Patient‐Centered Competency‐Based Education in Fixed Prosthodontics

Revision of a traditional fixed prosthodontic curriculum was undertaken in response to observed private practice patterns, recent literature in fixed prosthodontics, and an increasingly crowded dental school curriculum. The revision was further motivated by the commitment of the faculty to become patient‐centered in all components of instruction. The resultant preclinical and clinical curriculum emphasizes patient care activities and minimizes student‐generated laboratory products. This program is characterized as patient‐driven, competency‐based, and criterion‐referenced, and it places heavy reliance on validated pedagogical strategies, which include evaluation of self and peers. The curriculum requires the development of good communication skills with peers, faculty, and commercial laboratories and creates time for the student to develop critical patient care skills without requiring more curriculum time. The new fixed prosthodontic curriculum appears to be consistent with current private general practice, national licensing examinations, and the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine's report to dental education.