Curriculum redesign is rarely a single moment of change. More often, it is a gradual process of reflection, collaboration and adjustment. At Queen Mary’s Institute of Dentistry, staff have been working to reshape the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) and the BSc Oral Health curricula to better reflect contemporary dental practice and the needs of today’s students.
We spoke with Dr Radhika Desai, Director of Education for Undergraduate Taught Programmes, about the motivations behind the redesign, what has changed so far, and what this transformation involves.
Drivers for change
For Radhika, the starting point was both external and internal. “The primary driver was the introduction of the General Dental Council’s Safe Practitioner Framework.” Introduced in 2023, this framework shifted expectations around how dental graduates should be prepared for practice, placing greater emphasis on the development of professional behaviours over time rather than their assessment at isolated points. In response, the team reflected on how effectively the existing curriculum supported knowledge, clinical skill acquisition, and the development of professionalism, communication and self-management.
At the same time, there was recognition that the BDS curriculum, which dated back to 2012, needed reviewing. Student feedback played an important role. Through National Student Survey responses and Student Voice Committee meetings, students highlighted a desire for earlier clinical relevance, more integrated teaching, and clearer assessment and feedback structures.
Building relevance from the very beginning
One of the central ambitions of the redesign has been to help students recognise the relevance of their learning much earlier in the programme. A key change, as Radhika highlighted, was the decision “to better integrate the basic sciences teaching… with the clinical dentistry… from the earlier stages of the program.” Allowing students to connect theory with practice when they were previously separated.
Earlier clinical exposure has also been a significant change. Year one students now take part in structured observation sessions in clinical environments, where they can see senior students treating patients and begin to understand professional practice. They also participate in peer learning activities focused on communication and examination skills, alongside formative gateway assessments that prepare them for direct patient interaction later in the year.
Professionalism and reflective practise are embedded more consistently throughout the programme. Starting with a new Clinical Practice and Professionalism module, these themes are revisited across the curriculum, bringing together clinical skills, communication and professional behaviours.
Rethinking assessment and feedback
Assessment has been another major area of change. While the programme continues to use formats such as single best answer questions, short answer questions and OSCEs, there has been a shift away from relying primarily on end-of-year examinations.
Instead, students now experience more continuous assessment and structured opportunities for feedback. Mock assessments and smaller checkpoint activities help students understand expectations and improve before high-stakes assessments.
For Radhika, this reflects a broader educational principle. “The aim is… that students can learn from the assessment rather than simply being judged by it.”
The introduction of the digital assessment platform Cadmus has supported this approach and is now being used across multiple years of the BDS and BSc Oral Health programmes to support structured assessment design and enable new insights through learning analytics.
At the same time, the team is mindful of student concerns about assessment volume. The intention is to ensure that each assessment has a clear purpose and contributes meaningfully to learning.
Collaboration and co-creation
Curriculum redesign on this scale requires collaboration across multiple roles and disciplines. The core curriculum team worked closely with programme leads, subject experts, assessment specialists and senior leadership to develop the new structure.
Students were also actively involved throughout the process, contributing through workshops and structured discussions, particularly those in later years who could reflect on the full student journey.
This collaborative approach has also extended to strengthening links between the BDS and BSc Oral Health programmes. Where possible, students now learn together through shared teaching sessions and clinical experiences, reflecting the realities of dental practice.
As Radhika explains, the aim is to move towards students “learning together rather than in parallel,” helping them better understand each other’s roles and prepare for collaborative practice.
Managing change in real time
Implementing a new curriculum while the previous one continues to run presents logistical challenges. Staff must balance redesign work with ongoing teaching, clinical responsibilities and administrative demands, alongside considerations around timetabling, progression and fairness.
Radhika highlights the transition period as one of the most demanding aspects. Running old and new curricula in parallel requires detailed mapping and continuous communication to ensure that student experiences remain consistent and supported.
Broader student experience issues also shape the redesign, including commuting costs, attendance expectations and timetable intensity. The team is exploring ways to make teaching more integrated and manageable while maintaining essential face-to-face clinical learning.
Early signs of impact
Although the redesigned curriculum is currently only fully in place for year one students, initial responses have been positive. Early clinical exposure in particular, has helped students feel more connected to their programme and to the wider dental community.
As Radhika notes, even relatively small changes can have a powerful effect. “It’s as simple as them wearing their clinical scrubs and standing in the clinic… which makes them feel a part of the community.”
What Radhika is most proud of, however, is how the curriculum has come together as a more connected and meaningful learning experience. The introduction of a spiral design means that key topics are revisited and built upon each year, allowing students to deepen their understanding and apply their knowledge in increasingly complex clinical contexts. Alongside this, greater integration between programmes ensures that students learn with, from and about each other, better reflecting the realities of working within a professional dental team.