The development of an assessment system for dental vocational training andgeneral professional training: a Scottish approach

The role of competencies in postgraduate dental education and training has been a major topic of interest in recent years. Concerns have been voiced f rom ail sides of the profession about how the competence of trainees and th e quality of training can be assured so that high standards of patient care can be maintained. A three year project which seeks to develop a competenc y-based assessment system for general professional training is underway whi ch hopes to answer some of the concerns and provide an evidence-based syste m of assessment for the early postgraduate years. This paper looks at the r easoning behind the project, its aims, and the progress made to date.