Sure thing. I see a big push in the profession right now to educate students on more than simply teeth. Meaning, public health is getting a big push, research is getting a big push (especially as we come to realize the vast number of ways that the oral cavity is directly tied to the body), and dentists being aware of their patients as a whole is getting a big push.
Of course, these factors have always been recognized, but my sense from my own personal education as well as reading SDN and DentalTown, is that dentists can play a larger role in patient healthcare than they currently do, and that they ought to play this role.
I think some of this is directly related to the future of our profession. If we are ONLY drillers and fillers, then our profession as it currently stands is easily encroached upon by other healthcare areas.
This is in NO way a comment about how we should function as physicians, for that simply isn't the case.
My thoughts are that dentists do many procedures and provide many benefits to patients, that aren't invasive (surgery) related.
Dental school has really made me realize that we study and practice oral medicine (dentistry). If that weren't the case, then we wouldn't have to learn about microbiology, physiology, biochemistry, etc. Nor would those things be tested on the Boards.