Animal Experiments in Undergraduate Education at Dental Colleges and University Faculties of Dentistry in Japan

Abstract

The contents of education at dental colleges and university faculties of dentistry vary among countries. In Japan, dental curriculum are completed in 6 years. The contents of curricula that dental students must undergo are extensive, as they must take many examinations including the national examination for the qualification of dentists. Therefore, animal experiments are performed in a very small scale with limited contents at Japanese dental colleges and faculties of dentistry. However, measures to reduce or substitute contents of animal experiments in undergraduate dental education have begun to be evaluated, as in medical education.