Developing a Thematic Core for Neurobiology in Oral Health and Disease in the School of Dentistry DDS Curriculum

Developing a Thematic Core for Neurobiology in Oral Health and Disease in the School of Dentistry DDS Curriculum

Grant:
Faculty Development Fund (FDF)
Academic Year:
2011 - 2012 (June 1, 2011 through May 31, 2012)
Funding Requested:
$10,000.00
Project Dates:
-
Applicant(s):
krullc
chmist
Overview of the Project:
This project focuses on developing a thematic core in the area of Neurobiology in Oral Health and Disease in the DDS curriculum in the School of Dentistry. We will develop a theme of courses with cross-referenced content and team teaching to optimize learning for the modern dentist. In addition, we will build a set of clinical cases to embed throughout the Neurobiology in Oral Health and Disease course sequence. Overall, this project seeks to enhance the teaching of DDS students in the important area of OralFacial Neuroscience.
Final Report Fields
Project Objectives:

1. Implement a theme of courses in Neurobiology in Oral Health and Disease throughout four years of the DDS curriculum. 2. Use case studies as a key vehicle to enhance student ability to think logically and critically about neurobiological knowledge in addressing complex patient cases. Through the cases, we will reinforce neurobiology content applied to clinical prevention, diagnosis, treatment and/or referral of patients.

Project Achievements:

1. A sequence of neurobiology, or oral facial function, courses now is within the DDS core curriculum, across three years of DDS training. These courses include: The Orofacial Complex in Health: An Introduction to Orofacial Function (Year 1, DDS Course 509); Basic Neuroscience: Nervous System (Year 1, DDS Course 537); Basic Neuroscience: Musculoskeletal System (Year 1, DDS Course 538); Oralfacial Complex in Health, Oral Sensory and Motor Systems (Year 2, DDS Course 608); Occlusion Fundamentals (Year 2, DDS Course 612); OralFacial Neuroscience: Clinical Neuroscience, The Patient with Orofacial Pain, Acute and Chronic (Year 3, DDS Course 707). 2. Two leaders in the broad area of effective use of case studies in basic science education came to campus for 1.5 days each of workshops, presentations and interactions with faculty members and administrators in the School. Dr. Jeanette Norden, Professor and Director of Medical Education, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, joined us on April 26 2011 to lead a School-wide discussion and workshop on excellence in teaching. Her goal was to lead us in stimulating intellectual and personal development of students, to help them acquire a knowledge base and clinical reasoning skills to allow them to engage in evidence-based practice. She directed discussions to demonstrate how to incorporate cases into all of our courses, including large lecture classes in professional schools. Because Dr. Norden's particular teaching is in neuroscience, her presentations and advice were especially salient for our goals. Dr. Clyde Herreid, Distinguished Teaching Professor and Director, National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, University of Buffalo, State University of New York, joined us on Wednesday July 25 2012 to lead a School-wide Workshop on Teaching Clinical and Basic Science with Case Studies. He led discussions about: interrupted case method; clicker cases in large classes; classical case method; and, how to write a case study. These two workshops were very well attended and contributed to increased incorporation of case studies in our large D1 and D2 courses. There was strong positive feedback from faculty members about the value of these workshops. 3. Construct a catalog of specific case studies with designated for teaching oralfacial/neural function to dental students. A graduate student worked with Dr. Krull to begin construction for a catalog of cases. Although we have sets of cases as individual professors, we did not reach our goal of constructing a large, shared data base.

Continuation:
The project continues implicitly because the thread of oralfacial function and neurobiology courses now are embedded in the DDS curriculum; and because The School continues to emphasize 'case-based' approaches to teaching. Faculty members in the CRLT project, Robert Bradley (Professor), Alex DaSilva (Asst Professor), Geoffrey Gerstner (Assoc Professor), Charlotte Mistretta (Professor), and Brian Pierchala (Asst Professor, continue to teach in oralfacial function courses throughout the DDS curriculum.
Dissemination:
The activities have been disseminated through design and implementation of the oralfacial function courses; and, through the workshops noted above, in 2011 and 2012, that were School-wide.
Advice to your Colleagues:
Set narrow realistic goals that will be clearly accomplished within funding and time frame boundaries. Bringing broad School administrative support to back project goals was very helpful in having a concerted curriculum impact. Having external leaders come to campus for well-defined workshops was motivating and useful for faculty members.
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