title: Pilot testing a predoctoral dental public health curriculum: reporting process and outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to pilot test the predoctoral dental public health (DPH) curriculum developed by the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) in various US dental schools and dental hygiene programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following the Lewy's theoretical framework, we used all three curriculum tryout methods (laboratory tryout, pilot tryout, and field tryout) for the pilot testing process. Open-ended questions on the structure, presentation, and content of the curriculum were sent to faculty pilot testing the DPH curriculum to obtain critical feedback and comments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between Summer 2013 and Spring 2015, the curriculum was pilot tested in nine dental schools and seven dental hygiene programs with over 1,300 students. The majority of the comments from the faculty were favorable. Positive comments about the structure of the curriculum focused on the well-organized nature of the curriculum, the value of the instructor guide and speaker notes, rubrics, and the flow of the presentations. In terms of the content, faculty commented on the wide range of public health issues covered and the clarity of course and lecture objectives. Negative comments dealt with the level of detail, some confusing assignments, and outdated data. Problems identified in pilot testing were corrected in the final DPH curriculum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The curriculum was successfully utilized in varied formats and well received. Through AAPHD, this standardized DPH core curriculum is now available for widespread use at dental schools and dental hygiene programs.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Dentistry and Community Oral Health Sciences, Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Vinodh
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bhoopathi
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health and Community Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn Ann
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Atchison
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011636:Public Health Dentistry / Q000193:education*
keywords: curriculum evaluation; curriculum tryout; dental public health; dental public health curriculum; pilot testing