An evaluation of the preclinical prosthodontic training at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Bergen, Norway

Abstract

The curriculum of the dental faculty at the University of Bergen was revised and a new curriculum was implemented in 2000. The first candidates graduated in 2003. In the new curriculum the theoretical teaching consists of an extended integrated lecture series in prosthodontics and biomaterials. The revised laboratory course includes an increased number of tooth preparations performed on phantom heads solely. Newer types of preparations based on bonding technique, such as ceramic crowns, veneers and inlays, have also been introduced. As a consequence of the reduced time allocated to the course, the amount of dental technical work has been considerably reduced. Demonstrations of practical procedures are video-based. Several theoretical and practical tests are carried out during the course. The purpose of this study was to assess the outcome of the alterations made, by comparing former students' opinions on different aspects of the two curricula. A questionnaire was mailed to the students graduated in 2003 with the new curriculum and graduates in 1997 and 2000 with the 'old' curriculum. The results indicate that the alterations tended to improve the students' evaluations of some aspects of the course. In addition, the new curriculum appeared to be more relevant for the succeeding work in the clinic.

Convergence Angles of Clinical Tooth Preparations for Metal Ceramic Restorations Among Dental Students and General Practitioners

“…Mack (21) observed that a minimal taper of 12 degrees was necessary to ensure the absence of undercuts. The widely recommended 12°TOC has been Copyright shown to be difficult to achieve for many dental students (22)(23)(24).…”

Anatomical sciences: A foundation for a solid learning experience in dental technology and dental prosthetics

“…Dental students should be able to formulate a diagnosis or a management plan based on an integrated interdisciplinary approach, which is a core of a successful dental treatment. For all the reasons mentioned in this article, further attempts should be made to improve preclinical courses, to increase the competence of dental students and in consequence the skills of future dental personnel, which will positively influence the quality of the treatment offered to the patients (Ingebrigtsen et al, ).…”

“…To accommodate for these rapid changes that are and will continue to affect all segments of the healthcare professions many attempts were made to improve preclinical dental courses. This is to increase the competence of students and consequently increase the skill of future practitioners and thus of the quality of the treatment offered to patients (Ingebrigtsen et al, ). Examples include, gene therapy, which is predicted to be a part of a new opportunity for dental personnel to expand their treatment options (Baum and O'Connell, ).…”

Assessment of undergraduate students’ tooth preparation for full veneer cast restorations

“…Very little information is available concerning the ability of dentists in Africa to prepare teeth for full cast restorations [8]. There are many studies which followed the performance of dental students in tooth preparation for fixed prosthodontics during their pre-clinical course [23,24] and efforts for accurate evaluation of their preclinical work were done [25,26].…”