A Brief Comparison of Curricula at Dental Schools in China and Japan

Abstract

This study compared the dental curricula at dental schools in China and Japan. A survey was conducted in representative dental schools in China and Japan. It was found that, in China and Japan where dental schools recruit students directly from high schools, more attention is paid to introduction of early professional education. Most dental schools in Japan arrange dental subjects for their students from the first through the fourth years, while in China, only a few dental schools take this path although many of them are currently making changes. It was also discovered that, in both countries, an increasing number of dental schools assign a specific dental subject to the same period with its relevant bioscience or biomedical counterparts, which makes it possible for them to enhance each other reciprocally in a positive way for students and consequently help dental students master the related topics.