Evidence-Based Dentistry Education Worldwide: A Narrative Review of Curricular Frameworks, Challenges, and...

Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD) has emerged as a transformative paradigm in oral healthcare, integrating scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence and international experiences to analyse the status, challenges, and future directions of EBD teaching in dental schools worldwide.

A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar databases, focusing on English and Spanish publications from the last 15 years. The PICO framework examined whether EBD curriculum implementation, compared to traditional dental education, improves clinical competence, critical thinking, and scientific evidence application among undergraduate and postgraduate dental students globally.

EBD education significantly enhances dental students' knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to evidence-based clinical practice. The most effective instructional models integrate EBD throughout curricula using multifaceted approaches combining active learning, problem-based learning, digital technologies, and collaborative strategies. However, substantial challenges persist, including curricular implementation heterogeneity, inadequate faculty training, resource disparities, and a lack of standardized assessment tools. International variations in EBD teaching approaches reflect differences in accreditation standards, institutional resources, and educational policies.

Evidence strongly supports EBD education effectiveness in improving dental students' competencies. To maximize impact, dental schools should adopt vertically integrated curricular models, invest in faculty development, standardize assessment tools, and promote international collaboration.