Developing competency-based medical education for dental education in Taiwan: A pilot study of tooth extraction entrustable professional activities

Background/purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the initial implementation of competency-based medical education (CBME) through entrustable professional activities (EPAs) in Taiwan dental education, focusing on tooth extraction EPAs across undergraduate year (UGY), postgraduate year (PGY), and oral and maxillofacial surgery-residency (OS-R) levels. Materials and methods: Using the Delphi method, an advisory team developed and validated three levels of trial EPAs, which were implemented through the Emyway platform. A structured questionnaire was used to evaluate teachers' and students' experiences and satisfaction with Emyway and the EPAs. Data were collected from the participants at two university-affiliated hospitals in Taiwan. Statistical analyses comparing teachers' and students’ experiences and satisfaction were conducted. Results: The EQual rubric scores for the EPAs were high across all levels (UGY: 4.80, PGY: 4.78, R: 4.79) with no significant differences. The demographic characteristics and Emyway experiences were similar among 7 teachers and 17 students. No significant difference was observed in terms of satisfaction with EPA design and usage between the teachers and students. For the teachers and students, the overall Emyway satisfaction scores were 3.86 and 3.76 and the EPA content satisfaction scores were 4.00 and 3.71, respectively, with no significant differences. Conclusion: The study successfully introduced EPAs into Taiwan dental education, demonstrating high EQual rubric scores and moderate satisfaction. Emyway is a convenient and effective platform for EPA implementation. Future efforts should focus on the expansion of EPAs to other dental specialties and integration of CBME into Taiwan dental education to align with international standards.