Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41006958›Full record

ArticleJournal of dental education2026

Evaluating Student Communication Skills in a Simulation Setting: A Trends Analysis.

Tamanna Tiwari, Holly Nowak, Tanya Russell, Austin Albino, William Rivera, Tamara Tobey, Bruce A Dye

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of dental education, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Tamanna TiwariDepartment of Primary Dental Care, School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9334-4440
Holly NowakSchool of Dental Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
Tanya RussellCenter for Advancing Professional Excellence (CAPE), University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
Austin AlbinoColorado Public Health School, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
William RiveraSchool of Dental Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
Tamara TobeySchool of Dental Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
Bruce A DyeSchool of Dental Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis study aims to comprehensively evaluate the communication skills of dental students at the University of Colorado over a 7-year period (2016-2022). The study hypothesis is that communication skills will remain consistent over the 7-year period. This study uses standardized patients (SPs) from the Center for Advanced Professional Excellence (CAPE) and the Interprofessional Anschutz Communication Skills Toolbox (I-ACT) to assess students' communication skills.

methodsA longitudinal analysis of third-year dental students and first-year advanced-standing students interacting with SPs was conducted. SPs utilized the I-ACT toolbox to assess students' communication skills. Fifteen questions were designed to evaluate key aspects of communication. SPs scored student performance using a scale of 1.0 (Yes), 0.5 (Partial), and 0.0 (No). Data were collected from 2016 to 2022 and analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression, with time as the dependent variable.

resultsThe analysis showed consistent performance in the "Introduction," "Sharing Information," and "Sustaining Relationship" domains, with low F-values indicating minimal variance over time. However, the "Gathering Information," "Sustaining Structure," and "Closing Session" domains exhibited notable variability. The "Closing Session" domain, particularly for Patient 3, showed the highest variability with substantial changes in student performance over time in a positive direction.

conclusionThe study highlights strengths and areas for improvement in dental students' communication skills. Consistent performance in several communication domains suggests that current training methods are effective.

Indexed as

Clinical CompetenceCommunicationEducation, DentalPatient SimulationStudents, DentalColoradoEducational MeasurementHumansLongitudinal Studiesclinical competencepatient simulationstandardized patients

Identifiers

PMID41006958
PMCPMC13280426

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.