Assessing attitudes in dental education: Is it worthwhile?

Abstract

An exploration is undertaken of the issues surrounding the assessment of attitudes in undergraduate dental programmes with a view to considering whether such an assessment is worthwhile. This paper addresses five questions: What are attitudes?; Why focus on them?; Can they be changed?; Can they be taught?; and How can they be assessed? The evidence and supporting arguments indicate that attitudes may be defined; there are cogent reasons for assessing them; they do change and they are taught; it is possible to assess them. The assessment of attitudes is not only worthwhile, it is essential.