Conception and Evaluation of an Interdisciplinary Lecture on Tooth Extraction versus Tooth Preservation

Background: Despite consistent demands, examples of interdisciplinary and evidencebased curricula are rare in dentistry. To address this, the following pilot study describes the conception of an interdisciplinary curriculum on the topic of tooth extraction (TE) vs. tooth preservation (TP). Methods: Based on the German National Learning Objective Catalog on Dentistry, 1408, learning objectives were analyzed, and an interdisciplinary lecture series on TE vs. TP was conceived and conducted. Students' knowledge increase was measured using self-assessment questionnaires on a 6-step Likert scale (from 1 = very good to 6 = insufficient) and by structured evaluation. Results: Overall, the students rated their theoretical knowledge significantly better (p < 0.001) and the pilot course was evaluated "well" to "very well" by the students in terms of didactics, relevance, extent, and involvement. Discussion: The pilot course allowed students to choose between tooth extraction and tooth preservation based on an evidence-based and interdisciplinary assessment.