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

British Dental Journal volume 236, pages 117–123 (2024)Cite this article

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.

Key points

  • Disparities exist between current evidence-based guidelines and the declared and taught endodontic curriculum at a UK dental school.

  • The main deviation occurred within the informal taught curriculum during patient encounters in the clinical environment.

  • Recommendations include: clear delivery of current guidelines during lectures; all policies, procedures and protocols to be updated and aligned to a contemporaneous evidence base annually; and clinical teacher training to be provided to allow for more standardised teaching in the clinical environment.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Restorative Dentistry, School of Dental Sciences, Framlington Place, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4BW, United Kingdom

    Laura Brooks & Janice Ellis

  2. Restorative Dentistry, School of Dental Sciences, Framlington Place, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4BW, United Kingdom

    David Edwards

  3. University Dental Hospital, Heath Park, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF14 4XY, United Kingdom

    James Field

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  1. Laura Brooks
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  2. David Edwards
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  3. James Field
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  4. Janice Ellis
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Contributions

Study conception and design: Laura Brooks, David Edwards, James Field, Janice Ellis. Data collection: Laura Brooks, David Edwards. Analysis and interpretation of results: Laura Brooks, David Edwards. Draft manuscript preparation: Laura Brooks. All authors reviewed the results and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laura Brooks.

Ethics declarations

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Ethical approval was awarded by Newcastle University Research Ethics Committee (REF: 12993/2020).

All participants consented to participate in the study and for their data to be used as part of the research and published.

Data availability

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its supplementary materials.

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Brooks, L., Edwards, D., Field, J. et al. Exploring the declared and the formal and informal taught curricula at a UK dental school through the lens of pulp management. Br Dent J 236, 117–123 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-024-6762-8

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