Removable partial denture education in U.S. dental schools.
OBJECTIVE
A survey of U.S. dental schools was conducted in 2001 to determine the curricular structure, techniques, and materials used in predoctoral clinical removable partial denture (RPD) programs.


METHODS
The questionnaire was mailed to the chairperson of the prosthodontic/restorative departments of 54 U.S. dental schools. Of these, 44 schools returned the completed survey, resulting in a response rate of 82%.


RESULTS
Results from this survey show that a large majority of schools are using similar materials in clinical RPDs; for instance, using modeling compound for border molding final impression trays (61%) and using a semi-adjustable articulator for mounting preliminary casts (90%) and final casts (98%). In addition, a large majority of schools are using similar techniques in clinical RPDs, such as border molding the edentulous areas of the final impression tray (80%) and using the altered cast impression technique (59%). A set post-insertion protocol is present for patients who receive partial dentures in the majority of the schools (93%). Only 25% of schools reported incorporating new educational materials such as the use of Portrait artificial teeth at the predoctoral level. Eighteen percent of schools are allowing students to graduate without a set number of RPD clinical requirements as has been traditionally the case.


CONCLUSIONS
Predoctoral clinical RPD programs vary from school to school, yet a large percentage of schools agree on many topics.
Petropoulos
Vicki C
VC
Department of Restorative Dentistry, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 240 South 40th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6003, USA. vp718@comeast.net
Rashedi
Behnoush
B
D003479:Curriculum; D003725:Dental Articulators; D003761:Dental Impression Technique / Q000295:instrumentation; D003779:Denture Design; D003832:Denture, Partial, Removable; D004497:Education, Dental; D006801:Humans; D011476:Prosthodontics / Q000193:education*; D012575:Schools, Dental; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014093:Tooth, Artificial; D014481:United States