The Dental Teacher

This book serves as a reference guide for dental teachers at all career stages as well as aspiring dental educators who aim to improve their teaching methods, student learning outcomes and enhance the reputation of their dental school.
Each chapter comprehensively discusses key aspects of the topic including instructional strategies, evaluation principles and self-directed learning. Different learning models like class room teaching, small group learning, chair side teaching in the clinics to modelling and simulation are discussed as well as principles of assessment including setting up a question paper for written examination to more objective practical and clinical assessment strategies such as OSCE, OSPE and OSVE. The topics covered in each chapter are chosen based on current evidence from dental educational research and range from educational objectives to mentoring and work place based assessment among dental students. In order to provide the best possible education, dental teachers need to be constantly improving in their faculties as an effective educator. This book is a primary reference source for researchers and academics keeping in mind the self-development needs irrespective of their clinical specialty and their experience level.

Prof. Baiju R M (Orcid ID: 0000-0002-9682-3209) is currently working as Professor in the Department of Periodontics, Government Dental College. He is also post graduate Guide since 2011. He is an internationally qualified specialist periodontist and have passed the Membership in Periodontics examination from all the three Royal Colleges of Dental surgery in the UK. Dr Baiju was awarded PhD in Dentistry by the University of Kerala in 2019. He was awarded an international Fellowship in Dentistry by the prestigious Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (FDS RCPS Glasg) in March 2021 and Specialty fellowship in Periodontology from the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Since 2020 he is an approved PhD Guide of the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS). He is a hugely popular teacher with more than 21 years of teaching experience. He has supervised more than 14 post graduate dissertations. He has contributed two chapters to text books in periodontology. Widely sought after orator and opinion leader in regenerative medicine and oral implantology. Prof. Baiju has delivered over 150 Key note and Invited lectures in national/international meetings. He is an approved PG examiner for various universities and Question paper setter for several universities and boards. He is an Associate member of the British Society of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry (BSP) since 2019. He is the Editor in Chief of Journal of Clinical Dentistry and former editorial board member of Health Sciences, official e journal of KUHS. Prof Baiju was a member of Board of studies (UG) of University of Kerala. He received several awards and recognitions - Excellence in Dentistry award for contribution to the field of periodontics and Interdisciplinary dentistry by International Association of Interdisciplinary Dentistry (AIOI www.aioiindia.org).. Dr Baiju is an invited reviewer of several peer reviewed International scientific journals including Clinical Case Reports (Wiley- Blackwell ), International Journal of Dental Hygiene, Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology (www.journalonweb/jisp), Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research (www.jcdr.net), BMJ Case reports, Hindawi Journals, Paediatric Health, Medicine and Therapuetics, Dovepress Interdisciplinary Journal of Healthcare, Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dentistry and Clinical Epidemiology. He has recently published a book with Springer titled “Nano materials in dental medicine”. He has more than 50 international peer reviewed publications with over 1125 citations. In 2024 he received the “Best Teacher Award” from the Kerala University of Health Sciences.
Professor Sabu Thomas is the Director of Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India. He is also visiting Senior Professor of Christ University, Bangalore, India. He is currently the Chairman of the Trivandrum Engineering Science and Technology Research Park (TrEST Research Park), Trivandrum, Kerala, India. He was the former Vice Chancellor (President) of Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India. Prof. Thomas is a highly committed teacher and a remarkably active researcher well-known nationally and internationally for his outstanding contributions in polymer science and nanotechnology. He has published over 1800 research articles in international refereed journals. and has also edited and written 250 books. His H-index is 157 and total citations are more than 100,000. He has supervised 130 PhD theses. He has received many international and national awards and recognitions. He received 3 Honoris causa form European Universitas and Honoured Professorship from Siberian Federal University, Krasnoyarsk and Satbayev University, Kazakhstan He is recipient of Russian Mega Grant with SFU. He is in the Stanford list of best 2percent top scientists in the world for 4 consecutive years. Very recently, he has been elected to the fellowship of the World Academy of Arts and Science(WAAS) Under the leadership of Prof. Thomas, Mahatma Gandhi University has been transformed into a top University.