Current Status of Prosthodontic Education in Japan

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the curricular structure, techniques, and materials used in predoctoral prosthodontic programs of Japanese dental schools. A survey of dental schools was conducted by the education committee of the Japan Prosthodontic Society in 2007. The questionnaire was mailed to the chairperson of the prosthodontic departments of 29 dental schools in Japan. Of these, 28 schools returned the completed survey, resulting in a response rate of 96.6%. Results from this survey show that a large majority of schools are using a similar curricular structure in pre-clinical clerkship programs; for instance, the mean number of laboratory hours is approximately twice as long as that of lecture hours. Total hours spent on fixed prosthodontics was the longest, followed by removable partial denture prosthodontics, and then complete denture prosthodontics. The clinical clerkship programs varied considerably from school to school, and in some schools, the opportunities for dental students are very limited. Conclusion: Predoctoral clinical prosthodontic programs vary from school to school, yet a large percentage of schools agree on many topics.