OCE Communication Strategies

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Communication is a component of the Oral Clinical Examination; candidates must be able to clearly organize their thoughts, explain clinical reasoning, and effectively communicate their knowledge. 

Understanding the Purpose of the Oral Examination

The American Board of Pediatric Dentistry oral examination is designed to assess how candidates think, communicate, prioritize, and apply clinical judgment in clinical scenarios.

The examination is structured around patient care situations that require candidates to:

• Gather and interpret information
• Prioritize treatment needs
• Demonstrate sound clinical reasoning
• Communicate recommendations clearly
• Explain the rationale behind decisions

The oral examination is intended to resemble real-world pediatric dental decision-making. In clinical practice, there is often more than one acceptable treatment approach. The candidate should be able to explain the rationale for their treatment recommendation.

Strategies During the Examination

1. Listen Carefully to the Question Being Asked

Candidates are encouraged to listen carefully to each question and respond directly to the information being asked. Providing clear, focused answers that address the examiner’s question helps demonstrate clinical reasoning, communication skills, and understanding of the topic being discussed.

Candidates are encouraged to answer the specific question being asked rather than attempting to provide all information they know about a topic. Providing excessive or unrelated information may make it more difficult to clearly communicate clinical reasoning. 

Helpful approach:

Pause briefly before responding and ask yourself: “What specifically is the examiner asking me to address right now?”

2. Clarify the Question if Needed

It is acceptable to clarify a question before answering. Clarification demonstrates active and thoughtful listening and is not considered a weakness.

3. Use an Organized Response Structure

Candidates should respond in a clear, structured, and confident manner.  This response should be:

• Organized
• Concise
• Rationale-driven
• Clinically grounded

Listen to the question that the examiner asks. Use the question as a lead-in to your answer to help focus your response. For example, Examiner: “What is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?” Candidate: “The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is…”
Be confident, just as you would be when having discussions with parents or other medical professionals.

4. Demonstrating Clinical Reasoning

Candidates should focus on explaining the reasoning behind their clinical decisions. A clear explanation of how a candidate evaluates information, considers treatment options, and supports clinical decisions can help demonstrate understanding and clinical judgment.

Responses should reflect thoughtful decision-making and professional judgment, even when discussing multiple treatment options or considerations.

5. Pace Yourself

It is natural to feel nervous during an oral examination. Slowing down slightly can help improve clarity, support organization of thoughts, and allow time to explain clinical reasoning effectively.

A brief pause before answering is completely acceptable and can provide an opportunity to organize your response before speaking.

6. Approach

Candidates should approach each scenario the same way they would approach patient care in clinical practice:

• Gather information
• Prioritize concerns
• Explain your reasoning
• Communicate clearly
• Remain calm and professional