Education of Preventive Dentistry in Chengdu, China: Small Group Learning and Community Practice

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the combination (small group teaching and community practice) in teaching of preventive dentistry.
Methods: 69 students were grouped, and each group was asked to finish a community oral health lecture independently. The lectures were hold at a primary school, for 7~9 year old children. After the lectures, students were asked to fill out questionnaires.
Results: 67students finished the questionnaires. The average score and the high score proportion（85 or higher，total score: 100） of each question were calculated.
Feasibility of the project and the self evaluation of the team work got the highest scores. Most students thought that they were good with their fellows (64.18% of the students scored 85 and above). The high participation in the team work was clearly: 59.70% of the students thought themselves completely involved in group activities, and 50.75% of the students were very satisfied with their complete parts. At the same time, 47.76% of the students thought that the project completely met the purpose of establishing the concept of prevention. 49.25% of the students thought it was very necessary to promote such programs.
Conclusions: This teaching reform matched the development trend of course reform in our country, improved the comprehensive quality of students, and met the need of medical service of community.