title: A glimpse into the curricular format of comprehensive care clinics in Brazilian dental schools.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to describe some curricular aspects of comprehensive dental care clinics in Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  An email survey was sent to all academic affairs deans of Brazilian undergraduate dental programmes. It contained questions regarding the (1) curricular format and (2) characteristics of comprehensive dental care clinics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-seven dental schools agreed to participate. It was observed that curricular changes have contributed to modify the structure of these clinics in 88.1% of the schools surveyed. The main alteration was related to an increase in credit hours and offer of this type of care at different levels of the dental curriculum. In 95.5% of the schools, clinical procedures were prioritized according to level of complexity. Inter-disciplinarity (37.3%) and teaching innovation (58.2%) were frequent challenges in the process of change. Progress in combining teaching and clinical services was reported by 50.8% of schools. In 32.8%, clinical procedures were still being performed intra-murally.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Changes in the curriculum of Brazilian comprehensive dental care clinics were observed by this survey.
authors: Health Science Program, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte , Natal , Brazil.
authors: Maria Alice Pimentel
authors: MA
authors: Fuscella
authors: Boniek Castillo Dutra
authors: BC
authors: Borges
authors: Fabio Henrique de Sa Leitao
authors: FH
authors: Pinheiro
authors: Iris do Ceu Clara
authors: Ido C
authors: Costa
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D003479:Curriculum; D003740:Dental Clinics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012575:Schools, Dental / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires