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1.4 Research and the dental student
Dominick DePaola1, Howard Howell, Charles G Baker
1The Forsyth Institute, Boston, USA; Harvard University, Boston, USA.
Summary
Dental education struggles to integrate biomedical advances, hindering scientific practice. A global congress aims to identify best practices for a more scientifically oriented dental practitioner.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Science
- Dental Education
- Public Health
Background:
- Traditional dental curricula fail to incorporate advances in biomedical science.
- Existing models (e.g., '2+2', '2+3', '4+2') segregate basic sciences from clinical practice.
- This disconnect limits the application of scientific knowledge to patient care and public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address the gap between biomedical knowledge and dental clinical education.
- To explore innovations in dental education globally.
- To identify best practices for integrating basic and clinical sciences and promoting research in dental education.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of current global dental education models.
- Identification of underrepresented areas in dental curricula (e.g., biomaterials, systemic health interactions, bioengineering).
- Exploration of methods to foster research and critical thinking in dental students.
Main Results:
- Most dental education models remain traditional, with basic sciences viewed as prerequisites rather than integrated components.
- There is an overemphasis on technical restorative skills over biological and evidence-based approaches.
- Limited curricular changes have resulted from previous integration efforts.
Conclusions:
- Dental education requires a paradigm shift to integrate scientific advancements.
- A global congress offers an opportunity to share best practices for curriculum reform.
- The goal is to cultivate scientifically oriented practitioners adept at utilizing new technologies for patient care.