In practice, dentistry has been evolving since the inception of clinical standards; however, in recent years, rapid advances in technology and material science have given rise to an extraordinary number of developments—not merely updates to materials and new spins on old techniques, but entirely new categories of materials, entirely new devices, and entirely new protocols for achieving patients’ goals. Research to validate it all is being conducted at just as rapid a rate, but arriving at evidence-based practice guidelines takes time. All of this creates a conundrum for dental schools and their educators, who struggle to appropriately update their curricula. Everyone agrees that dental school students still need to learn the basics, but how much dental technology should they be exposed to? Which materials and protocols should they be exposed to? Which leaning technologies should be used to teach them? Many already feel that dental school is too expensive, and there isn’t enough class time to teach every updated protocol. Exactly what knowledge and which skills do new graduates need in order to enter into practice and successfully meet the rapidly elevating standard of care?
In the following pages, Inside Dentistry offers some current perspectives on dental school education from a professor, a student, and a learning and development professional. Although their opinions are independent, they share common threads—for example, finding a balance between technology and humanity—whether that’s balancing the use of technology with human connection in practice or balancing the use of technology with human mentoring in the classroom. It will take some time for dental schools to find the right balance in their curricula, but voices such as these will undoubtedly help to guide the conversation surrounding dental education to the right solutions.
