Utilization of learning styles in dental curriculum development.

This study addresses the disparity between methods of education and how dental students assimilate information. Dental students are adult learners who come into professional school with different styles of learning, acquired through many years of study. However, these learning styles are not factored into the way dental schools educate future dentists. A survey of all four years of predoctoral students at Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery (SDOS) was conducted to obtain data on different learning styles of dental students and their preferred teaching methods. The data was analyzed to identify the predominant learning style, through which curriculum changes can be developed to provide an optimal learning experience for students.