The assessment of the predoctoral curriculum for the establishment of a preventive dentistry program at the Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry

Abstract

Within the last two decades, the dental profession has shifted its philosophy from the concepts of disease and treatment toward a more holistic approach to health and prevention. As a response to this change, dental education is now beginning to integrate a total patient care concept into the dental school curricula. Following the current shift in philosophy, the Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry has identified the need for assessing the preventive dentistry program in the predoctoral curriculum. In preparing for accreditation, guidelines from the American Association of Dental Schools and from various dental schools throughout the country were obtained to develop a baseline for evaluating pre-existing preventive material. Through the analysis of course curricula, specific problems and deficiencies were identified. This paper will analyze those problems and deficiencies and outline several recommendations for developing an interdepartmental philosophy for the teaching of preventive dentistry.