Teaching New Materials and Techniques for Fixed Dental Prostheses in Dental Schools in the United States and Canada: A Survey

Purpose: Tooth-supported fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) remain an extensive therapeutic option, with new materials and a digital fabrication process gradually replacing traditional methods. The variety of advances calls for dental schools to expand the teaching of this field. Our aim was to examine the nature and the amount of theoretical and practical training in clinical FDP courses, and the extent to which new methods and innovations in the field are being integrated. Materials and Methods: Data were collected using an online questionnaire including theoretical and practical teaching regarding clinical courses, restorative materials, and new fabrication methods, which was sent to 58 dental schools in North America. Results: A total of 36 schools responded to the survey for a response rate of 62.1%. All the schools teach theoretical and practical porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) restorations, and almost all the schools teach full-metal FDPs. In more than half (57.1%) of the schools, zirconia-based FDPs are placed by students. Students place partial veneer FDPs in less than one-fifth (17.9%) of the schools. The average number of restorations required for completion of the clinical course is 7.3 FDP units. The respondents assessed that of the total FDPs placed by students in the clinical course, tooth-color coping (zirconia/alumina/porcelain) FDPs constituted 16.2%. None of the schools produce computer-assisted design/computer-assisted manufacturing copings or crowns within the school. Conclusions: All North American dental schools include teaching and placement of PFM restorations in their curriculum, but only one-third teach ceramic-based crowns. The low average number of required crowns may lead to graduates not being exposed to and trained in up-to-date dental restorative materials and techniques.