The scope of oral biology is defined, patterns of organization and staffing of oral biology departments are examined, and the rationale for including courses in oral biology in the undergraduate curriculum and the organization and content of such courses are discussed. Future trends in oral biology are outlined. (Author/MLW)

The effects of societal and professional forces on the future of graduate dental education are examined. Some factors analyzed include: professional developments, paraprofessional changes, public initiatives, and government policy and legislation. The creation of a balanced and flexible dental care delivery system is proposed. (Author/MLW)

A program in dental care for the handicapped offered at the University of North Carolina is described. Results of a survey of program participants over a five-year period indicates that the program results in decreased fear and anxiety about treating handicapped patients. (JMF)

Guidelines reviewed and approved by the American Association of Dental Schools and sent to the Council on Dental Education in June 1979 are outlined. Educational goals and objectives and sequence of instruction (including growth and development, preclinical orthodontics, and clinical experience) are discussed. (MLW)

An alternative to traditional solutions to academic cheating is proposed which provides a systematic institutional strategy stressing academic and professional integrity, encourages students to actively ensure academic integrity, and administers swift and fair punishment to violators. Implications are drawn for dental education and development of…

An experimental group (n=6) of student dentists received discrimination training and self-evaluation exercises on 4 waxing projects and 4 handpiece projects over 13 hours. An equivalent "conventional" group (n=7) received verbal feedback with models on 7 waxing projects over 13 hours. The experimental group outperformed the conventional…

Twenty-six student volunteers participated in an eight-hour self-instructional program and were compared to students in a control group. Analyses of covariance with perceptual ability test indicated that the experimental group statistically significantly outperformed the control group on all but one preparation. (Author/MLW)

The American Optometric Association's current review of procedures for accrediting optometric residencies is discussed. Reasons for the review (projected growth of programs and revised standards) are discussed, procedures currently in place for accrediting programs in osteopathy, dentistry, pharmacy, podiatry, and optometry are summarized; and…

The Argus Commission, asked to examine the interface between academic pharmacy and education programs in dentistry, optometry, and podiatry, envisioned a primary health care team and considered mechanisms for encouraging development of such teams and reducing competition. Its conclusions and recommendations are summarized here. (MSE)

The common item equating method (weighted and unweighted) and the one-step missing data calibration method used with Rasch measurement models were compared using data from six equivalent forms of a perceptual ability test administered as part of the Dental Admission Test. Results suggest little difference among the equating methods. (SLD)

This brief statement offers 10 questions for consideration by American Dental Association (ADA) officials and others concerned with the burdensome indebtedness graduates often incur for their dental education. Questions ask for assessments in such areas as school operating costs, tuition, school support, loan forgiveness, and how the ADA can help…

Fifty-eight U.S. and 10 Canadian dental schools responded to a questionnaire concerning whether they had operational Faculty Practice Plans (FPPs) and to describe their plan's characteristics. Results revealed FPPs had little impact on the school's teaching and research functions and a less than harmonious relationship with the practicing dental…

A study of the relative effectiveness of an introductory activity to teach intracoronal operative preparations to dental students (n=35) found that in comparison with traditional classroom methods used with 29 students, the leadup activity resulted in more efficient instruction and improved learning. Amount of teacher supervision was also a…

Ideas from social cognitive psychology with potential for oral health promotion are presented, and a project to promote oral health at the individual level, offering a method adaptable to any behavior that should become habit, is described. Suggestions for placing this material in behavioral sciences and dentistry curricula are made. (MSE)

Dental education is recognizing the need for a one-year required postdoctoral experience in general dentistry to relieve overcrowding in the four-year D.D.S. curriculum and provide needed health services. Enrollment trends and projections suggest that the system can make space for these students, but planning is needed to finance the new…