E-Portfolio an Introduction

As part of your Foundation Training you have an internet based Electronic Professional Development Portfolio (E-Portfolio) Progress in all areas of professional life is increasingly dependent on records of the extent and nature of previous experience. This is difficult and inaccurate to do in retrospect; thus the habit of regular record keeping is best developed at the outset so that no opportunity is missed for the registration of higher professional recognition.  Your E-Portfolio is there for you to record your experiences and your reflections on a regular basis. It contains sections for reflections of events and experiences, logs of work and performance, and records of assessments and feedback, together with an area for highlighting learning needs. Each section has its own workflow, usually with input passing from Foundation Dentist to Educational Supervisor, with indicators showing areas requiring input.
Completion of Foundation Training is dependent upon your maintaining and keeping your E-Portfolio up-to-date. You will need to discuss your E-Portfolio with your Educational Supervisor at tutorials and at other times within the practice; and your Training Programme Director also will see your E-Portfolio and will discuss this with you when relevant. It is essential that the E-Portfolio is kept up to date and that all assessments are recorded fully.
The assessment panels for the Intermediate and Final Reviews of Competency Progression (IRCP and FRCP) will be looking at the evidence contained in your E-Portfolio and this emphasises the importance of maintaining it fully and accurately.
The other pages in this section give information about the use of the E-Portfolio and also about the individual sections.

Please be aware that your E-Portfolio is a document that may in some circumstances be seen by others, some outside the profession, almost certainly in serious cases where a significant event involving a patient had occurred. For this reason it is essential that in all your reflections you do not refer to patients by name and that you do not describe events as mistakes or accidents. A useful course of action  to remember is:Keep reflections anonymous and target the learning from the event rather than the details and the angst of the actual event.