A proposed core curriculum for dental English education in Japan

Abstract

BackgroundGlobalization of the professions has become a necessity among schools and universities across the world. It has affected the medical and dental professions in terms of curriculum design and student and patient needs. In Japan, where medicine and dentistry are taught mainly in the Japanese language, profession-based courses in English, known as Medical English and Dental English, have been integrated into the existing curriculum among its 83 medical and 29 dental schools. Unfortunately, there is neither a core curriculum nor a model syllabus for these courses.MethodsThis report is based on a survey, two discussion forums, a workshop, and finally, the drafting of a proposed core curriculum for dental English approved by consensus of the participants from each university.ResultsThe core curriculum covers the theoretical aspects, including dental English terms and oral pathologies; and practical aspects, including blended learning and dentist-patient communication. It is divided into modules and is recommended to be offered for at least two semesters.ConclusionsThe core curriculum is expected to guide curriculum developers in schools where dental English courses are yet to be offered or are still in their early development. It may also serve as a model curriculum to medical and dental schools in countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, and Central and South America, where English is not the medium of instruction.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12909-014-0239-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Perceptions of dental students in Japanese national universities about studying abroad

“…If these dental students could gain more confidence in their abilities, they might decide to study abroad. Regarding language skills, conducting dental programs in both English and Japanese or teaching English vocabulary related to dentistry might be helpful, as national board examinations and the dental care system in Japan are organised in Japanese. Moreover, it is important for students who want to study abroad to receive detailed information about the skills and knowledge required to succeed in such an endeavour, as well as support from their school in finding suitable exchange programs.…”

Writing with attitude: Stance expression in learner and professional dentistry research reports

“…For instance, in Japan's six-year undergraduate dentistry programme, only general English for academic purposes featured in the curriculum, and while some institutes did introduce special 'Dental English' training in their curricula, most students 'are unclear about what exactly constitutes Dental English' (Morse and Nakahara, 2001: 168). Since then, a core curriculum for dental English education has been proposed in Japan to offer more specific English training in medical and dental terminology and patient-and inter-and intra-professional interaction (Rodis, et al, 2014). Yet this Japanese example appears to be an isolated case, and there is still a lack of evidence in the literature regarding whether such training eventually leads to writing that appears to follow the rhetorical and attitudinal norms of the profession in which the students are to become enculturated, and whether training in writing leads to opportunities for learning about the discipline.…”

The Evaluation of Dental English Education in China Based on ‘Guanghua Cup’ International Clinical Skill Exhibition Activity

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