The Profession of Dentistry
The mission of dentistry is the protection and improvement of the health of individuals and the society with a concentration on oral health. Professional activities encompass a wide variety of endeavors including the clinical care of individuals, the prevention of disease, the discovery of new knowledge and the development of procedures and policies that protect and improve health especially for those populations at risk for disease.
Because oral health is an important concern of the society, the role of the dentist continues to be essential and rewarding. Men and women who are interested in scientific studies directly related to the welfare of people should find a strong appeal in dentistry as a life work. It offers an unusual opportunity for public service, community respect and the use of originality, compassion and substantial skill and independent judgment on a daily basis.
The mission of Case Western Reserve University School of Dentistry is to provide contemporary programs that educate and train students to become competent dentists and dental specialists, and to provide programs of post-graduate and continuing education that improve the abilities, knowledge, and skills of members of the dental profession. The school will accomplish its mission through curricula that integrate knowledge of the behavioral, biomedical, and clinical sciences. Through opportunities for scholarship and research, the school will encourage individual development and provide leadership to the profession. Through service, the school will improve the oral health and the health care of the community.
The students who enter the School of Dentistry are very carefully selected and already have had many opportunities for intellectual and social development. The years in dental school should permit the continued maturation of the individual and should emphasize the basic knowledge and skills which are common to all dentists. Graduates should continue their dental education during their professional careers and add to the basic concepts taught in dental school by studying the literature and by attending continuing education courses. While in dental school, the student develops an attitude of professionalism and a sense of responsibility toward the patient's welfare which will provide optimum dental care.
The Committee on Dental Education studies, reviews, and evaluates the school's educational goals and objectives, subject matter, grading systems, and clinical and laboratory experiences.
For a complete description of the programs leading to the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree and Master of Science degree in dentistry see the appropriate pages of this Bulletin.
The School of Dentistry offers an expanding program of continuing dental education to practicing dentists and auxiliary personnel.
Guest lecturers, including faculty, who have distinguished themselves in one of the many specialty areas of dentistry present courses on an annual basis.
Emphasis has been placed on presenting courses which offer "hands-on", participation, as well as the opportunity for advanced study in a variety of subject areas. The courses are offered in two forms: participation and non-participation. Participation courses may involve clinical procedures with patients, learning technics on clinic-type manikins, or the use of models in a laboratory with demonstrations. All courses make generous use of visual aids such as slides, and videotapes.
Some courses have been developed to serve as an introduction to a subject area. Some are arranged in a series of successive sections which allows the participant to progress from a basic course to an intermediate course and conclude with an advanced course. Participants are thus able to select courses to satisfy their fundamental needs or to fulfill their desire for more advanced study.
There is a national trend for dentists to favor long multi-week courses rather than 1 and 2 day courses. In response to this changing demand, the School of Dentistry has established this type of course. Additionally, courses are currently being developed for presentiation in foreign countries. These are scheduled to begin in the spring of 1994.
The continuing education courses encompass the expanding horizons of dentistry in the 90s, covering such subjects as endosseous implants, periodontics, oral medicine, endodontics, dental materials, esthetic dentistry, restorative and prosthetic dentistry, occlusion, practice management, and orthodontics, as well as expanded functions for dental auxiliaries.
These courses are designed to keep the practitioner abreast of current procedures and enrich the participant's knowledge of the newest and most accepted advances in all subjects of dentistry. Courses may include subject matter of an experimental and/or controversial nature. This material is offered to the profession for educational and informational purposes in a spirit of academic freedom. Participants are given the opportunity to weigh the validity and usefulness of this material according to their own professional experience and judgment.
All CWRU Dental School continuing education courses are eligible for Fellowship and Mastership credit through the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).
A computerized repository has also been established for maintenance of continuing education records of subscribers. To date, the repository service maintains records for over 900 dentists in 24 states.
Currently the license to practice dentistry is granted by the Ohio State Dental Board after successful examinations.
The candidate must be 21 years of age, show evidence of good moral character, and affirm that he or she understands the Ohio Dental Law.
Specific information for the various states should be obtained from individual state boards of dentistry.
CWRU Provost's Office --
About this server
-- Copyright 1996 CWRU
-- Unauthorized use prohibited
|