The 21-Century Dental Curriculum: A Framework for Understanding Current Models.

This article provides an overview of the emergence of professional education and academic dentistry, in particular into the comprehensive research university. The development of academic dentistry as a vital member of the academic health center at the research university and beyond is described. Summaries are provided of major studies and innovations in dental education models and curricula, ranging from the Gies report in 1926 to the 1995 Institute of Medicine study , the U.

Randomized trial of two e-learning programs for oral health students on secondary prevention of eating disorders.

The purpose of this study was to test whether an interactive, web-based training program is more effective than an existing, flat-text, e-learning program at improving oral health students' knowledge, motivation, and self-efficacy to address signs of disordered eating behaviors with patients. Eighteen oral health classes of dental and dental hygiene students were randomized to either the Intervention (interactive program; n=259) or Alternative (existing program; n=58) conditions. Hierarchical linear modeling assessed for posttest differences between groups while controlling for baseline measures.

Evaluation of a theory-driven e-learning intervention for future oral healthcare providers on secondary prevention of disordered eating behaviors.

Oral healthcare providers have a clinical opportunity for early detection of disordered eating behaviors because they are often the first health professionals to observe overt oral and physical signs. Curricula regarding early recognition of this oral/systemic medical condition are limited in oral health educational programs. Web-based learning can supplement and reinforce traditional learning and has the potential to develop skills.

Developing and pretesting case studies in dental and dental hygiene education: using the diffusion of innovations model.

Case-based learning offers exposure to clinical situations that health professions students may not encounter in their training. The purposes of this study were to apply the Diffusion of Innovations conceptual framework to 1) identify characteristics of case studies that would increase their adoption among dental and dental hygiene faculty members and 2) develop and pretest interactive web-based case studies on sensitive oral-systemic health issues. The formative study spanned two phases using mixed methods (Phase 1: eight focus groups and four interviews; Phase 2: ten interviews and satisfaction surveys).

Dental education and changing oral health care needs: disparities and demands.

The population of the United States has changed dramatically over recent decades and, with it, the oral health care needs of the nation. Most notably, the racial/ethnic composition of the population has shifted from a European American majority to what is now a much more diverse population, comprising a variety of racial/ethnic groups that, taken together, will become the majority by mid-century. The proportion of children from minority racial groups will represent more than half of all U.

Factors for increasing adoption of e-courses among dental and dental hygiene faculty members.

The incorporation of web-based learning into the dental curriculum has been consistently recommended in the literature on reform in dental education. There has been growing support for web-based learning in dental and dental hygiene education as demonstrated by deans' identifying this as a planned curricular innovation. The purpose of our study was to explore characteristics of e-courses that may serve to increase adoption among dental and dental hygiene faculty members.

Underrepresented minority dental student recruitment and enrollment programs: an overview from the dental Pipeline program.

By now, all dental schools should understand the need to increase the enrollment of underrepresented minority (URM) students. While there has been a major increase in the number of Hispanic/Latino, African American/Black, and Native American applicants to dental schools over the past decade, there has not been a major percent increase in the enrollment of URM students except in the schools participating in the Pipeline, Profession, and Practice: Community-Based Dental Education program, which have far exceeded the percent increase in enrollment of URM students in other U.S.

Development and evaluation of a web-based training program for oral health care providers on secondary prevention of eating disorders.

Although oral health care providers (OHP) are key in the secondary prevention of eating disorders (ED), the majority are not engaged in assessment, referral, and case management. This innovative pilot project developed and evaluated a web-based training program for dental and dental hygiene students and providers on the secondary prevention of ED. The intervention combined didactic and skill-based objectives to train OHP on ED and its oral health effects, OHP roles, skills in identifying the oral signs of ED, communication, treatment, and referral.

Willing, ready, and able? How we must exercise leadership for needed change in dental education.

For over twenty-five years, dental education has had the benefit of environmental analyses and institutional planning for change. Strong programs for leadership development have emerged to give direction to these efforts. Leading and thriving, not merely surviving, are universal aspirations, yet we remain vexed by finances, structures, and traditions.

