How dental leaders can get savvy about training.

Recruiting, inducting and onboarding staff in the dental field is often time consuming and financially challenging. However, one of the ways a good leader can ensure that a new staff member is going to be with them for the long haul is to determine their learning style so that their training experiences are enhanced. It is a well-known fact in training and education that people learn in different ways so a leader will want to maximise that understanding for the benefit of the business.

Visual

Visual learners favour absorbing information from charts, graphs, diagrams, and similar tools. Explaining concepts with images is the most effective approach for engaging visual learners. However, this learning style focuses on patterns, shapes, and other visual aids rather than text or spoken words. Leaders can tailor their instruction for visual learners by incorporating flow charts to illustrate a procedure (e.g. steri flow).

Auditory

People with an auditory learning style absorb information most effectively when it is heard or spoken. They thrive on lectures, group discussions, and other verbal interactions. To support auditory learners, leaders can make audio recordings of training for that staff member or set up mentor partners to discuss concepts.

Reading/Writing Preference

Staff who favour a reading/writing learning style prefer to receive information through text. They enjoy reading and writing notes. To assist these staff members, leaders can have them take notes of procedures and protocols, which they can later review to reinforce their learning. (IC manuals)

Kinaesthetic

Kinaesthetic learners excel when they can engage in hands-on activities and physical experiences to grasp new information. Leaders can assist staff by assigning tasks that involve recreating procedures or get them to demonstrate the procedure back to them. (Mentor/shadowing)