CHANGING CURRICULA - AN EVALUATION FROM DENTISTRY

An evaluation of I year of an undergraduate child dental health course is reported. Students generally perceived teaching to be of a high st andard, but some organizational aspects having an impact on the curric ulum were rated less highly. Wider issues raised by the evaluation inc lude the place of orthodontics in the undergraduate curriculum; availa bility and effect of suitable and sufficient patients; and the impact of differing numbers of procedures being required for assessment. Seve ral findings of the evaluation lend support to aspects of research in teaching, learning and curriculum studies in the wider fields of highe r and professional education. The curriculum is judged to be well into a process of development, reflecting changes in knowledge, culture, p rofessional practice and individual needs; changes which impact on all curricula in the health care professions.