Curriculum restructuring at a North American dental school: rationale for change

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Cognitive Science
• Dental Education Research

Background:

• Traditional dental school curricula often do not reflect current understanding of how people learn.
• Despite discussions on dental education reform, evidence supporting specific curriculum designs is limited.
• There's a need to integrate modern learning theories into dental education rationale.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the inconsistency between traditional dental curricula and learning research.
• To present a rationale for dental curriculum reform based on evidence from learning science.
• To outline potential curriculum changes aligned with modern learning theories.

Main Methods:

• Review of research on learning applicable to dental education.
• Analysis of how modern learning theories can inform curriculum design.
• Identification of potential changes for dental school curricula.

Main Results:

• Current dental curricula are often misaligned with established learning principles.
• Lack of evidence for superior outcomes of specific curriculum designs hinders reform.
• Modern learning theories offer a strong foundation for evidence-based curriculum changes.

Conclusions:

• Dental education reform requires a shift towards evidence-based practices grounded in learning science.
• Aligning curricula with how learners learn is crucial for improving dental education.
• Further research and discussion are needed to implement effective curriculum changes.