Self-instruction in dentistry: a critique

Recent activity and interest in self-instruction and programmed self-instruction emerged from studies which demonstrated the central importance of learner response with prompt consequences. Self-instructional procedures in formal education, e.g., teaching machines, were initially designed to be an improvement over conventional show-and-tell instruction in the arrangement of systematic student response, prompt consequences, and student self-pacing. A minority of self-instructional procedures in dentistry reflect that intent. The evidence discussed suggests that dental education may be the worse for that omission. Suggestions for the improvement of self-instructional in dentistry are presented.