Table 1.

Course outline and content of each section of the dentist as a leader -course

Course outline	Content of the course section
Lectures	• Orientation lecture (background of the course and orientation to later course activities)
20 h	• Lectures/discussions by/with young dentists in specialist education (leading one’s own work and career and working as a dentist)
	• Lectures by dentist leaders from public and private sectors (their careers in leadership, current work, and views of these subjects), and by a leadership professional with background as a dentist (career path, experiences in various leadership roles)
	• Panel discussion with five dentists with specialist education in dental public health (2), currently participating in the training (2) or planning to participate in it (1). The dentists were all at different stages of their leadership careers and had ended up in their positions through different paths
	• Lectures by the Finnish Dental Association and the Finnish Patient Insurance Centre (important cooperation organizations for dentists and dentist leaders)
Preliminary assignments	• Reading articles and literature on topics such as the elements of successful leadership and the development of interpersonal communication competence and reflecting on the themes emerging from the material
Practical exercises	• The first exercise involved reflecting on the students’ own interpersonal communication competence in the role of a leader as well as an employee. The students evaluated their strengths in this area and set goals for improving these skills. The students shared their experiences gathered in work communities with their peers and presented ideas of what kind of leaders they would like to be
6 hours	• In the second exercise, student prepared and gave short speeches to two different target groups (i.e. parents, media). The students recorded their speeches on video and shared them in small groups and evaluated the strengths and areas of development in other students’ speeches
Reflective essay	• The students were asked to write a learning diary during the course about the most relevant and influential topics raised during the lectures and practical exercises and how they could implement these ideas in their own professional lives. Based on this, the students wrote 2–4-page reflective essays on their views of dentists’ roles in the work community and leadership position and how they are able to fill these expectations

Source: Authors own work