Abstract
This study examines the alignment of Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) with the writing competencies required by dentists in Chennai and Puducherry, India. With globalization influencing dentistry, effective communication has become essential for providing quality patient care and addressing diverse audiences. The research identifies specific writing skills vital for professional tasks, such as documenting treatment plans, preparing educational materials, and drafting academic content. A questionnaire, developed from the Essential Skills Profiles of CLB, was administered to 100 dentists to evaluate their proficiency and frequency of using these skills. The findings highlight a hierarchy of competencies, with tasks like filling forms for laboratory orders and maintaining case sheets as the most frequent, while scholarly writing is less common. These results underline the critical need for targeted training to enhance both practical and academic communication skills in the dental field. Aligning these competencies with CLB provides a framework for designing specialized English for Dental Purposes courses and in-service training modules. This study offers valuable insights for curriculum designers, communication experts, and dental educators, emphasizing the necessity of integrating language training into dental education. By equipping dentists with robust writing skills, the study aims to bridge the gap between professional requirements and existing linguistic capabilities, fostering improved patient care and professional development.
Keywords: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB), Curriculum Design in Dental Education, English for Dental Purposes, Globalization in Dentistry, Professional Communication Skills, Writing Competencies.