The European Association of Erasmus Coordinators (EAEC) held their 16th annual Erasmus Congress and Exhibition – ERACON - on November 19th and 20th 2020. It was held on-line. Erasmus Coordinators, Placement and Internship Managers, Researchers and Professionals with an interest in the Erasmus Programme belonging to the academic or business world were invited to participate and make presentations and to contribute to debate on experiences relating to the Erasmus Programme.
To celebrate 10 years on from the commencement of the DentCPD project completed two years later under the auspices of ADEE an oral presentation was given on Friday 20th November. It was entitled:
SUSTAINING AN ERASMUS CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (2010-12): ‘DentCPD’ - TEN YEARS ON. (Erasmus Project (509961-LLP-1-2010-UK-ERASMUS-EMHE (2010-3317))
Background:
‘Harmonization and Standardization of European Dental Schools Programs of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for Graduate Dentists’ (2010-2012), - an Erasmus Life-Long Learning project was completed under the auspices of the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE). All the original project outcomes and subsequent publications will be of interest, globally to dentists, allied dental professions, across other healthcare and non-healthcare professions. One of the key outcomes was the publication as a supplement to the Eu J Dent Ed - ‘Dental CPD Reference Manual’. In addition, modernisation and populating of the DentCPD website has been undertaken.
The Aims and Objectives of the presentation were as follows:
- The Erasmus DentCPD project aim was to identify evidence based good practice for CPD: to inform regulatory bodies, professional organisations, and dental professionals; and, to enhance the role of CPD in support of a high standard of patient care.
- The original project and subsequent research publications are timely as many health and non-health related regulatory bodies are strengthening their CPD requirements for their professional registrants.
- Subsequent research was carried out to demonstrate, through dissemination and exploitation, the sustainability of the objectives and aspirations of Erasmus project well beyond its duration.
- Demonstrate that all the outcomes are of relevance to dentists and allied dental professionals but also to other hhealthcare and non-healthcare professions - UK & internationally - (doctors, nurses, midwives, optometrists, pharmacists, etc., solicitors, engineers etc.,)
Further research contributions have been made directly or indirectly to the following initiatives: links for these initiatives can be accessed elsewhere on this website
- ‘Quality Assurance Framework for Dental Workforce Development’, which strengthens proof of quality of CPD activities
- ‘Standards for Dental Educators’, which strengthen proof of quality of educators
- CPD structured ‘Accreditation’ process achieved to strengthen European wide CPD recognition
- In the ‘Review of CPD’ (2019) there is a shift to outcome-based models for CPD with an emphasis on personal development planning, e-portfolios, reflective practice, and mentoring. The focus is on quality rather than on quantity, promoting engagement between registrants and their regulatory bodies and, encouraging ownership and responsibility for CPD.
- In the Report on ‘Preparedness for Practice’ at point of graduation (2020), which is the springboard to life-long learning underpinned by CPD, it is important to:
- Identify the level of competence and confidence at the point of graduation to help to identify their needs through CPD, going forward
- Support the early transition for new graduates into the workplace through wide stakeholder cooperation
- In the Report on ‘Professionalism’ across healthcare sectors (2020) which is a life-long learning necessity, there is a need to:
- Focus on pride in being professional
- Support professionals who have lapses in actions or behaviours to help them learn, change, and improve
- Carry out further investigations of public and team members perceptions of professionalism
Ultimately CPD underpins Life-Long Learning and it may be the main requirement to remain on a professional register. Thus, it is essential to strengthen the value of CPD and evidence its impact on clinical practice.
