Preclinical complete dentures curriculum survey.

PURPOSE

A survey of U.S. dental schools was conducted in 2001 to determine the curricular structure, teaching philosophies, and techniques used in preclinical complete denture courses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The questionnaire was mailed to the chairperson of the prosthodontic/restorative departments of 54 U.S. dental schools. Of these, 43 schools returned the completed survey, a response rate of 80%. The mean, median, and range of responses were computed where applicable.

RESULTS

Results from this survey show that the mean student-to-faculty ratio in the preclinical course was 12:1, with a median of 12:1 and a range of 6:1 to 27:1. The mean number of laboratory hours was 74, with a median of 70.5 and a range of 31.5 to 160. The mean number of lecture hours reported was 28, with a median of 25 and a range 12 to 80. The mean number of practical examinations was 3, with a median of 3 and a range of 0 to 11. Eighty-four percent of the schools have prosthodontists teaching the course. The mean number of months that this course is taught is 5 months, with a median of 5 and a range of 2 to 13. Fifty-eight percent of the schools use the Hanau semiadjustable articulator. Sixty-five percent of the schools use protrusive records to set the articulator. The facebow preservation record is used by 84% of the schools.

CONCLUSIONS

Preclinical complete denture educational programs vary from school to school, yet a large percentage of schools agree on certain topics. Only 28% of dental schools are incorporating new technologies, such as the internet, in their preclinical complete denture curriculum. Nineteen percent of dental schools are using only the Portrait denture teeth, which are newer than the Bioblend and Bioform teeth.