Perceptions of D.M.D. student readiness for basic science courses in the United States: can online review modules help?

There can be a disconnect between the level of content covered in undergraduate coursework and the expectations of professional-level faculty of their incoming students. Some basic science faculty members may assume that students have a good knowledge base in the material and neglect to appropriately review, whilst others may spend too much class time reviewing basic material. It was hypothesised that the replacement of introductory didactic physiology lectures with interactive online modules could improve student preparedness prior to lectures. These modules would also allow faculty members to analyse incoming student abilities and save valuable face-to-face class time for alternative teaching strategies. Results indicated that the performance levels of incoming U.S. students were poor (57% average on a pre-test), and students often under-predicted their abilities (by 13% on average). Faculty expectations varied greatly between the different content areas and did not appear to correlate with the actual student performance. Three review modules were created which produced a statistically significant increase in post-test scores (46% increase, P < 0.0001, n = 114-115). The positive results of this study suggest a need to incorporate online review units in the basic science dental school courses and revise introductory material tailored to students' strengths and needs.

An introduction to clinical practice guideline for Chinese undergraduates in stomatology.

The Society of Dental Education, Chinese Stomatological Association has formulated the Standards of Clinical Practice for Chinese Undergraduate Students Majoring in Stomatology, on the basis of extensively soliciting the views of experts in various fields. The aim of this standard is to guide clinical teaching and improve teaching quality in schools of stomatology in China. The standards include eight parts: the standard of clinical practice for oral and maxillofacial surgery, for cariology and endodontics, for periodontics, for the oral mucosa diseases, for preventive dentistry, for pedodontology, for prosthodontics and for oral imageology. Each part includes introduction to subjects, the clinical practice time period, the purpose and requirements of practice, the disease types of practice and items of clinical operation, the index of the lowest workload of practice and the major methods of assessment. These standards are not only the basic requirements and guiding principles for clinical teaching, but also the major criteria for assessing the clinical teaching quality of stomatological colleges/schools of China.

Students' satisfaction with a dental summer programme and importance of influencing factors for choosing dentistry as their career.

AIM: To study the students' satisfaction with the week-long summer programme and the importance of common influencing factors (IFs) for choosing dentistry as their career. METHODS: Anonymous questionnaire was given to all 214 participants in July of 2011 and 2012. Demographic information including gender, age and education level was collected. The students were asked about their satisfaction with the programme with separate ratings for learning experiences, including hands-on workshops (HOW); clinic observations (CO); problem-based learning tutorials (PBL); and lectures (L). They also rated the relative importance of the ten common IFs. The Friedman test was used to study the order of their preferences of the programme's activities. The Chi-square test was used to study the influence of their demographic factors on the importance of the IFs. RESULTS: A total of 208 students returned their questionnaires. The majority were below the age of 18 (81%), and 44% were studying in an international school. Most of the students (96%) were satisfied with the programme overall. They liked the HOWs and COs more than the PBL tutorials and Ls. 'Altruism' and 'medical/health care career' were the two most important IFs overall. 'Altruism' and 'past experience with dentist' were considered more important by those aged 18 or above. 'Past experience with dentist' and 'working with hands' were considered more important by the international school students. CONCLUSIONS: Most participants were satisfied with the summer programme. They preferred practical, skill-based activities to knowledge-based activities. The importance of some IFs was associated with age and education system.

Racial and ethnic underrepresentation in medicine: lessons from the past and a vision of the future.

Southern Illinois University's Medical and Dental Education Program (MEDPREP) has helped nearly 1,000 students underrepresented in medicine matriculate into medical or dental school since its inception in 1972. All MEDPREP students are from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, and approximately 90% are African American, Hispanic or Latino, or Native American. The program's success indicates underrepresented students whose undergraduate records deem them unacceptable as prospective medical school students in fact can, with intervention, go on to successfully practice medicine. MEDPREP was founded more than 40 years ago to address underrepresentation of these groups in medicine and on the 25th anniversary of Teaching and Learning in Medicine, we examine the continuing issues surrounding racial and ethnic parity in the ranks of medical education.

Guide for the mentoring dentist: the admissions office perspective.

There is no better way to give back to dentistry--which has given us so much as dentists--than to mentor a young person into the profession. With the size of the applicant pool dramatically increasing over the past 10 years (73.6 percent), the challenge of the admissions process has increased as well. To put it simply, the "line" of those desiring dentistry as a profession has become quite long. In 2010, based upon data from the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service, the ratio of dental applicants to positions exceeded the ratio of applicants to medical school positions! We haven't seen ratios like this since the late 1970's. This guide will aid mentoring dentists in the process of helping their mentees to be successful as applicants, dental students and, ultimately, dental practitioners.

