Personal development plans (in primary dental care) – getting started

Personal development plans (PDPs) have been in existence for many years in many guises. The New Year's resolution is, in many respects, an example of a plan. In its simplest form, a PDP is a list of things you wish to learn or learn to do differently over a given period of time. It has long been known that plans which are written down and reviewed are more likely to succeed. The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) in 20091 defined PDP as

A structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development.

The key aspect of a PDP is its link to the way the owner learns and the process of developing a PDP and its outcomes involve reflection and are linked to learning theory.2 The General Dental Council has indicated that a PDP will be an essential part of a dentist's revalidation portfolio in its consultation on Revalidation in 2009.3 The NHS salaried dental services have expected staff to have a PDP for a number of years. To the busy practitioner, having a PDP probably seems like yet another bit of bureaucracy that takes one away from treating patients. Certainly, if that view is taken it is unlikely that a PDP will be of value. On the other hand, if one embraces the concept, it brings great benefits to the individual owner of the PDP, his/her patients, staff and colleagues. The benefits of a PDP can include the following: