Postdoctoral Dental Education

Professional Life-Long Learning Plan

Step 2: Linking Objectives with Learning Activities and Evaluation
Step 4: Evidence of accomplishment

Step 1: Develop Learning Objectives

Example Objectives

Now ask your self the question: What do I need to do to demonstrate that I have achieved the learning objective I have specified? The table below shows the three types of learning, levels and verbs, which have been found useful in descriptions of objectives.

Domain Level Verbs Examples
Cognitive Knowledge:
Recall of previously learned information
Define, repeat, list, record, identify, recall, name, describe, diagram, draw Identify the possible treatment options for patients who are dentophobic.

Define the role of the dentist in the health care team.
Understanding:
Understanding concepts, explaining and discussing in own words
Restate, discuss, explain, report, review, teach Discuss the importance of the role of life-long learning in the dental profession.

Discuss ethical principles in dental care.

Explain the used of dental screening and preventive care as part of an integrated primary care system
Analysis:
Understanding content and structure to be able to break something into constituent parts
Distinguish, analyze, differentiate, compare, contrast, calculate, predict, criticize, debate, solve, examine, give examples Compare and contrast current methods of oral disease prevention.
Application:
Ability to use previously learned material in new, concrete situations
Translate, interpret, apply employ, use, illustrate, employ, dramatize, predict, makes inferencesappropriately, recognize new instances, administer Recognize the effects of mental illness on the patient's ability to take medications as prescribed
Synthesis:
Creatively put information together to form a new diagnosis or treatment plan
Compose, plan, propose, design, formulate, arrange, assemble, prepare, construct, create, set up organize, arrange. Propose a possible intervention to help patients adhere to medication regimens
Evaluation:
Use all skills previously learned to judge the value of something
Estimate, measure, assess, rate, revise, critique. Assess the benefit of using information technology resources in contemporary dental care.
Affective/Attitude Receiving: Awareness, willingness to hear, selected attention. Attend to, be alert, be aware, be conscious, be sensitive, listen, observe, prefer, remember Be sensitive to the patient's financial situations when creating a treatment plan.
Responding: Active participation on the part of the learners. Assume, comply, consider, contribute, cooperate, display, engage, enrich, exhibit, explore, extend, look, obey, participate, perform, practice, respond, and volunteer Volunteer to attend community based health fairs. Participate in health center outreach programs.
Valuing: The worth or value a person attaches to a particular object, phenomenon, or behavior.  Accept, assume, be loyal to, continue to desire, devote, enable, examine, feel, influence, initiate, grow, and participate Assume a nonjudgmental approach to care.
Organization: Organizes values into priorities by contrasting different values, resolving conflicts between them, and creating an unique value system. Crystallize, form judgment, judge, regulate, relate, and weight Judge the appropriateness of using implantology techniques to critically ill patients.
Psychomotor Observation Find, locate, observe, recognize, and sort Find information in data bases
Imitation Build, construct, demonstrate, draw, express, measure, mend, operate, perform, play, run, complete and use Perform a systematic oral examination.Complete a Denture Record Chart in a comprehensive and accurate manner.

Use laminates.
Practice Repair, restore, replace, write, extract Restore amalgams.

Extract teeth.
Adaptation Adapt, administer, make, construct, create, manipulate, plan, produce, promote, and regulate Administer local anesthesia.