The Arizona Model: A New Paradigm for Dental Schools

Abstract

The traditional method for the delivery of didactic instruction and patient care in dental schools has come under ire from a number of sources over the past several years. The American Dental Education Association and others have outlined numerous issues impeding the swift progression of student learning through the dental curriculum. Declining state revenues allotted to dental education, the increasing shortage of dental faculty, and the management of student learning in an already overcrowded dental school curriculum have led to the investigation of strategies that address solutions to these and other shortcomings in the current milieu of dental education. To address these deiciencies, strategies for change have been suggested. This article describes the development, implementation, and assessment of a new dental school that addresses these and other challenges to the education of today's dental student, thus creating the Arizona Model. Following seven years of operation, outcomes analysis at the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health has shown positive trends in controlling educational costs, a shift to a modular curriculum, increasing student clinical experiences, and, consistent with the mission of the school, producing dentists who are well prepared for dental public health service.

Assessing Dental Students’ Readiness to Treat Populations That Are Underserved: A Scoping Review

“…A sole study included a review of dentists’ self‐reported data about the non‐clinical information they solicited from older patients and their exposure to this population in dental school 23 . In two studies, performance on board exams was assessed 7 , 20 …”

“…Some dental schools have made important strides towards establishing CBDE goals, including mission statements and student competencies 6 , 7 . However, we were unable to find a comprehensive professional standard or matrix for CBDE that sets out the parameters of student readiness and methods to evaluate them.…”

New Models of Dental Education and Curricular Change: Their Potential Impact on Dental Education

“…While numerous innovations have and are being implemented locally in the area of instruction, economic modeling, and assessment at the institutional level, three major systemic changes have been reported recently in dental education. The three innovations are the incorporation of new instructional models, 18 – 27 economic modeling, 16 and distributed/economic models that utilize community clinical training sites 28 . Additionally, external influence by regulatory‐related bodies has significantly impacted curricular modifications in dental schools.…”

Reflective Abilities of Undergraduate Dental Students in a Public Sector Medical College in Pakistan

“…Reflection connects recent cognition to the forgoing acquisition (Sobral DT, 2005) Reflective learners become critical thinkers, good professionals, (Koole et al, 2012) develop inter-personal/communication skills and case solving abilities and realize themselves, their beliefs and incentives deeply. (Kember et al, 2000) Traditional teaching/ learning strategies (Smith, Woldt, Cottam, & Cederberg, 2011;Vaugh L & Baker R, 2001) decrease students' learning motivation (Rashmi KA, 2012) therefore researchers of the nineteenth century (Sobral DT, 2000, 2001, 2005Schon, 1984 ;Kolb, 1984;Boud, Keogh, & Walker, 1985; ) created reflective writing that assisted them to mount Miller's pyramid from knowledge towards performance to build student's self-directed and lifelong learning capacities and heighten their motivation.…”