Abstract
BackgroundThe future of dental education is at crossroads. This study used the parameter of the 2016 Dental Curriculum Hack-a-Thon to assess intra- and inter-institutional agreement between student and faculty views regarding dental curriculums to determine if there is an impact in student perceptions towards dental education from before and after the event.MethodsThis exploratory, cross-sectional study involved two surveys, with Survey 1 being distributed among four faculty-student pairs of the four participating dental schools answering 14 questions. Survey 2 assessed the views of 20 participating dental students through 26 questions in a pre- and post- event survey design. Descriptive statistics were used to explore differences in perceptions towards dental education across both instrument surveys.ResultsThe results revealed valuable student insights regarding intra- and inter-institutional agreement relevant for the change in dental curriculum that needs to occur. Survey 2 revealed that mandatory attendance in didactic courses, electronic based examination preferences, and the preference of preclinical courses being held in the first and second years of a four-year dental curriculum were of particular importance to student participants.ConclusionsThe results of this study indicate that exposure and participation in subjects pertaining to dental education can be influential on student preferences and opinions on how dental education should be delivered in a four-year curriculum.
Highlights
The future of dental education is at crossroads
It is with high standards of scholarship, research, and education that the dental profession can remain at the forefront of quality oral health care delivery
With the changing landscapes of medical education and healthcare delivery, it is imperative that the dental community examines its field not as a separate entity but one included in holistic patient care [1, 2]
Summary
The future of dental education is at crossroads. This study used the parameter of the 2016 Dental Curriculum Hack-a-Thon to assess intra- and inter-institutional agreement between student and faculty views regarding dental curriculums to determine if there is an impact in student perceptions towards dental education from before and after the event. Dentistry is not separate from this movement and dental education should remain a major focus of reform. It is with high standards of scholarship, research, and education that the dental profession can remain at the forefront of quality oral health care delivery. Ensuring the highest standards of education allows patients to receive the highest quality of care. With the changing landscapes of medical education and healthcare delivery, it is imperative that the dental community examines its field not as a separate entity but one included in holistic patient care [1, 2]. In 1926, the Gies report was the first comprehensive review of dental education and made several recommendations for reform [3, 4].
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