Ethics education in undergraduate pre-health programs. The contribution of undergraduate colleges and universities to the ethical and moral development of future doctors in the medical and dental professions.

There are many barriers to ethics education of students attending medical and dental schools. The question is asked, "Should more attention be given to addressing students' ethics education during their undergraduate years of preparation for professional healthcare programs?" This qualitative study utilizes digitally recorded personal interviews with two undergraduate pre-healthcare students, one medical student, one recently matriculated dental student, one undergraduate pre-healthcare faculty member, three dental school faculty members, and three medical school faculty members. Interview participants discuss areas of personal knowledge and experience concerning: the admissions process and screening of potential medical/dental students for ethical traits and behaviors, influences on student ethical development, undergraduate pre-healthcare ethics training, and preferred college major for pre-healthcare students. The study concludes that undergraduate pre-healthcare programs should take the initiative to be proactive and deliberate in strengthening the positive influences on students. Strategies include: 1) humanities curricula to broaden perspectives and increase non-prejudice; 2) mentoring and modeling by older students, faculty, and community and professional volunteers; 3) ethical case study discussions in class or extracurricular activities; and 4) volunteer/service learning activities. Additionally, curriculum learning is enhanced by the use of reflection and writing, discussions, and media.

Predicting dental school performance based on prior dental experience and exposure.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the variables of students with prior dental assisting experience and students with a parent who is a dentist can be used as predictors of students' pre-clinical and clinical course performance in dental school. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of a cohort of 159 students in the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) DMD graduation classes of 2001-2005. Data were collected via self-report using students' applications for admission to the HSDM DMD programme on which students provided information regarding whether they had prior dental assisting experience, including the type and duration of the experience and whether one or both of their parents were dentists. Data on the students' undergraduate science grade point average, Dental Admission Test academic average, Perceptual Ability Test (PAT) score, NBDE Part I and HSDM course grades (three pre-clinical and five clinical assessment categories) were collected from the Office of the Registrar. The pre-clinical categories included the first Oral Comprehensive Exam and the first two classes of the pre-clinical portion of the dental school, Treatment of Active Disease (TxAD) and Restorative Treatment (RTx). The clinical categories included the second Oral Comprehensive Exam and the cumulative grades received for the clinical procedures performed during the third and fourth years in the fields of Endodontics, Operative Dentistry, Periodontics and Prosthodontics. Descriptive and bivariate statistical analyses were performed and included in a multiple logistic regression model. RESULTS: The results revealed that for the variable of prior dental-assisting experience, no statistically significant differences were noted in the pre-clinical and clinical assessment categories. However, students who had any amount of assisting experience were 2.2 times more likely to earn a grade of honours in TxAD compared with students who did not have assisting experience (P = 0.05). Students with a parent who was a dentist performed better only in Operative Dentistry clinical assessment compared with students without a dentist parent (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Information on prior dental-assisting experience and having a parent who is a dentist have minimal merits for use as predictive agents based on these findings. Dental school admissions committees should continue to review a full spectrum of variables and ensure an applicant's true interest and motivation to pursue a career in dentistry.

Experiencing the "Michigan difference" in predental advising.

African-American dental students at the University of Michigan are engaged in identifying, guiding, and preparing promising predental students for a career in dentistry. Collaborating with the Student National Dental Association (SNDA), the Predental Association at the school, and with the help of faculty members and the administration, students have developed an Impressions Day and participate in a Research Day, a golf outing, an Elementary School Outreach program, a Dental Initiatives activity, the Scholars Program for Dental Leadership, and participation in the school's Mentor Program. All of these activities engage current students in helping those at various stages in the predental education pipeline learn about, evaluate their potential for, and prepare for careers in dentistry.

Elements of Undergraduate Education Related to Students' Academic Performance in the First Year of Dental School.

The aim of this study was to improve understanding of predictors of student success in dental school. A total of 178 student records from the Classes of 2015 and 2016 at a U.S. dental school were reviewed for this retrospective study. The records assessed included admissions files with such elements as scores on the Dental Admission Test (DAT), participation in a pipeline program, and undergraduate transcripts; academic records from the first term of dental school (class rank, course remediation, and withdrawal/dismissal from dental school); and National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part I results. The results showed that the DAT Perceptual Ability Test was positively related to performance in the first term of dental school (p=0.030). The DAT Academic Average (p<0.0001) and participation in a pipeline program (p=0.006) were found to be predictors of performance in the lower 25% of the class by end of first term rank. Taking organic chemistry in a summer term during undergraduate study was identified as a predictor variable for dismissal, withdrawal, or entry into a decompressed curriculum (p=0.025). Although this analysis found that traditional predictors of academic success in dental school were associated with strong academic performance in the study sample, it also provided a more complex assessment of factors that may be associated with students who struggle in the first year. As the vast majority of students in this sample successfully completed dental school, the results were not sought to inform admissions criteria, but rather to help academic and student affairs officers identify at-risk students in order to offer timely intervention.

