Future of Medical Education Journal

Future of Medical Education Journal

An Integrated Model for the Iranian General Dentistry Curriculum

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Maryam Safarnavadeh 1
Samira Ebrahimpour Koumleh 2
Nematollah Mousapour 3
1 Educational Deputy of Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Educational Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 Department of Elementary Education, Nasibeh Teacher Education College, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran
10.22038/fmej.2018.30506.1193
Abstract
Background: The purpose of this study is to present an integrated model for the Iranian general dentistry curriculum.
Methods: In this study, the qualitative method of focal groups was used. First, using library studies and analysis and interpretation of the resulted information, possible types of integration in the dental curriculum and real experiences of some of the world's leading universities were studied. Then, based on theoretical arguments and experimental achievements of the accredited universities, the design of the optimal integrated curriculum of the general dentistry was done and the validity of the designed model was validated through an interview with the experts of the field of dentistry using the Delphi method.
Results: Studying the experiences of different universities in integrating the dentistry curriculum, it was concluded that the experience of these universities regarding the integrated curriculum model resulted in positive outcomes. In general, the focus of the activities of modifying the curriculum in these universities was on integrated approaches focused on “learning with research”, “evidence-based dentistry” and “introduction of new sciences" in dental curriculum design.
Conclusion: The integrated dental education curriculum model has three levels (academic level, field of study level, level of thematic program or content of the course); by deciding on four elements (goals, content, method and evaluation) and by following four principles (simultaneous integration at micro and macro levels; diversity of methods and multi-dimensionality; the balance between content and process-oriented nature of the integrated program; and completion of internal and external integration) aims at producing curricula.
Keywords
General Dentistry
Integrated Curriculum
Model
Subjects
  1. Ahmadi, Parvin, Mehrmohammadi, Mahmoud. Designing anIntegrated curriculum model and comparison with existing curricula in elementary schoolsof Iran. PhD thesis, Tarbiat Modarres University; 2001.
  2. Mehrmohammadi, Mahmoud. Adaptation of Integrated Approach to Constructivism Theory. A collection of the Integrated Approach to Curriculum. Tehran: Parents & Coaches Association; 2003.
  3. Augsburg T. Becoming Interdisplinary: An Introduction to Interdisciplinary Student. New York: Routledge; 2005.
  4. Tyler, Ralph. Fundamentals of curriculum planning and education. Translated by Ali Taqipour Zahir, 9th Edition, Tehran: Agah; 2013.
  5. Executive Instructions for reviewing curriculums. Staff Committee of Establishment of Rules and Framework Review for Curriculums, Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Medical Planning, Deputy Head of Educational and Academic Affairs, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, 2003.
  6. School of Dentistry; Marquette University. [cited 2017 May 15]. Available from: http://www.marquette.edu/dentistry/
  7. University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. [cited 2017 May 8]. Available from: https://dentalmedicine.uconn.edu/
  8. Klein, F., Tye, K.A., & Wright, J.E. (1979). A study of schooling: Curriculum. The Phi Delta Kappan, 61(4), 244-248.
  9. Taylor DL, Cordeiro P A, Chrispeels JH. Pedagogy. In Michelle D. Young; Gary M. Crow; Joseph Murphy& Rodney T. Ogawa. Handbook of researchon the education of school leaders. New York: Routledge; 2009.
  10. Arefi, Mahboubeh. Study of Curriculum in Educational Sciences in Iran's Higher Education and Strategies for its Improvement (Case Study: Educational Management Attitudes). PhD. thesis, Faculty of Humanity Sciences, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, 2004.
  11. Saketi, Parviz, Khayyer, Mohammad, Fallahi, Vida, Mohammadi, Mehdi, Parsa, Abdollah. Investigating the relationship between employment in a non-governmental sector and individual characteristics of the field of study and economic activities of graduates working in the southern provinces of Iran. Institute for Applied and Higher Education Planning, Integrated Plan for Advanced Human Resource Needs Assessment, 2001.
  12. Fathi Vajargah, Kourosh. Towards a model for modifying and reviewing curricula for humanity sciences in universities and educational institutions. A collection articles of the annual conference of the Association of Curriculum Studies of Iran, Tabriz University, 2009.
  13. Accreditation Standards for Dental Education Programs. Commission on Dental. Accreditation. American Dental Association. [cited 2010 Jun 19]. Available at: www.ada.org
  14. Mousapour, Nematollah. Curriculum structure in higher education. Lecture of the Curriculum Planning Association, 2011.
  15. Mehrmohammadi, Mahmoud et al. Curriculum, views, approaches and perspectives. Tehran: Publications of the Organization for the Study and Compilation of the Universities’ Human Sciences Books. 2014
  16. Mousapour, Nematollah. Challenges in higher education curriculum. Speeches of the Curriculum Planning Association; 2006.
  17. Bahador, Hamidollah, Soltani Arabshahi, Seyyed Kamran, Salmanzadeh, Hossein, Biabangardi, Zeinab et al. Review of medical curriculum. First Print, Tehran: Tohfeh; 2006.
