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Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

25DCPsApril 23-29, 2012United Kingdom Edition www.quicklase.com - 01227 780009 other products available New Kits for New Whitening Regulations Our Fastest selling Whitening Kits Best Selling Lasers All-in-One Camera QLQW40%130412RG Call us now for your latest offers Valid while stocks last, discounted ex. VAT £3500 Save 12% Save 25% Save 40% Save 33% £1750 £750 £24 Large Syringes 3g / 3cc from upto £750 rience this model has proved to be a very worthy tool and is flexible in approach and adaptable to most mentoring situations. The benefits of mentoring The benefits of mentoring are far reaching not only for the in- dividual, but for the mentor alike. From experience the benefits for the individual are namely motiva- tional and a greater sense of self- awareness and self-efficacy, the development and enhancement of skill sets and underpinning knowledge. In addition to this in- dividuals have shown an ability to recognise and assist with problem solving situations. As a mentor the benefits to me have been: greater job satisfaction, an opportunity to develop professional relationships and interpersonal skills, I have been able to give greater consid- eration to my reflective practice and felt a sense of personal sat- isfaction through supporting the development of others. How can mentoring be applied to learning? As DCPs embark on post registra- tion qualifications and additional duty programs, it is crucial we un- derstand how the notion of men- toring can facilitate their learning, whether they are enrolled on ex- ternal courses or undertaking in- house training most learners will need a mentor, if they are to reach their full potential and reap the re- wards of success. Mentoring and learning are closely aligned and together con- sidered to be a learning process. Often our previous experience in- fluences our future behaviour in learning. Bandura (1977) asserts that “...[individuals often] avoid situations they believe exceed their capabilities...11 ” by help- ing to develop self-efficacy in the learner, the learner is more likely to be motivated and want to suc- ceed. If we apply the person-cen- tred approach5 of mentoring to the learning environment, it may be possible to support learners in moving them from single loop12 instrumental learning, whereby they learn something new, they are able to apply it and accept it for what it is, towards double loop learning, which is learning that is challenged and often brings about a transformation in learn- ing. This requires the facilitation of reflective learning and practice, which is again possible through a mentoring relationship.1 There is a need for those en- gaging in professional mentor- ing to have an understanding of some of the mentoring concepts, in order to enable and facilitate others in their professional learn- ing journey. This is an exciting and fluid arena for DCPs, which will benefit greatly from mentor- ing schemes, but we must not overlook the need to master these skills in order to do least harm and most good. DT References 1. Brockbank, A. and McGill, I. (2009) Facilitating Reflective Learning Through Mentoring and Coaching. London. Kogan Page. 2. Whitmore, J. (2009) 4TH ed Coach- ing for Performance: GROWing Human Potential and Purpose: The Principles and Practice of Coaching and Leadership. Lon- don: Nicholas Brealey Publishing. 3. Gener- al Dental Council (2005) Scope of Practice: Protecting Patients Regulating the Dental Team. www.gdc-uk.org Accessed Feb 1 4. Garvey,R., Stokes, P. and Megginson, D. (2009) Coaching and Mentoring: Theory and Practice. London: SAGE Publications Limited. 5. Rogers, C.R. (1969) Freedom To Learn. Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company 6. European Mentoring Coach- ing Council (2008) Code of Ethics www. emccouncil.org/uk. Accessed March 2012 7. Connor, M. and Pokora, J. (2008) Coach- ing and Mentoring at Work: Developing Effective Practice. Berkshire: Open Univer- sity Press. 8. Egan, G. (2010) 9th ed The Skilled Helper: A Problem-Management and Opportunity-Development Approach to Helping: California: Brooks/Cole CEN- GAG E Learning. 9. Law, H., Ireland, S. and Zulfi, H. (2007) The Psychology of Coaching, Mentoring and Learning. West Sussex: John Wiley and Sons Ltd. 10. Holt, V. (2010) Certificate in Mentoring in Den- tistry. London: Faculty of General Dental Practitioners. 11. Bandura, A. (1999) Self- Efficacy in Changing Societies: Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 12. Schon, D.A, (2009) The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. Lon- don: Ashgate Publishing About the author Fiona Ellwood RDN 1986, Cert Ed (Univ. of Greenwich), FBADN, LCGI, Cert OHE, FETC 1 & 2, NVQ IV & As- sessor. Member of: IfL, NOHPG, IVA, Associate member FGDP (UK), BADN. She has been involved in helping den- tal nurses reach their full potential for many years. During this time she has developed successful training busi- nesses in the Midlands for the National Diploma, an Oral Health Education Certificate Programme and more re- cently a distance learning programme. She is a former examiner for both the National Certificate, the Diploma and Oral Health Education. She is present- ly undertaking a BA (Hons) in Educa- tion Studies and more recently became the director of education for The Den- tal Business Academy and work along- side Integrated Dental Holdings. Her opportunities to undertake mentoring are immense; becoming a member of the Mentoring Development Team at FGDP (UK) has armed her with some very powerful tools and changed the way in which she practices her mentoring skills.