Education at the UCSF School of Dentistry
Adopted by Faculty Council, February 2016
The clinical dental program of the UCSF School of Dentistry is dedicated to the delivery of comprehensive care to the many patients presenting for treatment at the Student Dental Practice on Parnassus Avenue and its satellite clinics. Clinical courses complement the didactic curriculum throughout the four years of education, and provide patient care experiences for a range of dental needs from simple to advanced in complexity. The goal of the clinical program is to produce competent new graduate dentists who have developed a satisfactory level of critical thinking, evidence-based dentistry, professional demeanor, patient management skills, diagnostic and technical excellence, and the ability to assess outcomes of care for child, adult, and geriatric patients.
The faculty have defined and approved 12 competencies that each student must demonstrate in order to graduate. These statements represent broad levels of academic and clinical achievement, measured by specific faculty evaluations and written and clinical examinations at various times during the academic program. These fundamental competencies, in the mind of the faculty, prepare the graduate for lifelong learning and success with achieving licensure, and the safe practice of general dentistry.
UCSF School of Dentistry Competency Statements
The UCSF School of Dentistry graduate:
- Demonstrates ethical and professional behavior in interactions with the UCSF Community, including students, staff, faculty and patients. (UCSF Competency)
- Integrates and applies course-based knowledge. (UCSF Competency)
- Demonstrates critical thinking and problem solving, and applies foundational sciences and the best available evidence to decision making.
- Assesses oral health, diagnoses oral diseases, creates comprehensive treatment plans emphasizing prevention, and makes appropriate referrals.
- Delivers safe, effective, compassionate and efficient patient-centered care, within the scope of a general dentist, to a diverse patient pool.
- Demonstrates the ability to use self-assessment to improve performance.
- Applies the principles of systems science to continuous quality improvement.
- Applies the legal and regulatory concepts of practice management to the provision of health care.
- Demonstrates interdisciplinary and interprofessional collaboration and teamwork.
- Communicates respectfully and effectively with patients, staff, faculty and peers.
- Demonstrates technical and procedural skills that are safe and effective.
- Evaluates and utilizes evolving technology and informatics as applied to patient care.