Teaching physiology to predoctoral dental students

A survey was sent to the physiology course directors of the fifty-three dental schools in the continental United States. Information was collected regarding the type of instructional arrangements, course content and emphasis, and amount and type of nondidactic instruction. Responses were obtained for forty-eight courses, all of which covered the core topics of physiology, although twelve schools taught neurophysiology as part of a neuroscience course. Combined medical and dental student (MS+DS) courses used six to fourteen hours of nondidactic instruction per core topic, whereas the courses taught by dental school-(DS-B) or medical school-based instructors used 0.5 to 2.6 hours per topic. Courses combining dental students with other nonmedical professional students used mainly didactic instruction. While most dental school physiology courses continue to rely on traditional didactic instruction, a few schools integrate physiology with other basic science and clinical courses, include problem-solving exercises, and offer advanced physiological topics during the clinical years. Consequently, there is considerable potential for change in predoctoral physiology instruction.