2OO9 – 2O1O - Faculty of Dentistry - University of Otago

Butson R, Cook JM, Kardos R. The Oral Health e-Portfolio:
A three-year project. In The Learning Portfolio. Reflective
Practice for Improving Student Learning. Zubizarreta J. (Ed.)
San Francisco, Jossey-Bass pp97 – 108 (2009).
THOMAS KARDOS
MDS PhD (Otago) FFOP (RCPA)
Professor of Oral Biology and Oral Pathology
Deputy Dean
Associate Dean (Postgraduate Studies)
Head, Department of Oral Rehabilitation
With the rapid development of new technologies to
enhance student learning and professional development,
one of the challenges for the Faculty is to take advantage
of the benefits that technology offers to enhance the
continuum of professional growth concurrent with the
acquisition of knowledge and understanding of scientific and
social concepts, and an awareness of cultural relationships.
The net-generation of learners can be identified as eager
adopters of modern technologies; however, anecdotal
data from classroom interactions suggest that many of
the digital resources made available are not fully utilised.
The application of new technologies to enhance students’
vocational preparation and the achievement of competence
presents challenges to educators. Research into education
strategies, including the development and application of new
technologies (e.g. ICT to enhance inquiry-based learning) is
continuing with comparisons to international experiences
recently completed.
Quality assurance processes for undergraduate and
postgraduate programmes show significant variations
between schools and countries, with each institution
accepting responsibilty for their own processes; however,
several common themes prevail. Internationalisation of
curricula and globalisation have brought into focus the
need for alignment of elements of the education and
training in the diverse disciplines in dentistry. The Faculty
has a significant advantage over many other Schools in
that programmes are provided at the undergraduate
and postgraduate levels to enable graduates to register
as dentists and dental specialists, dental hygienists, dental
therapists and dental technologists with the New Zealand
Dental Council.
Research and Collaboration
Professor Kardos’ expertise has been recognised by the
American Association of Public Health Dentistry with an
invitation to attend and present at a meeting aimed at the
introduction of academic programmes in dental therapy
across the United States. This project, with collaborative
research is continuing.
A comparison of the Otago Bachelor of Dental Surgery
programme with some European programmes based on
the Bologna Declaration has recently been completed in
association with Dr Vinkka-Puhakka, Turku University.
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