Sir, I was interested to read the article about CPD courses (BDJ 2004, 196: 773–77) and their relatively weak impact on the practice of the dentists studied. The authors' suggestions for enhancing the value of courses were sensible.

However, in over 16 years of public sector employment and developmental training, the experiences from which I learnt most were not of the formal-course-type.

As a newcomer to the field of nutrition for example, I spent four incredibly valuable days job-shadowing two community dieticians. I was left with a deep respect for their work – and an understanding of life at the clinical coalface that I could not have obtained any other way.

Mentoring too I found worthwhile – both as a mentor to two colleagues, and as a mentee (to an author of a recent BDJ article).

Finally, I can distinctly remember my training manager telling me that the person/s who benefit most from a course are those delivering the training!

Having had the opportunity to lecture and teach others, I can vouch for the educational value of having to appear authoritative on a subject in front of a critical audience.

It might be a positive move therefore if the full spectrum of learning opportunities, not just 'chalk and talk' lectures or indeed interactive seminars, were reflected in dentists' personal development plans.