The professor-student relationship in the teaching of Dentistry at the Federal University of Espírito Santo

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the professor-student relationship at the Federal University of Espírito Santo's school of Dentistry and to discuss the possible impact this relationship has in the teaching-learning process. This is a quantitative exploratory study under which questionnaires containing both closed and open questions were applied to 130 students and 40 professors. The results show that 49% of the students and 45% of the professors believe the professor-student relationship is good. When asked whether they had been reprimanded by the professors in front of a patient, 35% of students responded they had never been, while 65% said they had at least once. The trust in education was worked on by asking the professor if he or she would bring a relative to be treated at the school's clinics. In total, 47% responded positively, showing confidence in the students, in the professors' guidance, and in the quality of care as a guide for their decisions. The professor-student relationship is considered good for both, but a few factors were singled out as negative interferences in the quality of the teaching-learning process, such as the lack of accessibility and educational and social interaction among the players, the professors' arrogance and bullying, and the students' lack of understanding of their limits.