The Class of 2023 will be the first cohort of DDS students at the University of Alberta to experience the new "curriculum for learners" as part of the curriculum renewal project at the School of Dentistry. After years of rigorous reviews, planning, design and development, the first year of the newly designed DDS program is ready to go.
The new curriculum will improve the learning of dental students through enhanced active learning strategies and by sequencing course material in a way that strengthens the learning from foundational dental and medical content to everyday practice. Faculty are working to integrate course topics together to support the provision of comprehensive patient care.
The biomedical content and assessment will be completely directed by dentistry, with an emphasis on developing dental practitioners with thorough knowledge about medical conditions and their management most relevant to dental practice.
Chair of the school, Paul Major, says the aim is not only to transform the future of learning by improving the student experience but also to better prepare students for the demands and challenges of entering practice.
"This involves much more than ensuring students have solid didactic knowledge and clinical competence," he said. "At the forefront is developing enlightened leaders―dental and dental hygiene professionals who reflect on their practice and work to make a unique and highly valued contribution to the community."