Competency-based education in a clinical course in conservative dentistry

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Curriculum Development
• Conservative Dentistry

Background:

• Competency-based education (CBE) differs conceptually from conventional dental curricula.
• CBE and conventional systems are not mutually exclusive; integration is emerging.
• This paper details a CBE approach for a clinical conservative dentistry course.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and evaluate a competency-based approach in a clinical conservative dentistry course.
• To assess the learning outcomes of fourth-year dental students under this new model.
• To explore the integration of CBE with traditional dental education methods.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a competency-based approach in a clinical conservative dentistry course.
• Assessment of learning outcomes through continuous clinical assessments, presentations, and peer evaluations.
• Utilized patient management reviews, clinical progress exams, work completion metrics, and written/viva voce examinations.

Main Results:

• Learning outcomes were assessed using a multi-faceted evaluation strategy.
• Various assessment components were assigned different weightings.
• The competency-based course received a satisfactory rating from formal student assessment.

Conclusions:

• A competency-based approach can be effectively applied to clinical dental education.
• Integrated learning models combining CBE and conventional methods show promise.
• The evaluated course demonstrated satisfactory student learning outcomes.