Financing clinical dental education.

Many reports have documented the growing financial challenges faced by dental schools. This article examines the financial implications of two new models of dental education: 1) seniors spend 70 percent of their time in community clinics and practices, providing general dental care to underserved patients, and 2) schools develop patient-centered clinics where teams of faculty, residents, and senior students provide care to patients. We estimate that the average dental school will generate new net revenues of about $2.

Evolution of dental school clinics as patient care delivery centers.

Dental school clinics, originally envisioned as closely similar to private practice, evolved instead as teaching clinics. In the former, graduate and licensed dentists perform the treatment while undergraduate dental students are assigned treatment within their capabilities. In the latter, dental students provide the treatment under faculty supervision.

U.S. state-supported dental schools: financial projections and implications.

This article examines the impact of financial trends in state-supported dental schools on full-time clinical faculty; the diversity of dental students and their career choices; investments in physical facilities; and the place of dentistry in research universities. The findings of our study are the following: the number of students per full-time clinical faculty member increased; the three schools with the lowest revenue increases lost a third of their full-time clinical faculty; more students are from wealthier families; most schools are not able to adequately invest in their physical plant; and more than half of schools have substantial NIH-funded research programs. If current trends continue, the term "crisis" will describe the situation faced by most dental schools.

Does faculty development enhance teaching effectiveness?

Academic dentists and members of the practice community have been hearing, for more than a decade, that our educational system is in trouble and that the profession has lost its vision and may be wavering in the achievement of its goals. A core of consistently recommended reforms has framed the discussion of future directions for dental education, but as yet, most schools report little movement toward implementation of these reforms in spite of persistent advocacy. Provision of faculty development related to teaching and assessment strategies is widely perceived to be the essential ingredient in efforts to introduce new curricular approaches and modify the educational environment in academic dentistry.

Eating disorders in the oral health curriculum.

Due to the oral/systemic nature of eating disorders, this serious health issue requires comprehensive patient assessment and coordinated health treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess the breadth and depth of eating disorder and comprehensive care within the dental and dental hygiene curriculum. Survey data were collected from deans of U.

Evolution of dental school clinics as patient care delivery centers.

Dental school clinics, originally envisioned as closely similar to private practice, evolved instead as teaching clinics. In the former, graduate and licensed dentists perform the treatment while undergraduate dental students are assigned treatment within their capabilities. In the latter, dental students provide the treatment under faculty supervision.

The dental education environment.

The second in a series of perspectives from the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education (CCI), this article presents the CCI's view of the dental education environment necessary for effective change. The article states that the CCI's purpose is related to leading and building consensus in the dental community to foster a continuous process of innovative change in the education of general dentists. Principles proposed by CCI to shape the dental education environment are described; these are critical thinking, lifelong learning, humanistic environment, scientific discovery and integration of knowledge, evidence-based oral health care, assessment, faculty development, and the health care team.

Increasing dentists' capacity for secondary prevention of eating disorders: identification of training, network, and professional contingencies.

The incidence of eating disorders has increased substantially over the last forty years. Primary care physicians and dentists share a parallel challenge for secondary prevention of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The dentist, in particular, has a uniquely important and valuable role with respect to assessment of oral and physical manifestations, patient communication, referral, case management, and restorative care.

Educational strategies associated with development of problem-solving, critical thinking, and self-directed learning.

This article was developed for the Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education (CCI), established by the American Dental Education Association. CCI was created because numerous organizations within organized dentistry and the educational community have initiated studies or proposed modifications to the process of dental education, often working to achieve positive and desirable goals but without coordination or communication. The fundamental mission of CCI is to serve as a focal meeting place where dental educators and administrators, representatives from organized dentistry, the dental licensure community, the Commission on Dental Accreditation, the ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure, and the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations can meet and coordinate efforts to improve dental education and the nation's oral health.