Embedding an ePortfolio in Professional Practice

Julia O’SullivanMatthew Wheeler

• Standard setting body for general dental practitioners

• Education provider

• Membership body

• 95% of UK dentistry in primary care

Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK)

CPD in general dental practice

Professional autonomy

Career development

Revalidation

Patient & public

confidence

Efficiency & effectiveness

of practice

Accountability& quality

Content & Drivers

• Career-long learning tool

• Reflective and evaluative tool

• Management tool for CPD activity

• Assessment tool

• Sharing & discussion tool

Aim:

• to develop a CPD tool that is attractive to dental care practitioners and secure to protect confidentiality

Outcomes: • Members have a career long online portfolio to

manage their CPD activity• Evidence can be extracted to meet a range of

purposes including MJDF portfolios of evidence and revalidation

• Perceived membership benefit

Project focus

Methodology: Production of specification (Dec 2009)

Structured pilot (Feb – May 2010) Volunteers

Feedback & evaluation

Customisation (June – Oct 2010)

National launch (February 2011)

ePortfolio project

• Primarily CPD tool

• Facilitates reflection through proformas

• Encourages planning and updating

• Ability to cross reference evidence and upload all types of files

• Compile ePortfolio’s for external verifiers

Results: Individual use

• Validation of learning through peer-review• Develop reflective practice on education

programmes• Assessments submitted & timely marked• Production of ePortfolio’s for staff appraisals• Divisional & national communication and policy

development• Divisional study groups

Results: Collaborative use

• Project plan & engagement of relevant expertise• Identify system requirements• Build a strong working relationship with the

vendor• Pilot the system with a variety of uses &

audiences• Plan structured induction activities

= successful implementation

Lessons learnt

• “at last all my records can be kept in one place, rather than in a shoe-box!”

• “makes developing my MJDF portfolio a lot easier”

• “will aid future revalidation requirements”• “Touchstone provides an effective way of

disseminating clinical governance frameworks with the relevant committee”

Reflections