Dentists Taking Ceramics and Sculpture Classes

Monday 21 May 2012 @ 9:35 pm

A whole generation of dentists are attending ceramics and sculpture classes at the predental level at the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. The Autumn 2011 issue of Contact Point university magazine has a story on how a Routine Dental Visit Leads to New Course in Predental Ceramics.

Imagine how much less nervous you would feel if you knew that your dentist has an artistic bent; and has taken ceramic and sculpture classes as part of their dental qualification? You’d feel far less nervous about getting dentures, or even a dental crown. You’d worry less about aesthetics knowing that your dentist appreciates art and has the skill to make you look better. Who knows, your newly sculpted teeth may well end up looking better than what nature gave you.

Although this idea would have been met with disbelief and even laughter a generation ago, new dentists going out there in to an appearance-conscious world know that looking good is a key concern for their patients. Dentistry has to be equally a science and an art. So why not try to be good at it? Well

This is how it all began, according to the Contact Point story by Sharon Mahoud:

“The introductory ceramics and sculpture classes taught by Visual Arts Professor Trent Burkett are popular general education courses on the Stockton campus. One reason they fill up so fast is they are highly coveted by predental students, who typically make up half of the students in the class. That’s because the Department of Biology encourages predental students to take these courses as a means of building dexterity and skill with hand tools as well as promoting other valuable characteristics such as individual expression and visual literacy.”

The course on predental ceramics came into being when Prof. Burkett visited his dentists for the biannual cleaning session, where his dentist told him about the Perceptual Ability Test (PAT) that prospective students must take prior to gaining admission to dentistry schools. This test assesses a student’s ability to determine angles and shapes through logic and visual perception. A student must, for example, be able to determine how a complex geometric object can fit through an aperture. Prof. Burkett was impressed and he says: “I realized I could pattern a course from my existing sculpture and ceramics classes that offered a more in-depth focus on teaching students these skill sets.”

And now, after a process that involved the Department of Biology Co-Chair Gregg Jongeward and members of the Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco, the new course on predental ceramics is a reality.

And the predental students and faculty alike appreciate this new level of skill and artistry.

“The dental school wants its students to be well-rounded,” says Dr. Nader Nadershahi, executive associate dean and associate dean for academic affairs. Dr. Nadershahi, who has developed his own sculpture skills is enthusiastic about the idea. Says he: “Being able to appreciate aesthetics, develop individual expression and articulate well verbally and in writing—all critical qualities a future dentist should possess—are promoted in Professor Burkett’s ceramics classes.”

For predental and dental students who focus so much on the science of dentistry, it was a refreshing change as well as a great opportunity for much needed skill building.

Casey Luu (Class of 2014): “I felt that the polishing techniques I learned in the predental ceramics class have followed through to the things I’m learning and doing in the simulation lab at dental school… Working on small-scale projects was very helpful, especially working with the curvatures of various objects.”

Brydan Regehr (Class of 2014): “During the course, we had a selection of dental tools to work with, in addition to sculpture tools. The class helped improve my hand-eye skills which have benefitted me as a first-year dental student.”

Don’t you wish your dentist has such opportunities?

And you can bet that continuing professional development courses along this same theme will come on the market in 3.2.1… if they are not there already.

You can read about various dental treatments and treatment options at the FreeDentistFinder.com article archive. FreeDentistFinder.com is a great resource for doing your homework before you go in for treating dental problems or complicated dental work in restorative dentistry. What are your options? Dig in the article archive and be informed. Also, make it a point to check our blog for learning about the latest news and interesting angles on all matters concerning dental and oral health.

You also need to do your homework on selecting a dentist that is right for your needs. Once you know which type of dentist is right for you, you can find a local dentist using the FreeDentistFinder.com dentist search facility. It allows you to search for a dentist by zip code or to find a dentist by dental specialty.

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