The provision of undergraduate statistics teaching varies across UK dental schools, but some challenges are faced in all schools. These include the need to (i) demonstrate the relevance of statistics to dentistry, (ii) address the phenomenon of statistical anxiety likely to be experienced, and (iii) deliver the teaching with a limited number of…

The authors have experienced increasing demand from undergraduate students, particularly those in the early years of study, to be able to access more "test-style" material to help with revision, as well as guidance on how to approach their university assessments. With increased use of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) in university…

"Teachers and Teaching in Vocational and Professional Education" introduces a critical understanding of how teachers deliver occupational or vocational courses at various academic levels. Including wider coverage of work-related programmes and based on empirical research, this book uses the term occupation-related to refer to programmes…

Problem based learning (PBL) has been used in dental education over the past 20 years and uses a patient case scenario to stimulate learning in a small group setting, where a trained facilitator does not teach but guides the group to bring about deep contextualized learning, to be empathetic to each other and to encourage fair and equitable…

There has been a noticeable change of curricula in specialized and technical courses offered in Japanese schools and universities. One of these is the integration of English for general and specific purposes in the dental curriculum. Although a number of studies have assessed the former, very few have assessed English for specific purposes…

Similar to the online revolution of the mid-1990s, hybrid-learning classes are redefining how community college students access higher education. Hybrid classes combine online and in-person learning to provide options for students, colleges. The author's perspective is based on experiences at two very different institutions: At Rio Salado College,…

Purpose: To develop a method for benchmarking teaching and learning in response to an institutional need to validate a new program in Dentistry at the University of Sydney, Australia. Design/methodology/approach: After a collaborative partner, University of Adelaide, was identified, the areas of teaching and learning to be benchmarked, PBL…

Faculty members at the University of Iowa noticed that freshmen dental students seemed to lack, or temporarily forget, some commonly accepted social skills in making proper introductions during the stress of their first patient contact. A videotape was developed to reinforce rules of etiquette for introductions in a professional setting. (MLW)

This report describes a dental model technique used at the Academy of Health Sciences, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The technique uses Dentoform which provides a realistic set of Ivorine plastic teeth set in rubber "gingivae" upon which operative dentistry, prosthodontics, and limited periodontal scaling can be practiced. (GLR)

Practice-as-inquiry refers to the blending of instructional practice with systematic curricular inquiry. College and university teachers, while experts in their disciplines, typically are not specialists in instructional practice. Practice-as-inquiry (also referred to as teacher-as-researcher) may function as a mechanism of continuous teaching…

A teaching technique for evaluating student technical exercises is described. The technique enables the faculty to describe the student's performance, as well as to score it. A student survey revealed that the majority of students could accurately interpret the information contained on the form. (Author/MLW)

An instructional approach to pathogenic microbiology appropriate for dental medicine, which was developed by the University of Texas, is described. This approach is perceived by the students as relevant to their needs, and it increases the instructor's awareness to emphasize the oral aspects of the infectious diseases. (Author/MLW)

Discusses the impact of current simulation laboratories on dental education and reviews advanced technology simulation that has recently become available or is in the developmental stage. Addresses the abilities of advanced technology simulation, its advantages and disadvantages, and its potential to affect dental education. (EV)

Dental caries (tooth decay) and periodontal (gum) disease are treated/prevented by procedures utilizing chemical expertise. Procedures and suggestions on how they might be incorporated into the high school chemistry curriculum are described. Specific topics discussed include dental caries, fluoride, diet, tooth decay prevention, silver amalgan,…

This paper reports the development of a progress file, a tool to promote learning, planning and the recording of achievement, for dental therapists in training and professional practice. Progress files are to become obligatory in higher education in the United Kingdom. The aims of the file, its development and the naturalistic approach taken to…