Dental education prepares students to provide care both now and in the future. Supervisors play a key role in this process, gradually entrusting students with more responsibilities in patient care. A critical factor is how students handle unexpected situations, which is referred to as adaptive expertise and adaptive performance. Daily "on the spot" assessments by supervisors are crucial for student development and are influenced by factors such as the student, the task, the context, the supervisor, the student-supervisor relationship, and the patient. Not all factors that characterize the student are always explicitly discussed, which is an area for improvement in training. A longitudinal curriculum and a forward-looking perspective on the student’s future performance are essential for making sound decisions. The findings of this dissertation offer new insights for the ongoing development of dental education.
Elske Hissink (1976) studied Pedagogy and Educational Sciences at Radboud University. She worked as an educationalist, orthopedagogue, and teacher in various contexts. Since 2017, she has been at the Dentistry program, focusing on educational development with an emphasis on academic, personal, and professional growth. After her PhD, she continues to work here as a teacher and researcher.