Health Research Institute of Fujian Medical University, 350108, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
Department of Stomatology, Xiamen Medical College, 361023, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
BMC Med Educ. 2021 Oct 29;21(1):551. doi: 10.1186/s12909-021-02986-0.
The shortage of dentists is one of the various medical-resource problems found around the world. More and more countries are improving the provision of oral services by training dental therapists and hygienists. In China, they are called assistant dentists, and they supplement dental services, but thus far, no research has been conducted on the competence of this group.
The purpose of this study was to establish a competency model for Chinese assistant dentists. This model can provide a more scientific basis for the education, training, and evaluation of these professionals, as well as provide a reference for the capacity of dental therapists in various countries.
We established a system of competency characteristics using theoretical analysis and focus group discussions, after which we established an initial competency model by consulting a Delphi panel of 29 experts. Finally, we collected data from 1389 assistant dentists from 14 provinces in China, and the reliability and validity of the model were confirmed by factor analysis of this data.
After three rounds of Delphi panels, the competency model came to include seven ability levels and 50 indicators. In exploratory-factor analysis, three indicators were eliminated, and the questionnaire could explain 68.41 % of total variance. In confirmatory-factor analysis, the established model and data fit well (goodness-of-fit index [GFI] = 0.914, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.047). The results showed that the entire model has good reliability and validity.
Our competency model for dental assistants in China includes seven elements. This is consistent with the current health situation in China, and it has distinct Chinese characteristics. Some of our findings, like those reported in other countries with dental therapists, offer ideas for other developing countries.
牙医短缺是全球存在的各种医疗资源问题之一。越来越多的国家通过培训牙科治疗师和洁牙师来改善口腔服务的提供。在中国，他们被称为助理牙医，他们补充了牙科服务，但到目前为止，还没有针对这一群体能力的研究。
本研究旨在建立中国助理牙医的能力模型。该模型可为这些专业人员的教育、培训和评估提供更科学的依据，并为各国牙科治疗师的能力提供参考。
我们通过理论分析和焦点小组讨论建立了能力特征系统，然后通过咨询由 29 名专家组成的 Delphi 小组，建立了初始能力模型。最后，我们从中国 14 个省的 1389 名助理牙医那里收集了数据，通过对这些数据的因子分析，验证了该模型的可靠性和有效性。
经过三轮 Delphi 小组，能力模型最终包括七个能力层次和 50 个指标。在探索性因子分析中，有三个指标被剔除，问卷可以解释总方差的 68.41%。在验证性因子分析中，建立的模型与数据拟合良好（拟合优度指数[GFI] = 0.914，近似均方根误差[RMSEA] = 0.047）。结果表明，整个模型具有良好的可靠性和有效性。
我们的中国牙科助理能力模型包括七个要素。这与中国当前的卫生状况一致，具有鲜明的中国特色。我们的一些发现与其他有牙科治疗师的国家报告的情况一致，为其他发展中国家提供了思路。
