Supervisory Practices in the Dental Program: Basis for a Proposed Supervisory Model

Abstract

Ineffective supervisory practices can be one of the possible causes of students’ poor academic performance. The aim of supervision is basically to promote student learning, reflective practice, and improving patient safety and the quality of patient care. To date, there have been limited studies on the supervisory practices in dentistry programs. This prompted the researcher to assess their supervisory practices. The respondents’ supervisory practices will practically serve as a basis for a proposed a supervisory model that can be helpful for the dental institutions in the future. Supervisory models aim to improve faculty member’s performances and provide them with the assistance that they need for improvement of instruction and to provide quality education for the students. The study used descriptive research method. Qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection were employed. Interview, questionnaires, and discussions were used in gathering data for the study. Deans, Academic heads, department heads or section heads and faculty members from the selected private dental institutions in National Capital Region were selected as the respondents of the study. The method of data gathering was through the use of questionnaire. The researcher-made questionnaire was the product of the interview from the faculty members of the private dental institutions. Likewise, an interview guide was used to gather the existing supervisory practices in the dental program of the selected dental institution in National Capital Region. The main findings of the study indicated that for instructional supervision in terms of instructional improvement, offering continuing professional development trainings for the faculty members at school level got the highest mean of 4.00 while the lowest is on assisting the faculty members in the selection of appropriate resources like teaching aids with a mean of 3.40. On the other hand, for curriculum development, highest is on identifying the problems in the implementation of existing policies with a mean of 3.90 and the lowest is on convening stakeholders in a meeting for curriculum validation and evaluation with a mean of 2.73. Results for clinical dentistry supervision in terms of instructional improvement indicated that offering continuing professional development trainings for the clinical instructors at school level also got the highest mean of 3.43, lowest is on shadowing with a mean of 2.36. While for curriculum development, contributes in the professional competencies of clinical instructors by providing the latest information on materials got the highest mean of 3.64, lowest is on providing materials supportive to the existing curriculum with a mean of 2.96. With regard to community dentistry supervision in terms of instructional improvement, highest mean is on offering continuing professional development trainings for the fieldwork preceptors at school level got the highest mean of 4.00 and the lowest is on assisting in the planning the community fieldwork and providing feedback after the fieldwork with a mean of 2.83. Lastly for curriculum development, highest is on helps identify the problems in the implementation of the existing policies in the community outreach got the highest mean of 3.17, lowest is on providing necessary educational materials that are supportive to the existing curriculum in community dentistry with the mean of 2.85.The study further revealed that continuing professional development for faculty members is of utmost importance to the deans and academic heads. There is a felt need to help the faculty members in the selection of appropriate resources like teaching aids. The deans and academic heads of the different dental institutions address the problems in the delivery of instructions. There is a need to convene the stakeholders in a meeting for curriculum evaluation and validation. Providing feedback is needed particularly in the fieldwork preceptors on the service rendered. The recommendations are to strengthen the offering of professional development as a part of the instructional supervision of the administrators. Inclusion of the variables in the continuing professional development of the faculty and explore the possibilities of convening the stakeholders regularly for curriculum evaluation and validation. Further studies should be done in order to validate and evaluate the proposed supervisory model.