An "objectified" competency-based course in the management of malocclusion and skeletal problems

A course developed at the New York University College of Dentistry provides third-year predoctoral students with instruction and formative experiences leading toward competence in the management of malocclusion and skeletal problems. Based on clearly defined evaluation criteria that can be objectively assessed, faculty and students share a common standardized language to evaluate malocclusion and skeletal problems. The course incorporates clinical simulation cases reflecting a variety of malocclusions and dentofacial conditions at different developmental stages. Formative experiences including interviewing techniques and cephalometric, facial, and study cast analyses build skills that are applied to diagnosis and treatment planning. Objectified competency evaluation criteria facilitate student instruction, faculty standardization, and assessment. Elements of this course may be used to create a more uniform competency-based approach to predoctoral orthodontic curricula across dental schools, while also providing a model for the development of courses in other areas of education, especially with regard to credentialing health providers.