Leadership in dental education

Abstract

Dental school education continues to evolve at a significant pace. The challenge for those in leadership positions in dental education is to deliver a curriculum which is contemporary, evidence-based, and at the same time meeting the expectations of regulators and the established dental workforce - the latter being professional colleagues, including employers of future graduates. An important change in recent years is the acceptance that dental education itself is no longer a 'start-stop process', beginning at entry to dental school and concluding at graduation. Rather, dental education should be viewed as a continuous and life-long continuum. Perhaps one of the greatest attributes we can develop in our students is the desire and ability to seek to update, refresh and develop their knowledge and skills in the ever-advancing world of dental practice.

Keywords: Clinical education; Dental education; Leadership.