Dental education in Queensland: II. Principles of curriculum design

A modern dental curriculum must produce graduates who are competent to practise in a variety of settings immediately upon graduation; cognisant of community needs and the social milieu in which they serve their patients' health needs; able to anticipate and cope with changes following graduation; committed to self-improvement, willing to change to reflect best clinical practice; and equipped with skills for self-assessment and lifelong learning. This requires the appropriate balance of emphasis on educational content and educational process. This paper outlines the design considerations underlying the new BDSc curriculum at the University of Queensland. This curriculum uses an integrated rather than subject-based approach, with student-centred modes of learning as the principal learning style. Active learning strategies develop critical thinking and clinical problem-solving skills. Learning occurs in the context of a clinical situation (either overt or implied). Year 2 provides the major scientific foundations, and later years build upon this base, particularly through problem-based learning. Senior clinical staff involved in teaching in earlier parts of the course, help provide an overt clinical context to learning activities. The integrated curriculum model provides clinically relevant education in basic sciences and scientifically based education in clinical care. The curriculum has a focus on outcomes and on preparation for general practice. Importantly, it has an open and transparent structure, and each component is linked explicitly with the competencies expected of the new dental graduate.