Feeding the pipeline: academic skills training for predental students.

This article reports the outcomes of an evaluation conducted to determine if an academic skills training program for undergraduate predental students from underrepresented minority backgrounds increased the students' standardized academic skills test scores for vocabulary, reading comprehension, reading rates, spelling, and math as well as subject-specific test results in biology, chemistry, and physics. Data from standardized academic skill tests and subject-specific tests were collected at the beginning and end of the 1998 to 2006 Pipeline Programs, six-week summer enrichment programs for undergraduate predental students from disadvantaged backgrounds. In total, 179 students (75.4 percent African American, 7.3 percent Hispanic, 5.6 percent Asian American, 5 percent white) attended the programs during these nine summers. Scores on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test showed that the students improved their vocabulary scores (percentile ranks before/after: 46.80 percent/59.56 percent; p<.001), reading comprehension scores (47.21 percent/62.67 percent; p<.001), and reading rates (34.01 percent/78.31 percent; p<.001) from the beginning to the end of the summer programs. Results on the Wide Range Achievement Test III showed increases in spelling (73.58 percent/86.22 percent; p<.001) and math scores (56.98 percent/81.28 percent; p<.001). The students also improved their subject-specific scores in biology (39.07 percent/63.42 percent; p<.001), chemistry (20.54 percent/51.01 percent; p<.001), and physics (35.12 percent/61.14 percent; p<.001). To increase the number of underrepresented minority students in the dental school admissions pool, efforts are needed to prepare students from disadvantaged backgrounds for this process. These data demonstrate that a six-week enrichment program significantly improved the academic skills and basic science knowledge scores of undergraduate predental students. These improvements have the potential to enhance the performance of these students in college courses and thus increase their level of competitiveness in the dental school admissions process.

Parental involvement in recruitment of underrepresented minority students.

Recruitment of underrepresented minority (URM) students to dental schools has had limited success, so dental schools need to reach out to high school students with programs to extend the pipeline. The Short Term Enrichment Program (STEP) of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine adds a new dimension to these efforts by involving parents, who directly or indirectly impact their children's career decisions. The program consists of an introductory two-day course that includes presentations of the dental profession, laboratory, and virtual classrooms. Biannual follow-up workshops are conducted for both children and parents. Outcomes are measured through pre- and post-program surveys, focus groups, and interviews. STEP attendance has increased over five years, with a total of 163 students participating and 56 percent of their parents attending the program. Eighty participants have graduated from high school, twenty-three of whom are enrolled in a predental program or dental school; twelve are in other prehealth programs. Students in predental programs or dental school have the highest percentage of parents who participated in STEP (96 percent) and engaged them in discussions over career goals (100 percent).

A predental school experience to expose potential applicants to dental school and the dental profession.

In June 2000, during a period of declining applications to dental school both locally and nationally, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)-New Jersey Dental School (NJDS) initiated the Gateway to Dentistry (GTD) program. Its overall goal was to increase applications from qualified applicants interested in the health professions but uncertain of dentistry as their ultimate choice. Participants learned about dental school and the profession during a two-week internship that provided hands-on experiences; exposure to various disciplines and career options within dentistry; a glimpse of student life through interactions with a dental student mentor; an understanding of the application process; and individualized assistance in educational and career planning. As the overall applicant pool increased nationally and at NJDS, the program proved valuable in attracting a diverse and highly qualified student body. The program is currently offered twice per year to thirty students per session from a pool of approximately 300 applicants from throughout the country. Close to 40 percent of the program participants have been accepted to NJDS, and one-fourth of current incoming classes are GTD participants. Program participants' evaluations have been consistently positive, citing the value of hands-on activities and interactions with enthusiastic faculty volunteers.

