title: Assessment of occlusion curriculum in predoctoral dental education: report from ACP Task Force on Occlusion Education.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purposes of this report were to (1) assess the current occlusion curriculum in the predoctoral prosthodontic education of US dental institutions and (2) to examine the opinions of faculty, course directors, and program directors on the contents of occlusion curriculum.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Task Force on Occlusion Education from the American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) conducted two surveys using a web-based survey engine: one to assess the current status of occlusion education in predoctoral dental education and another to examine the opinions of faculty and course directors on the content of occlusion curriculum. The sections in the surveys included demographic information, general curriculum information, occlusion curriculum for dentate patients, occlusion curriculum for removable prosthodontics, occlusion curriculum for implant prosthodontics, temporomandibular disorder (TMD) curriculum, teaching philosophy, concepts taught, and methods of assessment. The results from the surveys were compiled and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results from the two surveys on general concepts taught in occlusion curriculum were sorted and compared for discrepancies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the predoctoral occlusion curriculum surveys, canine guidance was preferred for dentate patients, fixed prosthodontics, and fixed implant prosthodontics. Bilateral balanced occlusion was preferred for removable prosthodontics and removable implant prosthodontics. There were minor differences between the two surveys regarding the occlusion concepts being taught and the opinions of faculty members teaching occlusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Two surveys were conducted regarding the current concepts being taught in occlusion curriculum and the opinions of educators on what should be taught in occlusion curriculum. An updated and clearly defined curriculum guideline addressing occlusion in fixed prosthodontics, removable prosthodontics, implant prosthodontics, and TMD is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Damian J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jonathan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Wiens
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ference
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Donatelli
authors.forename: Rick M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Bryan D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Dye
authors.forename: Ales
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Obrez
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D000288:Administrative Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003479:Curriculum; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D017266:Dental Prosthesis; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005179:Faculty, Dental; D006801:Humans; D011476:Prosthodontics / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012575:Schools, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013782:Textbooks as Topic; D014481:United States