Human Disease/Clinical Medical Sciences in Dentistry: Current state and future directions of undergraduate teaching in the UK and Ireland

Abstract

In March 2017, a group of teachers of human disease/clinical medical science (HD/CMSD) representing the majority of schools from around the UK and Republic of Ireland met to discuss the current state of teaching of human disease and also to discuss how the delivery of this theme might evolve to inform improved healthcare. This study outlines how the original teaching in medicine and surgery to dental undergraduate students has developed into the theme of HD/CMSD reflecting changing needs as well as guidance from the regulators, and how different dental schools have developed their approaches to reach their current state. Each school was also asked to share a strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis of their programme and to outline how they thought their HD/CMSD programme may develop. The school representatives who coordinate the delivery and assessment of HD/CMSD in the undergraduate curriculum have extensive insight in this area and are well-placed to shape the HD/CMSD development for the future.

Human disease/clinical medical sciences for dentistry in early‐years dental graduates: Transition from undergraduate study to clinical practice

“…9 More recently, the UK and Ireland group of teachers of HD/CMSD convened a symposium to look at how HD/ CMSD has developed in recent years, and how it may continue to evolve within dental schools, producing a paper summarising their findings. 10 In 2013, Greenwood and colleagues 11 looked at recent dental graduates' experience and management of medical emergencies in dental practice following undergraduate training in HD/ CMSD. However, there is little in the literature looking at recent dental graduates' attitudes towards, and understanding of, how their undergraduate training in HD/CMSD translates to the broader safe, competent and confident medical management of patients, including those with chronic disease or disability, as newly qualified, independent, dental practitioners.…”

“…Dental undergraduate students have been shown to recognise the need for education and training in HD/CMSD in general and as a foundation for special care dentistry . More recently, the UK and Ireland group of teachers of HD/CMSD convened a symposium to look at how HD/CMSD has developed in recent years, and how it may continue to evolve within dental schools, producing a paper summarising their findings . In 2013, Greenwood and colleagues looked at recent dental graduates' experience and management of medical emergencies in dental practice following undergraduate training in HD/CMSD.…”

Consolidating human disease learning in the Dental Emergency Clinic

“…: drug interactions with prescribed medications, or post-extraction bleeding for patients on anticoagulants). Most UK and Ireland undergraduate dental courses include HD teaching blocks in the early-to-mid years of a typical five-year degree, 1 and often before the students begin the majority of their patient interactions. According to Miller's 'Framework for clinical assessment' 2 we want to progress the dental student who 'knows' (has knowledge) through the 'knows how' (competence) and the 'shows how' (performance) to the 'does' (action) stage of safe dental practice.…”

Human disease/clinical medical sciences in dentistry: Current state and future development of undergraduate assessments in the UK and Ireland

“…The UK and Ireland Teachers of Human Disease/Clinical Medical Science (HD/CMSD) is an informal group of interested colleagues who work cooperatively to develop and progress teaching and assessment in their respective institutions and foster best practice. Previously the group has worked to develop a curriculum for HD/CMSD 1 , and more recently, the group looked at the content and delivery of the HD/CMSD curriculum 2 . This latest meeting and survey focussed on how assessments for HD/CMSD are being delivered and any likely future developments.…”