Associations among predental credentials and measures of dental school achievement.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations among several dental school admission criteria and several measures of dental school achievement. Data were collected for 2000-07 University of Iowa dentistry graduates, including five specific preadmission credentials and five specific measures of dental school achievement for each student. Pearson product moment correlations or Mann-Whitney U statistics were computed for the association of each of the ten variables with the nine others. The strongest correlation observed was between predental science grade point average (GPA) and overall predental GPA. Dental Admission Test (DAT) Academic Average was very strongly correlated with DAT Total Science, and both of these were each moderately correlated with DAT Perceptual Ability, predental science GPA, and overall predental GPA. Among the measures of dental school achievement, the strongest association was observed between National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) scores and dental school GPA. These were also moderately correlated with final clinical grade. All of the measures of dental school achievement were slightly stronger for candidates who passed the Central Regional Dental Testing Service (CRDTS) examination than for those who failed that exam. Of the predental credentials considered, predental science GPA and overall predental GPA were the best predictors of dental school GPA. DAT Academic Average was the best predictor of NBDE scores. Although DAT Perceptual Ability was the best predictor of clinical competency at the time of graduation, these two variables were only weakly correlated. DAT Perceptual Ability scores and overall predental GPA were slightly higher for candidates who passed the CRDTS examination than for those who failed that exam.

Predental students' attitudes toward and perceptions of the dental profession.

The purpose of this study was to assess reasons students seek a career in dentistry, their perceptions of the dental school admissions process, and their expectations of the profession. Of 155 predental students participating in a dental school simulation course offered at a Nevada dental school, 152 participated in this study (68.4 percent [n=104] male, and 31.6 percent [n=48] female). When asked when they made the decision to pursue a career in dentistry, 52 percent (n=79) said they decided in college, while 33.6 percent (n=51) made the decision in high school. A slight majority of the respondents (52.6 percent; n=80) identified their family dentist as having the greatest influence in their decision. Nearly half (47.8 percent; n=64) expected to pursue a career in general dentistry, while the next largest subgroup expected to pursue orthodontics (16.4 percent; n=22). A significant majority of the respondents (72.8 percent; n=110) perceived the dental school admissions process to be fair. Males were significantly more likely to identify themselves as competitive applicants than did females (chi(2)=9.644; p<.01). Approximately half (47.4 percent; n=72) anticipate earning between $100,000 and $199,999 within five years after graduation, with 50.7 percent (n=77) anticipating working between thirty-five and forty hours a week. By understanding the applicant pool and their perceptions, admissions committees can better prepare to attract the applicants they desire.

Realigning biomedical science instruction in predoctoral curricula: a proposal for change.

Currently in North America, there is an active dialogue going on about the state of predoctoral dental education and the need for curriculum change, innovation, and the adoption of contemporary, competency-based educational models. At the institutional level, curriculum committees struggle with requests from faculty to add new content to an overburdened didactic and clinic schedule. This article will describe potential solutions centering on the role and scope of the biomedical sciences in predoctoral dental education. The authors propose that dental educators and institutions reconsider the current admission prerequisites and curriculum content of the biomedical sciences in predoctoral programs. The proposed changes are intended to eliminate content redundancy between undergraduate and predoctoral dental education by integration of the biomedical sciences--in particular, biochemistry, microbiology, and physiology--into other clinically oriented coursework and learning experiences in the curriculum based on a pathophysiology model that fosters students' comprehension of the etiology of oral and systemic diseases encountered by the general dental practitioner. The authors explore how changes in the biomedical science prerequisites for dental school matriculation and associated modifications in curriculum focus and content would impact admissions testing, composition of national board exams, and strategies for teaching and learning within dental schools.

The Effect of Undergraduate Coursework on Students' Performance in the First Year at a U.S. Dental School.

The aim of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between students' academic history and their performance in the first year of dental school, with a focus on academic load in undergraduate education. A total of 174 student records from the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine Classes of 2011 to 2018 were analyzed. These records included students at the top and bottom of each class at the end of their first term of study. Outcomes were broad measures of student success: student continued in curriculum, student withdrew/was dismissed, or student remediated at least one course. In the comparison of the top and bottom ten students across the classes, the following variables were found to be significant: Barron's score of undergraduate institution, undergraduate science GPA, number of failures or withdrawals from science courses during undergraduate education, DAT scores, and underrepresented minority status. The results of this study are not meant to inform the admissions process, but to highlight opportunities for enhancing student services via early identification of students who may benefit from additional academic support while in dental school.

Comparison of Postbaccalaureate and Baccalaureate Graduates' Performance in First and Second Years of Dental School.

