Are graduates as good as they used to be?

A theme runs through discussions on dental undergraduate education, that 't hey are not as good as they used to be'. Based largely on anecdotal evidenc e, we question whether this is true. Dentistry is changing. Today's graduat es are different, but not worse, Graduates must qualify with basic competen cies - agreed between all those responsible for their education. We maintai n that vocational trainers are teachers, just as we are, and as such they h ave similar responsibilities. Close liaison between training practices and dental schools is essential.