Background The authors argue that dental curricula in Latin America are noted for providing highly technical and individualistic training that may fail to address society's problems or instil in the dentist the idea that he/she has a social responsibility to contribute to his/her community. Objectives This study's main objectives were to determine whether the curriculum and the faculty teaching practices of the School of Dentistry at the University of Chile contribute to its students' commitment to ethical and social responsibility. Methods This was a qualitative study that investigated the perceptions of sixteen subjects (eight students and eight faculty members). Data were collected in thorough deep interviews. The interview process model conceptualised and organised the information into sets of dimensions and categories. The dimensions studied were ethical commitment and social responsibility. The categories assessed within ethical commitment were honesty, tolerance, responsibility and respect. In the social responsibility dimension, the categories were solidarity, teamwork and concern for and communication with the patient. Analysis of the textual data was performed using a method of content analysis based upon constructed qualitative matrices. Results Our results show that students and scholars alike realise that ethical commitment and a sense of social responsibility are not promoted in the curriculum. They do, however, recognise the importance of these qualities in dental practitioners. Conclusions These results indicate that the current curriculum and teaching practices used in our School of Dentistry need to be reviewed and that programmes promoting professionals' commitment to their role in society need to be implemented.

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ABSTRACT. Several authors as well as professional and educational institutions have advanced the issue of professionalism in the field of dentistry, agreeing that, even though professionalism plays a central role in the training of dentists, its incorporation in the curriculums INTRODUCCIÓNEntre las instituciones de educación superior, especialmente en aquellas dedicadas a la formación de profesionales de la salud, existe el consenso de que las competencias transversales y el profesionalismo son temas que deben estar incorporados en la estructura curricular de las profesiones desde un comienzo. Específicamente en el campo de la odontología, diversas organizaciones e instituciones consideran de gran relevancia la formación de estos aspectos en el futuro profesional odontólogo. 1, 2La Asociación para la Educación Dental en Europa (ADEE por sus iniciales en inglés) ha definido las competencias necesarias que un odontólogo debe poseer, destacando la conducta ética, las habilidades sociales y las competencias transversales como aspectos relevantes que los futuros odontólogos han de desarrollar en Europa. 1 El General Dental Council de Inglaterra 3 reconoce la importancia de la adquisición temprana de actitudes profesionales, señalando que el profesionalismo debería estar en el centro de la agenda dentro de las responsabilidades de las escuelas dentales, y es categórico en afirmar que las escuelas están obligadas a desarrollar planes de estudio que incorporen tanto conocimientos técnicos específicos como competencias transversales que aseguren la formación de actitudes, valores y comportamientos éticos en los estudiantes. En Estados Unidos, la Asociación Americana de Educación Dental (ADEA por sus iniciales en inglés) y la Asociación Dental Americana (ADA) han desarrollado capítulos en los que incorporan las conductas éticas y profesionales, y recomiendan que en todas las escuelas de odontología se trabaje en torno a estos aspectos.4, 5 Tal es la relevancia actual de estos tópicos, que autores como Masella han afirmado incluso que "la misión más importante de la educación dental es el desarrollo de la profesionalidad del estudiante", dado que es solo en el contexto del profesionalismo en donde el conocimiento especializado y la experiencia técnica encuentran sentido.6 Según este autor, el altruismo, la integridad, el cuidado, el enfoque en la comunidad y el compromiso con la excelencia son atributos esenciales del profesionalismo odontológico.

Given the psychological and inancial costs involved with failing a clinical course, especially in developing countries, an alternative educational method was tested with students who had to repeat the year-long endodontic course at the University of Chile Faculty of Dentistry. The objectives of the intervention were to deepen theoretical knowledge and practical experiences, as well as to reinforce personal conidence in an endodontic clinical setting for students who failed the regular endodontic course. The aim of this study was to evaluate the success of this new model of educational intervention. In the study, 28 students who had failed the endodontic course repeated it with an alternative teaching method. The students attended patients immediately following practical competence exams, and they had access to simulated models that used rotary instruments and access cavities and had emergency care practice. Feedback sessions were held after each clinical session. Final grades were compared with those of other students who repeated the course without the intervention from 2007 to 2009. A survey was administered to understand the causes of initial failure and their opinions of the intervention. Students who participated in the alternative course did signiicantly better than their counterparts from previous years who did not receive the intervention (5.7±0.3 vs. 5.4±0.2; p<0.05). Their overall perception of the intervention was positive, and the main cause for previous course failure was personal insecurity and slow clinical care performance (54.2% of the students). The intervention course not only improved grades but also generated interest in endodontics, a contrasting perspective to the frustration students usually express after repeating the course.

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