Exploring the declared and the formal and informal taught curricula at a UK dental school through the lens of pulp management

Brooks, Laura, Edwards, David, Field, James ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5462-4156 and Ellis, Janice 2024. Exploring the declared and the formal and informal taught curricula at a UK dental school through the lens of pulp management. British Dental Journal 236 (2) , 117–123. 10.1038/s41415-024-6762-8

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Abstract

Introduction This paper explores the declared and formal and informal taught endodontic curriculum within an undergraduate dental programme in the UK as part of a wider study, which also investigates the learned curriculum. Management of the dental pulp was chosen due to the availability of clear internationally recognised guidelines. Method The declared curriculum was identified through existing course guides and seminar and practical session plans. The formal taught curriculum was identified by cataloguing all lectures, practical teaching sessions, seminars and handouts available to dental students. Questionnaires using clinical vignettes were used to explore the informal taught curriculum. Results Valid responses to the questionnaire were received from 25/40 (62.5%) clinical supervisors. Disparities between national guidelines and the declared and taught curriculum were primarily due to broad learning objectives and disparate information from lectures and supervising clinicians. Although the majority of formal teaching aligned with national guidelines, the main deviation occurred within the informal taught curriculum. Conclusion This study highlights disparities between current evidence-based guidelines and the declared and taught curriculum in relation to pulp management in a UK dental school. Recommendations are that all policies, procedures and protocols are updated and aligned to a contemporaneous evidence base annually, plus engagement with clinical lecturers, to enable more standardised teaching.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Dentistry
Publisher:	Springer Nature [academic journals on nature.com]
ISSN:	0007-0610
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	14 February 2024
Date of Acceptance:	13 September 2023
Last Modified:	13 Mar 2024 15:47
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/165878

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