Survey of dental practice/dental education in Victoria. Part II. Recent graduates/graduating students

The views of recent graduates and graduating students from the University of Melbourne, School of Dental Science, were sought in regard to their training for registration as dentists. Respondents were requested to indicate the emphasis placed on a number of subjects taught in the dental curriculum over the past ten years in relation to their preparedness for general practice. The priorities to be given to basic science and medical subjects, as indicated by the recent graduates in another section of the survey, were related to the judgment of emphasis given in the undergraduate curriculum. With respect to dental subjects, there were some for which a substantial number of respondents (over 60 per cent in each case) indicated that there was insufficient emphasis given during the undergraduate course. These included both 'Theory' and 'Hands on' aspects of aesthetic dentistry, fixed prosthodontics, occlusion and orthodontics, 'Hands on' aspect of care of the special patient, conservative dentistry, endodontics, medical emergencies and oral surgery and, finally the 'Theory' aspect of equipment design. Students also considered both aspects of ethics and legal matters, 'Hands on' experience for oral function and disorders of oral function and the theoretical aspect of implant dentistry to be deficient. Appreciable numbers of graduates (over 40 per cent for both 'Theory' and 'Hands on') indicated insufficient emphasis on implant dentistry, patient management, equipment design, ethics and legal matters, practice management/administration, practice promotion and professional relationships.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)