Dental Course Structure

[billiken10]

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Although I'm sure it varies from place to place, how are classes structured at most dental universities? Are there semesters like in college where courses begin and end over the course of 3.5 months or are divided between two semesters, etcetera. I guess I'm just realizing I don't really know how it works! I have read online the types of classes in the curriculum but most don't go very in depth as to the duration or time period that these classes take place in. What's up docs?

 

[Jack Worthing]

Although I'm sure it varies from place to place, how are classes structured at most dental universities? Are there semesters like in college where courses begin and end over the course of 3.5 months or are divided between two semesters, etcetera. I guess I'm just realizing I don't really know how it works! I have read online the types of classes in the curriculum but most don't go very in depth as to the duration or time period that these classes take place in. What's up docs?

At Stony Brook we are registered for a block of courses a semester at a time, and the courses begin and end within the semester. Our four-year curriculum comprises a Fall I, Spring I, Fall II, Spring II, etc. up to Fall IV, Spring IV. Each semester of classes comprises the prerequisites for the next semester of classes. Currently I'm enrolled in "Fall I," which includes HBA 521, HBC 531, HDG 511, and HDG something else, which translates to, respectively, "Gross Anatomy of the Head and Neck", "Molecules Genes and Cells", "Dental Morphology/Occlusion", and "Health Care Systems I". In the spring, I will get a new set of classes.

I hear that in the 2nd year here, some basic science classes will go for only 2 months within the semester, to be replaced by another class. There seem to be many more classes in Years II-IV than in Year I, and you're probably thinking along the right lines that they are divided up in some pretty zany ways to fit it all into the semester. I'll try to research this if I find some time and let you know. I'm in the dark myself about how it all works; I only know about the semester ahead and an inkling about what's in store for next spring.

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I'm curious to see how an USC dental student would reply; I looked at their curriculum of PBL cases and I wonder how they divide it up over the weeks and months.

 

[ItsGavinC]

At Arizona, we also have two semesters per year (Fall and Spring).

The 1st semester of the 1st year, each course is 1-2 weeks long, and is the only course occuring at any given time. Once the course is finished, an exam is had and a new course is started.

The 2nd semester of the 1st year has a similar layout, but the courses are much longer. Dental Hard Tissues, which is a basic operative course, runs for 9 weeks or so, for example. Head & Neck anatomy is 3 weeks of solid anatomy and nothing else.

Here in the 2nd year we still have only one course at a time. We are currently in our Fixed Prosth. course, and it runs from 9/7 to mid-November.

The one exception to this schedule is that our Wednesday afternoons are always filled with one other class (D1 students have an ethics course right now, and D2 students have a clinical medicine course taught by MD/DMD oral surgeons). Our Friday afternoons are also space for Grand Rounds.

 

[aphistis]

We are currently in our Fixed Prosth. course, and it runs from 9/7 to mid-November.

Crikey, Gavin, what I wouldn't give to only have three months of fixed pros. 😀

 

[ItsGavinC]

Crikey, Gavin, what I wouldn't give to only have three months of fixed pros. 😀

360 hours of simulation time is plenty for me. 🙂

 

[ShawnOne]

I'm curious to see how an USC dental student would reply; I looked at their curriculum of PBL cases and I wonder how they divide it up over the weeks and months.

We have 3 trimesters per year. We do not have any "classes" per se, nor do we have any lectures (besides an orientation or two). Basically, we get a new case about every 2 weeks or so (in 4-6 parts, given to us one at a time on MWF). For example, we got the first part of our case on a Monday. It was about a lady who is complaining about difficulty swallowing and chest pain. First we start brainstorming about ideas we think might be causing the problem. Then our group comes up with "learning needs" or things we need to understand better in order to confirm/rule out our ideas. The "learning needs" are divided between 8 group members. So, for example, one group member is responsible for the anatomy of the upper digestive, one member is responsible for swallowing disorders etc etc. Each group member becomes an expert on their "learning need" and shares their info with the other members of the group (via email)....Then we meet again, discuss our findings, and get some new info (next part of the case) and the whole process starts over until we are able to make a differential diagnosis.

So we dont learn material one subject at a time, but rather we learn the material as it relates to our cases. As for me...I am thrilled not to be forced to sit in a lecture hall and listen to some boring lecture, only to go home and study it myself anyway! It's also nice to learn things as they apply to real world situations.

BTW, this friday we finished our first case, so I have nothing to do this weekend except watch us POUND on BYU. 😎

 

[ItsGavinC]

BTW, this friday we finished our first case, so I have nothing to do this weekend except watch us POUND on BYU. 😎

Or, alternatively, watch us pound you. 😀

(We really suck without our starting QB, but are pretty good with him. Hopefully he's healthy so we can make a game out of it).

 

[ShawnOne]

The only pounding BYU is doing this weekend will involve your heads and the wall.

Good luck you'll need it

 

[Jack Worthing]

thanks ShawnOne, I've wanted to hear it from an insider and now i have.

college football baby... 😎
something i'd like to learn more about too... beyond enjoying the visuals on ABC

We have 3 trimesters per year. We do not have any "classes" per se, nor do we have any lectures (besides an orientation or two). Basically, we get a new case about every 2 weeks or so (in 4-6 parts, given to us one at a time on MWF). For example, we got the first part of our case on a Monday. It was about a lady who is complaining about difficulty swallowing and chest pain. First we start brainstorming about ideas we think might be causing the problem. Then our group comes up with "learning needs" or things we need to understand better in order to confirm/rule out our ideas. The "learning needs" are divided between 8 group members. So, for example, one group member is responsible for the anatomy of the upper digestive, one member is responsible for swallowing disorders etc etc. Each group member becomes an expert on their "learning need" and shares their info with the other members of the group (via email)....Then we meet again, discuss our findings, and get some new info (next part of the case) and the whole process starts over until we are able to make a differential diagnosis.

So we dont learn material one subject at a time, but rather we learn the material as it relates to our cases. As for me...I am thrilled not to be forced to sit in a lecture hall and listen to some boring lecture, only to go home and study it myself anyway! It's also nice to learn things as they apply to real world situations.

BTW, this friday we finished our first case, so I have nothing to do this weekend except watch us POUND on BYU. 😎