Bridging The Linguistic Gap: Addressing Reading Comprehension Challenges For The Algerian Dentists

Abstract

This study examines the reading comprehension challenges of French-educated Algerian dentists when reading English-language medical texts. With a quantitative survey sent to twenty-five (n=25) practicing dentists, the study identifies marked linguistic challenges, including challenges with medical terminology (particularly abbreviations), intricate sentence structures, and unfamiliar rhetorical conventions in English texts. It is revealed that although the participants employ coping mechanisms such as computer translation programs and peer suggestions, these strategies often lead to partial understanding or misinterpretation due to the complexity of medical texts. Systematic reading approaches, bilingual glossary development, and group learning techniques are suggested as targeted interventions to enhance professionals' ability to access and comprehend English medical literature. The results point to the need for programmatic English for Medical Purposes (EMP) education in francophone medical faculties, dental sciences in particular, to bridge this language divide and enhance evidence-based practice. The present study contributes to ongoing debates regarding multilingual medical literacy and offers practical recommendations for greater professional access to cross-cultural research. Long-term effectiveness of such measures in clinical contexts should be examined through future studies.