Practical Pre-Clinical Teaching & Learning

A large component of any dental curriculum is hinged on ensuring that students achieve the necessary level of clinical competence in order to treat patients. A very valuable educational adjunct is the use of a pre-clinical simulation or skills laboratory. Here, students are given the opportunity (often for the first time) to apply theory in a practical sense and develop the necessary level of clinical dexterity needed to treat patients safely and with confidence. This is especially important when training dental students in fixed prosthodontics treatment modalities, which represents more advanced, lengthier and costly dental treatment options. Student learning within this educationally conducive learning environment is greatly underpinned by the theories of constructivism, experiential learning, collaborative learning and peer learning. Despite the high cost of establishing and maintaining such a simulation laboratory for dental faculties, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, the benefits to dental education and the advantages for high quality student learning far outweigh these limitations.

Keywords: Dental education, pre-clinical dental education, simulation skills laboratory, prosthodontics, constructivism, experimental learning, collaborative learning, clinical competence, learning environment.