A survey of human genetics in the dental school curriculum.

A survey of American dental schools was conducted to determine the extent to which genetics is currently taught. Results indicate that there is a stronger emphasis at the postdoctoral level than at the predoctoral level and that the approach to teaching genetics tends to multidisciplinary. Some dental schools have already given organizational status to genetics and have instituted clinical activities in orofacial or craniofacial genetics. Considerable interest was shown in audiovisual materials and autotutorial programs in genetics. A greater emphasis on the teaching of genetics at the predoctoral, postdoctoral, and continuing education level is recommended. More trained orofacial geneticists are needed to support didactic and clinical activities within the dental schools.