Arguments for and against extension of dental education to a mandatory five years because of current overcrowding of dental curriculum are presented in debate form. Affirmative arguments center on the inefficacy of restructuring existing curricula, and arguments against focus on current curricular inefficiency, costs, and other practical…

The status of formal ethics instruction was assessed by a dental school survey and literature review. Although three-fourths of respondents indicated commitment to teaching ethics, there was no agreement about what is being taught as ethics. Issues of curriculum content, teaching methods, degree requirements, and faculty are discussed. (Author/MSE)

A national survey of dental schools and dental licensing boards indicates a deemphasis on teaching and testing of direct gold restoration techniques. Reasons for this decline may include decline in practitioner use of gold, decline in faculty motivation and dedication to teaching the techniques, and shifting of available curriculum to other…

A study compared the performance of dental students following the traditional clinical curriculum that requires exposure to a specific range of discipline-oriented procedures with that of eight similar students in a curriculum focused on meeting patient needs but not traditional curriculum-based requirements. The nonrequirement group had higher…

A national survey of 55 dental schools, 53 state and territorial dental licensing agencies, and 4 regional dental testing agencies found that cardiopulmonary resuscitation has become much more prevalent within the dental profession since 1977, with all students certified at some point during training. However, few states require annual…

The effects of reducing dental clinical requirements were investigated. Twenty-seven senior students participated in a modified system in which requirements were reduced to essential experiences while the remaining seniors served as controls. No significant differences were found. (Author/MLW)