Postbaccalaureate programs help predental students strengthen their basic science knowledge and improve their study skills before applying or reapplying for dental school admission. A high percentage of postbac students are admitted to and graduate from dental schools, but gaining greater understanding of how well these students perform in key areas of the first two years' curriculum would be useful for the design of those programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate postbac dental students' performance in the D1 and D2 years at one U.S. dental school compared to dental students with a four-year baccalaureate degree only. Performance assessed was the students' dental school grades in basic science courses, in all D1 and D2 didactic courses, and on preclinical simulation lab practical exams. Didactic and practical scores were gathered anonymously for the Classes of 2013-18 at the College of Dental Medicine-Arizona (CDMA) at Midwestern University, where postbac students with master's degrees from the affiliated College of Health Sciences made up 6-19% of each class. The two cohorts chosen for comparison were students with baccalaureate degrees only and students with one-year Master of Arts degrees from the College of Health Sciences. The scores of these postbac dental students and their non-postbac peers were found to be comparable in the basic science courses. However, for all the didactic courses combined, the non-postbac cohort had significantly higher mean scores than the postbac cohort for the fall quarter 2 and winter quarter 2 in 2013-15 and all years combined. The practical scores for the two cohorts were not significantly different for any year. Overall, this study demonstrated that the MA program in the College of Health Sciences prepared the postbac students to compete on an equal level with the non-postbac students in the CDMA D1 and D2 curriculum.

Análisis de datos intra y postquirúrgicos en exodoncias unitarias realizadas por alumnos de grado de la FOUBA / Analysis of intra and post-surgical data in single extractions performed by FOUBA undergraduate studens

La exodoncia es el procedimiento odontológico más antiguo del que se tiene registro, pero pocas publi-caciones abarcan con detalle esta temática. Conocer los pormenores de esta práctica puede servir para generar políticas educativas, sanitarias, como así también sistematizarla y bajar así sus riesgos y complicaciones. El objetivo del presente estudio fue describir y analizar variables quirúrgicas asocia-das a las extracciones unitarias de piezas dentarias. Los datos se analizaron mediante las pruebas Chi-cuadrado de Pearson, exacta de Fisher y Kruskal-Wallis, según lo que correspondía (p<0,05, signifi-cativo). Concurrieron más mujeres que hombres, con una mediana de edad de 37 años (intervalo, 18 a 86), siendo los terceros molares las piezas más ex-traídas. La pieza que requirió más odontosecciones fue el primer molar superior, mientras que la pieza que requirió más alveolectomías fue el tercer mo-lar inferior, siendo esta última la pieza con mayores complicaciones intra y post quirúrgicas, incluso una alteración nerviosa. La caries penetrante fue amplia-mente el motivo más frecuente de exodoncias (79%) superando los reportes en estudios similares, La du-ración promedio (DE) de las extracciones unitarias fue de 39 minutos (21), pero difirió significativamente entre piezas dentarias (p<0,05). Las complicaciones post quirúrgicas se asociaron significativamente a cirugías más prolongadas (p<0,05). La cantidad de anestubos utilizados también difirió significativa-mente entre piezas dentarias (p<0,05), siendo el sec-tor posterior inferior el que más cantidad necesitó. Los datos aportados en el estudio pueden ser utiliza-dos para mejorar recursos en los servicios de salud odontológicos (AU)

Dental extractions are the first procedures reported in dentistry, but few articles focus on its individual details. With proper information, educational and health policies could be systematically improved, and thus reduce risks and complications. The aim of the study was to describe and analyze surgical variables associated with single tooth extractions performed by students. The practice of 500 single extractions on 500 patients who attended the Oral and Maxillofacial service of the School of Dentistry of the University of Buenos Aires, between September 2021 and September 2022, performed by fourth-year students supervised by teachers, are described. Data were analyzed using Pearson's Chi-square, Fisher's exact or Kruskal-Wallis tests, as appropriate (p<0.05, significant). More women attended than men, with a median age of 37 years (range 18 to 86), with third molars being the most extracted pieces. Decay teeth was by far the most frequent reason for extractions (79%), exceeding reports in similar studies, that may be explained by a younger sample and the multiple extractions exclusion. The tooth that required the most sections was the upper first molar, while the tooth that required the most alveolectomies was the lower third molar, the latter being the tooth with the greatest intra- and post-surgical complications, including a reported nerve damage. The average duration (SD) of single extractions was 39 minutes (21), but it differed significantly between teeth (p<0.05), for example, upper central incisors presented an average of 21 (9), and upper first premolars 47 (25), characteristics not reported to date. As other studies reported, post-surgical complications were significantly associated with longer surgeries (p<0.05). The amount of anesthesia cartridges used also differed significantly between teeth (p<0.05), being the posterior mandible the one that needed the most amount. The data provided in the study can be systematically used to improve temporal and economic resources in dental health services (AU)