Newly Joined Undergraduate Dental Students’ Opinions on the Qualities of a Professional: A Qualitative Research

Abstract Background: It is important for the teachers to be aware of the preexisting notions regarding professionalism among the newly joined dental students to emphasize on imbibing the right qualities to them. This study aimed to explore the opinions of newly joined undergraduate dental students about the qualities of a professional and compare those with the qualities of a professional as elaborated in the literature. Methodology: Secondary data were retrieved from the orientation program for newly joined dental undergraduates. A qualitative thematic analysis was carried out and themes were generated. A comparison was made with the standard healthcare bodies defining the qualities of a professional. Results: The themes generated include “goal orientation and decision-making,” “attitude toward learning and dealing with failures,” “knowledge and experience,” “positive relationship with the profession,” “relationship with others,” “display positive attitudes/attributes” “ethics and morals,” and “faith (religious and nonreligious).” Most of these matched with those described by the standard healthcare bodies. Conclusion: The results of our study provide a basis for measuring entry-level ideas about professionalism and could be used to facilitate learning about professionalism and monitor its development throughout their education. Furthermore, educational methods requiring the exchange of ideas about professionalism, like conducting a group discussion among the students, could facilitate in teaching professional qualities.