  18. Neary M. Curriculum studies in post-compulsory and adult education: A study guide for teachers and student teachers. England: Nelson Thornes; 2002.
  19. Richard NK, Jordan JC. Can quality medical education survive health care reform? [cited 1996 Jul 15]. Available from: http://www.cosmosclub.org/web/journals/1996/knappcohen.html
  20. Yazdani, Shahram, Hosseini, Fakhrossadat, Homayounizand, Ramin. Modifications of the General Medicine’s Curriculum. First edition, Tehran: 137Publications; 2007.
  21. Komabayashi T, Raghuraman K, Raghuraman R, Toda S, Kawamura M, Levine SM, Bird WF. Dental education in India and Japan: implications for US dental programs for foreign-trained dentists. Journal of dental education 2005; 69(4): 461-469.
  22. Plasschaert AJM, Holbrook W P, Delap E, Martinez C, Walmsley AD. Profile and competences for the European dentist. European Journal of Dental Education 2005; 9(3): 98-107.
  23. Mousapour, Nematollah. Developments and the status of curriculum planning in Iran. Tehran: Ministry of Education Research and Planning Organization; 2008;
  24. Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto. [cited 2017 April 12]. Available from: https://www.dentistry.utoronto.ca/
  25. London School of Medicine and Dentistry; University of Cambridge. [cited 2017 April 18]. Available from: https://www.cam.ac.uk/external-affiliations/london-school-of-medicine-and-dentistry
  26. UT Health School of Dentistry: School of Dentistry. [cited 2017 June 9]. Available from: https://dentistry.uth.edu/
  27. Harvard School of Dental Medicine. [cited 2016 June 10]. Available from: https://hsdm.harvard.edu/
  28. Tokyo National School of Dentistry. [cited 2017 July 12]. Available from: http://www.dent.tmd.ac.jp/english/clinical.html
  29. Baylor University. [cited 2017 June 15]. Available from: https://www.baylor.edu/
  30. School of Dentistry - University of Louisville. [cited 2017 June 15]. Available from: http://louisville.edu/dentistry/
  31. Ankara University. [cited 2017 June 17]. Available from: https://en.ankara.edu.tr/
  32. The School of Clinical Dentistry; The University of Sheffield. [cited 2017 June 14]. Available from: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/dentalschool
  33. Medical School - Charité - University Medicine Berlin. [cited 2017 June 4]. Available from: http://www.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/fachbereiche/fb/medizin/index.html
  34. Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam; University of Amsterdam. [cited 2017 May 3]. Available from: https://www.uva.nl/en/disciplines/dentistry
  35. Penn Dental School. [cited 2017 May 14]. Available from: https://www.dental.upenn.edu/
  36. Department of Dentistry – University of Virginia School of Medicine. [cited 2017 April 19]. Available from: https://med.virginia.edu/dentistry/
  37. Dental School - Boston University. [cited 2017 May 20]. Available from: http://www.bu.edu/dental/
  38. Dental Programme.Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg . [cited 2017 May 12]. Available from: https://sahlgrenska.gu.se/english/education/degree/dental/?r=ss
  39. Study Dentistry in Switzerland. [cited 2017 April 25]. Available from:http://www.spainexchange.com/study-abroad/subjects2-en-68-CH.htm
  40. Dentistry Universitas Indonesia. [cited 2017 July 27]. Available from:http://www.ui.ac.id/en/bachelor/dentistry.html
  41. Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney. [cited 2017 April 18]. Available from: http://sydney.edu.au/dentistry/
  42. School of Dentistry - Cardiff University. [cited 2017 April 5]. Available from: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/dentistry
  43. Dental Schools in New Jersey. [cited 2017 June 7]. Available from: https://study.com/dental_schools_nj.html
  44. Indiana University School of Dentistry. [cited 2017 March 15]. Available from: https://www.dentistry.iu.edu/
  45. SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY - INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS;Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Belgium. [cited 2017 June 21]. Available from: https://med.kuleuven.be/eng/internationalisation/international-students-school-of-dentistry
  46. Dundee Dental School. [cited 2017 April 16]. Available from: http://dentistry.dundee.ac.uk/
  47. Medical University of Dentistry in Vienna, Austria. [cited 2017 July 3]. Available from: http://europe-studies.com/medical-university-of-dentistry-in-vienna-austria/
  48. National Taiwan University - Academic Programs - School of Dentistry. [cited 2017 April 16]. Available from: http://www.ntu.edu.tw/oldenglish/academics/dentistry.html
  49. Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. [cited 2017 April 19]. Available from: https://www.dental.columbia.edu/
  50. University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. [cited 2017 March 8]. Available from: http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/dentalmedicine/Pages/DentalMedicine.aspx
  51. The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. [cited 2017 March 23]. Available from: https://dentistry.uic.edu/
  52. Noorozzadeh, Reza, Mahmoudi, Reza, Fathi Vajargah, Kourosh, Naveh Ebrahim, Abdolrahim. The status of the participation of universities in the review of curricula. Quarterly Journal of Research and Planning in Higher Education, 2006; 42: 71-93.
  53. Vaziri, Mojdeh. Curriculum System in Iran's Higher Education (Features and Directions). Phd thesis on curriculum planning, Faculty of Humanity Sciences, Tarbiat Modarres University, 1999.
Future of Medical Education Journal
Volume 8, Issue 3
autumn
Summer 2018
Pages 34-41