How to recycle knowledge and skills

As a result of the demands for ongoing improvement placed upon dental teams, there's a need to expand the tried and tested range of professional development opportunities. This has led a number of dental teams to develop structured, formal mentoring processes. The smarter teams have recognised that mentoring is recycling the knowledge and skills of their most experienced team members, for the benefit of their junior colleagues. In line with many other professional sectors worldwide, these practices embedded mentoring processes into the practice to enable mentors and mentees to reach their full potential.

According to Eric Parsloe, of the Oxford School of Coaching and Mentoring, mentoring is: ‘To support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be.’