Module manager: Rhydian Platten
Email: R.W.Platten@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
As per Dental Surgery Programme/ Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy Programme admissions requirements.
This module is not approved as a discovery module
In this first module of the PPD theme you will be introduced to key topics through which you will develop an understanding of expected professional behaviours and of the standards expected of dental professionals. Active learning skills will be introduced to equip you for your studies on the programme.
Students will achieve the following objectives through engagement in lectures, seminars, scenario-based learning and groupwork. This will include workshops on cultural competence and student personal development and wellbeing.
Students will:
- Be introduced to expected values and professional behaviours in dentistry.
- Be introduced to ethical principles and standards.
- Be introduced to active learning skills and strategies for self-management and wellbeing.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Describe the values and professional behaviours expected of a student dental professional.
2. Describe the fundamental concepts that form the basis of ethical and sustainable practice in dentistry and healthcare.
3. Apply strategies to be an effective learner as an early-stage student dental professional in a higher education context.
4. Apply effective strategies for self-management and well-being as an early-stage student dental professional.
Demonstrate effective time management in relation to academic study and reflect on your learning journey
AS1 - reflection
AS7 - time management
Professional
- Introduction to ethics, including key ethical concepts and four pillars (autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice)
- GDC Standards for Dental Professionals Guidance - Consent and confidentiality (autonomy)
- Trust
- Development of empathy, compassion and integrity
- Professional duty of candour
- Student Professionalism and fitness to practice procedures
- Code of Professional Conduct e.g. in relation to social media and dignity and mutual respect.
- Introduction to the ethics of environmentally sustainable practice in dentistry
Personal
- How to be an active learner using feedback and reflection
- Understanding the concept of insight
- Basic communication skills for non-clinical contexts
- Introduction to cultural competence
- Health & wellbeing - support systems
- Adaptability, wellbeing and personal growth
- Strategies to identify and manage personal and emotional challenges/Self-monitoring/self-care
- Sustainable practices as a student
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervision | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Lecture | 17 | 1 | 17 |
| Practical | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| Seminar | 12 | 1.5 | 18 |
| Private study hours | 158 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 42 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
All pass/ fail elements in the module must be passed to pass the module overall.
Coursework:
The Personal Development Portfolio is an ongoing, continuous reflective and action planning process which will be reviewed periodically throughout the academic year. Students will receive feedback on specified parts of their reflective activities at key points in the academic year. There will also be space for private reflections which will be reviewed but will not form part of the formal assessment.
Students will be required to reflect on their progress and the feedback they receive and to plan their ongoing personal and professional development. Any areas which have not been satisfactorily reflected on will be identified to allow students to remediate before the end of the academic year.
Students will receive feedback on their performance using a 'not met', 'just met', 'met' and 'exceeds' expectations approach. This will allow students to have insight into how they are meeting expectations and their progress through the academic year.
Written Assessment:
A formative examination at the end of Semester 1 will combine content from all modules in Year 1. This will allow students to experience a formal university environment with opportunity for feedback. Students will experience the range of question types across Year 1 modules and receive feedback on performance. The aim is to prepare students for the assessment at the end of Semester 2.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | Personal Development Portfolio (PDP) (Pass/Fail) | 0 |
| In-course Assessment | FORMATIVE: Formative written assessment (single best answer style questions) In-person closed book, online time limited examination. 2 hours. (Pass/Fail) | 0 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 0 | |
The Personal Development Portfolio (PDP) is a pass/ fail element of the Personal and Professional Development 1 module which provides a scaffold for students to demonstrate and record their progress. The PDP continues through the programme with specified requirements in each year. Students will receive feedback on their performance using a 'not met', 'just met', 'met' and 'exceeds' expectations approach. A student must meet expectations across all specified areas of the portfolio to pass the PDP assessment element overall. This ensures that students have met the General Dental Council Safe Practitioner Framework behaviours requirement as they progress through the programme. The four areas of the PDP are: 1. Professional standards and behaviours 2. Ethical principles 3. Learning and development 4. Self-management and wellbeing Progress will be reviewed periodically throughout the academic year and students who have not met expectations in a specified element of the portfolio will be given opportunities to resubmit after receiving feedback at key stages in the academic year. The PDP will comprise the following elements: - Personal reflections and action planning on student professional behaviours (including basic communication skills) and self-reflections on their understanding of key student professional behaviours guidance documents. - Demonstration of how they plan to be a successful learner as a student dental professional. - Personal reflections and action planning on performance in year 1 formative assessment. - Personal reflections and action planning on self-management and well-being strategies. - Personal reflection and action planning on development in relation to education capability statements in dentistry. The Personal Development Portfolio may comprise a range of approaches such as written, audio and video formats to support appropriate reflection and action planning across the various aspects of the PDP. Formative Assessment in Year 1 is a combined 2-hour examination with content from all Year 1 modules. This will be scheduled as one examination. The allocated time for each of the 4 Year 1 modules will be proportionate to the module credit size.
| Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc) | 1.0 Hrs Mins | |
| Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 0 | |
In-person closed book, online time limited examination - Pass/Fail
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team