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A Fresh Approach

“Why do I have to know this?” is a student complaint often heard by educators. This is frequently true for dental students who are required to take courses in the basic sciences.

The “why” question has been an ongoing challenge for educators at all 58 U.S. dental schools. As scientific knowledge has grown, (one estimate says that technical knowledge doubles every two years) teachers are constantly challenged to devise methods that make knowledge more relevant. In the profession of dentistry, with its intense clinical focus, it’s imperative to demonstrate how knowledge impacts diagnosis and treatment.

In an ideal world, basic science creates basic understanding. That broad understanding accelerates the application of clinical knowledge so that what results is a highly competent clinician who can solve problems and work unsupervised

At LSUSD, the challenge of developing the curriculum to address this profound question has been the responsibility of Dr. Sandra Andrieu, professor and Dean of Academic Affairs. For the last 18 years, she has been a key player on the national level in the evolution of dental education through her leadership and active involvement in the American Dental Education Association. She has been ably assisted by Dr. Larry Bates and Dr. Tobias Rodriguez, key members in developing new curriculum.  

New Way of Teaching

To efficiently integrate the basic sciences with clinical practice, a major curriculum change has now been implemented with the adoption of “dental rounds.” This teaching method is now in use for all four years of dental school. Modeled after the “grand rounds” method long-used in medical school education, “dental rounds” was first implemented in August, 2009, for all 241 DDS students and 84 dental hygiene students.

Students in Baton Rouge, Houma, Alexandria and Lafayette participate fully through the technology of distance learning. Residents in the advanced education program also attend and recently launched their own similar program.

In practical terms, “dental rounds” mean that students and faculty arrive an hour early each Thursday morning for one of six comprehensive case presentations that represent months of preparation. Each DDS class is organized into groups of ten, essentially their clinic group. One group of freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors then meets for a “dental team” presentation focusing on an unusual or complex case. This teaming of students assures continuity of patient care in the future as seniors graduate and the upcoming juniors take on the responsibility of treating these patients.

Each of the six presentations focuses on the challenges inherent in diagnosis, treatment and understanding of the fundamental science that informs clinical practice. In this inaugural academic year, seniors and juniors will present cases while sophomores and freshmen observe.

“The purpose is to develop the critical thinking skills of the student,” says Dr. Rodriguez, who along with Dr. Bates, has spent more than a year creating and refining the system to fit the needs of LSUSD students. “They will also understand why the basic sciences are essential.”

“In the past, a freshman student would have to study the nervous system and perhaps not understand the significance,” said Dr. Bates. “That changes when the freshmen see the seniors talking about the challenges of treating a patient with Bell’s Palsy [a neurological disorder affecting facial mobility]. I think ‘dental rounds’ will make for a much richer academic experience.”