Comparing Practice Management Courses in Canadian Dental Schools

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Health Services Management

Background:

• Practice management education is crucial for preparing dental students for professional practice.
• Existing dental curricula require evaluation to ensure comprehensive coverage of practice management principles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify and describe practice management courses in Canadian dental schools.
• To identify common teaching approaches, instructor types, and curriculum content.
• To assess alignment between course objectives, Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry (ACFD) competencies, and Bloom's cognitive levels.

Main Methods:

• Survey of academic deans at all ten Canadian dental schools (100% response rate).
• Analysis of course syllabi and descriptions for themes and content.
• Correlation of learning objectives with ACFD competencies and Bloom's taxonomy.

Main Results:

• Twenty-two distinct practice management courses were identified across ten Canadian dental schools.
• Courses ranged from 27 to 109 teaching hours, primarily in the third and fourth years, taught by dentists.
• Key topics included ethics, human resource management, and private practice operations, aligning with ACFD competencies and focusing on knowledge and comprehension levels.

Conclusions:

• Canadian dental schools offer practice management education with varying hours and content.
• Courses generally address core competencies in ethics, professionalism, business principles, and communication.
• Findings can inform curriculum development to better equip graduates for dental practice challenges.