Pre-clinical endodontics: a survey amongst German dental schools.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the state and level of pre-clinical endodontic education in German dental schools and to evaluate differences with regard to intensity and extent of teaching, time devoted to teaching pre-clinical endodontics, personnel resources in teaching and technical equipment.


METHODS
Twenty-eight questionnaires were e-mailed to those in charge of pre-clinical endodontic education in German dental schools. The extent of education, the student-teacher ratio, the teaching content as well as the application of teaching materials and technologies were asked. If, after 4 weeks, no response had been received, the questionnaire was sent out by e-mail again. In the absence of a reply, a phone call was made to the corresponding university to conduct the survey by phone.


RESULTS
With feedback from 27 of 28 dental schools, the response rate was 96%. Pre-clinical endodontic education at German universities varied considerably. Theory classes ranged from 5 to 30 h (13.3 h mean), practical classes from 12.5 to 60 h (45.4 h mean). The student to staff ratio varied between 9 : 1 and 30 : 1 (16 : 1 mean). Forty-eight per cent of the universities had a specialist in endodontics or a teacher with a special interest. A dental microscope was available for pre-clinical teaching purposes in 38% of the universities. The majority (63%) of universities taught root canal preparation with rotary nickel titanium instruments.


CONCLUSIONS
Pre-clinical endodontic education varied considerably between German universities because of differences in programme design, staff and course content.
Sonntag
D
D
Department of Operative Dentistry, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany. sonntag@staff.uni-marburg.de
Bärwald
R
R
Hülsmann
M
M
Stachniss
V
V
D003479:Curriculum; D003722:Dental Alloys; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000592:standards; D018961:Educational Technology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004708:Endodontics / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D004867:Equipment Design; D005179:Faculty, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D009532:Nickel; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012575:Schools, Dental; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D013664:Teaching Materials; D013674:Technology, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D014025:Titanium
D003722:Dental Alloys; C040654:titanium nickelide; D009532:Nickel; D014025:Titanium