REVISION OR REFORM. WHAT IS YOUR CHOICE? A SURVEY ON CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE CHANGES OF UNDER GRADUATE DENTAL CURRICULUM IN INDIA

Abstract

Objective: To assess the opinions of dental teaching faculty in dental colleges of Andhra
Pradesh on current status and future changes of under graduate dental curriculum. Material
and methods: A cross-sectional Survey was conducted on all the dental teaching staff in 20
dental colleges of Andhra Pradesh. 25 Statements on current status and future changes
expected in the dental curriculum were adapted from previous studies and used to construct a
self-administered questionnaire. For each statement, response was requested on a 5 point
Likert scale. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics Results: 66.9%
respondents agreed to the statement that present curriculum is competent enough to undertake
the health care needs of the public. 90.8% agreed that curriculum involves memorization of
the subject rather than logical thinking. 40.2% disagreed that curriculum is making efficient
use of faculty; while 78% respondents agreed that curriculum does not allow application of
theory to practice. Almost all the respondents (96.1%) agreed that eliminating outdated and
peripheral materials is needed. Conclusion: From this survey, statements that were agreed
upon by faculty could serve as the basis for a core set of statements to revise and make future
changes in the dental curriculum.