Gilang explained that a dentist is required to have four skills, i.e. utilizing medical knowledge skill, problem-solving skill, conducting physical examination skills, and communication skills. According to drg. Gilang, without good communication skills, the other three other skills would not be optimal. Therefore, communication skills need to be taught to students of Dentistry, and the measurement tools were necessary to measure those skills.
“We adopted the Calgary-Cambridge guide, as the international dimension, “said drg. Gilang.
Based on a quick survey results at the coordination meeting of Dental Public Health Professionals Association (Ipkesgimi) at the University of Indonesia on Tuesday (23/02), FKG Unpad became the only dentistry faculty that had designed Calgary-Cambridge Guide Trans-adaptation Communications Capabilities Test Measurement for Dentist and Patient
Although adopting international protocol, this measurement has gone through a series of scientific process (trans-adaptation) so that it can truly be applied to students of Dentistry in Indonesia. Thus, collaboration with various disciplines, such as with English Literature and Linguistics Sciences Health Communication, was also necessary.
“Several point of references taken from Calgary-Cambridge were in English, and must be adapted,” said Rasus. In terms of language, he did not only provide translation but also adapting the terms of Dentistry science for the FKG Unpad team. Rasus believed that the creation of good product required smooth collaboration among disciplines.
Drg. Anne also said that good collaboration is essential in designing this measurement. “A good measurement should be seen from both sides of the spectrum, of various disciplines expertise side and of students users side. Therefore the measurement has been calibrated by experts in the field, “said drg. Anne.
The team compressed 71 dimensions of Calgary–Cambridge guide into only 24 dimensions. The selection of dimensions was adjusted to the needs in the field of Dentistry. This measurement was planned to be applied to students this semester, ranging from pre-clinical to clinical students. Calibration would be conducted in March 2016.
Drg. Riana also stated that this tool would measure the ability of students starting from process of analysis, diagnosis, up to their treatment plan. With this measurement, lecturers would have been able to assess the communication skills of the students from the early stage.
“Students must be able to communicate. With this tool, there would be a lecturer’s assessment whether the student is capable or not from early stage, “said drg. Riana.
With the measurement of student ability, many benefits were expected in the future, for both doctors and patients. With this tool, dentists and patients were required to conduct effective communication, similar to partnership, and emphasizing the capacity for empathy.
“Treatment should be done among agreement and understanding,” said drg. Gilang.
Without good communication, variety of problems could arise, such as misperceptions, dentist and patient’s lack of information, that could lead substandard health or even criminal damage. According to drg. Gilang, one of the biggest problems of health sector was communication.
With the existence of this measurement, students’ ability to communicate with patients was expected to be better. “The quality of students will improve further,” said drg. Gilang.
Same with drg. Gilang, drg. Riana expected dentistry graduates ability to truly understand their patient in the future. “There shall not be any miscommunication with the patient and the patient would satisfied,” she hoped.
This measurement is at the moment at the stage of Copyright filing process. Several of the works filed for Copyright are:
- Calgary-Cambridge Guide Trans-adaptation Communications Capabilities Test Measurement for Dentist and Patient
- Permanent Procedure of Communication Process Calibration Assessment of Dentist and Patient
- Instructional Materials of Calgary-Cambridge Guide Communication Guidelines Trans-adaptation
- DPPKT Manual of Medical Communication Skills of Dentist and Patient
- Instructional Film of Dentist and Patient Communications
- Learning Model of Blended Collaborative Method Project Based Learning
- Learning Model of Blended Collaborative Method Project Based Learning in the Form Audio Visual
- Learning Method of “Google Flipped Classroom Model System”
- Conversation Script of Dentist and Patient as Calgary – Cambridge Guide Trans-adaptation Result Process
Reported by Artanti Hendriyana / eh
