title: Practical considerations of a flexible course in a nonflexible curriculum.
abstract: In the context in which this course was conducted, i.e., flexibility within an otherwise rigid curriculum, and no deadlines, several conclusions can be drawn: 1. Students used considerably more time than when the course was traditionally structured. 2. Quality of performance in the preclinical laboratory was significantly better. 3. Students took longer to complete the laboratory requirements than didactic requirements. 4. Some reasonable deadlines are necessary. 5. Student and instructor attitudes favored flexibility.
mesh_terms: D000715:Anatomy / Q000193:education; D003479:Curriculum; D003814:Dentistry, Operative; D004497:Education, Dental; D007484:Iowa; D014070:Tooth / Q000033:anatomy & histology