Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The numbers of student dentists enrolled at dental schools across the country do not give an indication of the students' progress to degree. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To describe and compare the throughputs of dentistry course for two cohorts of students at Sefako Makgatho Health Science University. The progress to degree of the 2005 and 2010 cohorts of first year dental students was tracked and compared. DESIGN: A comparative cross-sectional study. METHODS: Academic records of the 2005 and 2010 cohorts of first year dental students were followed up over a five-year period. Data related to the demographic characteristics, numbers enrolled, numbers who dropped out, and the numbers who graduated were acquired and then captured in Microsoft Excel software. RESULTS: Female students constituted the majority of enrolees in both cohorts (53.8% vs. 51.3%). The proportions of students who started the course, completed the degree and graduated within the regulation time among the 2005 and 2010 cohorts were similar (42.1% vs. 41.2%. A lone student among the 2010 cohort dropped out of the course. The majority of students (57.9% vs. 55.9%) in both cohorts took longer to qualify. CONCLUSIONS: The throughputs of dentistry course for the two cohorts hovered around 40%.
Highlights
The numbers of student dentists enrolled at dental schools across the country do not give an indication of the students’ progress to degree
The throughputs of dentistry course for the two cohorts hovered around 40%
An argument has been made that we should be training fewer dentists and more oral hygienists and dental therapists.[3]. This line of reasoning is supported by evidence emerging from epidemiological studies of the burden of disease
Summary
To describe the demographic changes undergone by the 2005 and 2010 cohorts of first year dental students in successive years of study. To track and compare the progress to degree of the 2005 and 2010 cohorts of first year dental students. To determine the median numbers of students who completed their degree and graduated within the regulation time
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
