This systematic review aimed to identify the level of impact of educational strategies for teaching tooth carving on the carving ability of undergraduate dental students. The PubMed-NCBI, Cochrane-CENTRAL, LILACS, Ibecs, BBO, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched in May 2019, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and two-arm…

Cross-year peer tutoring (CYPT) programs show promise of potential benefits not only to the tutees and tutors, but also to the entire dental education field. A critical review of the literature was performed to determine the characteristics of studies assessing CYPT programs in the healthcare field, to see if there are adequate resources in the…

This retrospective study documents the Masters and PhD training of 131 Dental Research Institute (DRI) postgraduates (1954-2006) to establish demographics, throughput and research outcomes for future PhD pipeline strategies using the DRI database. Descriptive statistics show four degree-based groups of postgraduates: 18 PhDs; 55 MScs; 42 MDents…

Education, from a student perspective, is largely driven by assessment. An effective assessment tool should be both valid and reliable, yet this is often not achieved. The aim of this literature review is to identify and appraise the evidence base for assessment tools used primarily in evaluating clinical skills of dental students. Methods:…

Performed a systematic review of the published literature comparing computer-aided learning (CAL) with other teaching methods in dental education. Concluded that CAL is as effective as other methods of teaching and can be used as an adjunct to traditional education or as a means of self-instruction. (EV)

Reviews copyright issues, fair use guidelines, and applicable principles of copyright and ownership, the rights of copyright holders, and the conditions under which copyrighted material can be used by others. Notes possible affects of the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act and intellectual property issues on dental schools. (Author/DB)

Four due process cases in which judicial decisions were made about dental students' dismissals occurring as a result of poor clinical performance are reviewed. All decisions reiterate the opinion that educators are uniquely qualified to assess a student's academic achievement and professional development. The school's responsibility is also…

The literature on the use of standardized patients, lay persons trained to portray a particular patient, is reviewed, focusing on their use in medical education and potential applications in dental education. A test of 80 dental students using standardized patients is also described and evaluated. (MSE)

Appellate courts in Georgia and New York have ruled on exculpatory clauses incorporated into dental school clinic agreements with patients. The decisions represent a radical departure from the traditional view that the clinic is a training ground where patients are living models for practicing health provider skills. (MSE)

This report addresses issues relating to the planning and development of educational programs for oral health personnel in World Health Organization (WHO) communities. Opinions and ideas were obtained from professionals in Sweden, Denmark, Canada, Botswana, Australia, Yemen, United Republic of Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Czechoslovakia.…

A review of dental education literature reveals that self-instruction can be an efficient and satisfying teaching method compared to conventional instruction. Suggestions for investigation of teaching techniques and a more integrated curriculum using self-instructional materials, small group interaction, and formal lectures are presented. (MSE)

Meta-analysis of 34 comparative studies on conventional vs. individualized instruction (II) found most favored the latter but with small-moderate overall effect. Pacing had significant effect, with teacher-pacing more effective than student-paced learning. On average, II required less time than conventional teaching. Additional research on this…

The University of Washington School of Dentistry developed a 36-month formal teacher education program in combination with joint specialty training in pedodontics and orthodontics. The rationale and structure of the original program is outlined and the reasons for its termination are discussed. (Author/MLW)

The University of California's experience in examining its own policies with regard to students and employees with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is described, related litigation is reviewed, ten principles for analyzing policy and procedure are recommended, and 10 principles are applied to specific factual situations. (MSE)

An extensive discussion of curriculum reform in dental education looks at the history of dental curriculum since 1926, reviewing major reports and studies and examining systematic attempts to alter the curriculum, both structurally and philosophically. The paper was prepared as background for an Institute of Medicine study of dental education's…