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Courses a la carte: Elective Courses

Several elective courses (selectives) are offered at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine to third- and fourth-year pre-doctoral (DMD) students interested developing skills in didactic and clinical teaching and leadership

DENT 5910 Clinical Teaching Practicum

The course provides students with the opportunity to learn about adult learning principles and to develop and practice teaching skills in pre-clinical and clinical settings. Students review course materials and skills taught in first and second year courses and approach them from an educational perspective. Assisting in pre-clinical or early clinical courses as teachers, students learn to explain the didactic content and concepts, and model clinical skills to more junior students. Students have the opportunity to promote lifelong learning in others as well as learn and practice communication, leadership, coaching, facilitation, teaching skills, and feedback techniques. This framework allows students to practice performing the qualities expected of a clinical instructor.

Course director: Dr. Zsuzsa Horvath

DENT 5981 Fundamentals of Teaching: Principles and Methods

This course introduces students to learning theories, basic tools and skills that are necessary for university-level instruction, such as adult learning theories, principles of course design, teaching goals and values, effective means of presenting instructional information, developing and leading discussions, active and interactive learning, as well as different forms of assessment and feedback. This framework allows students to develop skills and qualities expected of a didactic instructor.

Course director: Dr. Zsuzsa Horvath

DENT 5982 Teaching Practicum in Dental Education

The goal of this course is to provide an opportunity for students to practice didactic teaching by assisting in selected pre-doctoral didactic curricular activities (lecture, small group discussion, standardized patient session, etc.). In this course, students receive support, assistance, and feedback related to their presentation and teaching in curricular activities. Students are be able to consult on their presentation during the preparation, are observed while teaching, and receive feedback. This framework allows students to practice performing the qualities expected of a didactic instructor.

Course director: Dr. Zsuzsa Horvath

DENT 5980 Introduction to Leadership and Career Development

In this course, students examine theories of leadership. The class activities include presentation by guest lecturers, discussions, group work, and projects. As a group-based project, students conduct faculty/administrator interviews with several faculty members to gain an appreciation of the different levels of an academic career from part-time faculty to deans. These interviews serve as a vehicle to identify role models.

Course director: Dr. Christine Wankiiri-Hale

DENT 5913 Educational Administration

The goal of this course is to provide an opportunity to students to experience and gain insight into educational administrative and service activities such as committee work at different levels. Depending on the available opportunities, students may serve on an educational committee, visit various committees at the school and committee level.

Course director: Dr. Horvath

DENT 5977 Educational Research in Dental Medicine

The goal of this course is to provide an opportunity to students to engage in educational research in dental education and an introduction to many of the procedures commonly used in educational research. Conceptualization, procedures and analysis from a wide variety of areas will be covered, ranging from the planning a study, designing survey instruments, IRB review, searching for and reviewing educational literature, as well as gathering, analyzing and reporting quantitative and qualitative data.

Course director: Dr. Horvath

DENT 5983 & DENT 5984 Academic Career Track Capstone 1 & 2 (ACT ARCO only)

In this course, students will prepare a portfolio that includes their work they have prepared over the two years of the ACT ARCO program (including career reflection essay, teaching philosophy, syllabus sample, sample teaching materials, teaching evaluation, teaching observation, etc.), and prepare their presentation about their experience to the SDM community, which will be held in the Spring term.

Course directors: Drs. Horvath & Wankiiri-Hale