Faculty and student perceptions of the success of a hybrid-PBL dental curriculum in achieving curriculum reform benchmarks.

The dental education literature identifies eleven benchmark reform agenda curriculum qualities. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the University of British Columbia D.M.D. curriculum was perceived by students and faculty as achieving these benchmarks and to note any differences in perceptions within and between the student and faculty groups. A WebEval survey consisting of twenty-one questions was delivered online in November 2007 to faculty members and D.M.D. students. The response rate was similar (~60 percent) for both students and faculty members. Comparisons were made between faculty members and students as well as within each group. For the faculty, we looked at the influence of appointment, focus, and teaching experience. For students, we looked at the influence of the year in the program, gender, and program track. Some differences (p<0.05) were identified within the faculty and student groups; however, there were many more differences between the faculty and the students, especially in areas related to curriculum redesign, collaborations with other health professions, preparation for independent practice, and creating a trust-based clinic environment. Faculty members were more optimistic about curriculum progress than were students. Improved communication of curriculum goals and explicit efforts at creating a safe and supportive learning environment could diminish these differences over time.