Dentistry Student Mentor Programme

Since 2015, the Student Mentor Programme has been designed to facilitate the integration of third-year students in the Bachelor's Degree in Dentistry into the practical training at the University Dental Clinic. With the support of fifth-year students who act as mentors, participants receive training in various competencies such as self-management, work management, teamwork skills, communication, and emotional intelligence in their interactions with peers and patients. They also learn stress management in the clinical environment, which is often encountered at the beginning of practical training.

Scheme of tutoring skills:

Specifically, the programme aims to train student mentors in effective and informed problem-solving skills and behaviours, which they can then transmit to third-year student mentees in the following areas:

• Self-management skills: information gathering, autonomy, analysis, synthetic thinking, logical judgment, reliability, mental resilience, self-confidence, and perseverance. 
• Work management: problem-solving, precision, planning and organisation, and goal orientation. 
• Interaction: empathy, conflict management, assertiveness, active listening, credibility, and communication.

The main objective of the programme is to facilitate a smoother entry into the clinical environment with lower levels of stress for third-year students, providing them with a range of soft skills and technical knowledge related to the day-to-day functioning of a dental clinic. This is achieved through the mediation and assistance of fifth-year students, with whom they feel more comfortable asking questions and seeking guidance.

According to the program coordinator, Professor María Arreguí, students complete the course with greater confidence and approach the following year with more peace of mind and self-confidence.

A student mentor a few years ago and explained that the Student Mentor Programme gave her much more than she imagined. "It was one of my best experiences during my studies, and I was able to share the experience with classmates, third-year students and doctors."

For student mentors, the programme entails prior basic training in soft skills and teamwork, four hours of direct weekly work in the clinic with third-year students and the teachers in charge, and a monthly follow-up meeting, for a total of approximately 140 hours.

The results of the programme have been presented at national and international conferences, and its success was recognized with a €3,000 grant from the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE) in 2017.