A fresh look at how dental schools prepare dentists for today's practice

The current Vice President for Students of the American Dental Education Association and a recent graduate who also completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency looks at dental education in light of the current demands on beginning dental practitioners. He describes the didactic curriculum that incorporates much new material on the changing foundations of health and dental materials and the comprehensive care, competency-based clinical model typical of most schools. He also discusses how debt, community service, practice opportunities, and initial licensure affect recent graduates' perceptions of the profession. He concludes that continuous learning is the obligation of all dentists, regardless of when they may have graduated.