WesternU College of Dental Medicine to offer virtual learning content and integration services
The College of Dental Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences, a leading innovator in dental education, is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of VirtualU@WesternU in April 2014.
VirtualU@WesternU represents a distinctive entry into the digital learning arena that will assist dental schools and other health care educational programs as they navigate the multifaceted world of integrating online learning and digital course enhancements at their home institutions.
VirtualU@WesternU will provide academic health care education programs with integration support services as well as online content. The goal is to substantially increase access to advanced training and support for dentists, thereby improving patient health. The online content will include pre-developed courses for the health sciences curriculum as well as the capability to customize existing courses to any of three learning platform levels from a foundational learning management system to a fully functional adaptive learning environment.
VirtualU@WesternU will also provide web-based continuing education courses for individuals and groups of existing practitioners – embracing the concept of lifelong learning. The initial catalog of dental titles will include online courses in medical emergencies for dental personnel, local anesthesia administration, along with a variety of prosthodontic and implant modules. Multiple content offerings are in development and will be announced as they become available.
“From its inception, the College of Dental Medicine at WesternU has embraced a heritage of innovation in dental education. Although online education by itself is no longer truly innovative, VirtualU@WesternU represents a pioneering approach to successfully integrating virtual learning into the world of health care education,” said Dr. Steven W. Friedrichsen, dean of the College of Dental Medicine. “VirtualU@WesternU represents one more way that the College of Dental Medicine is demonstrating growing leadership in dental education.”
In order to deliver online programs with excellence, Western University of Health Sciences has developed a multi-tiered partnership that includes ICE Health Systems (ICE). ICE provides a comprehensive, online practice and learning management system as well as the technology and platform for the primary course offerings. The accessibility and availability of external technology platforms will allow VirtualU@WesternU to deliver a broad array of program levels.
“ICE is very pleased to work with Western University of Health Sciences to provide this innovative service for dental professionals,” said Dr. Mark Genuis, CEO of ICE Health Systems. “WesternU’s virtual learning initiatives will substantially increase access to advanced training and support for dentists, which will inevitably result in better health for patients. WesternU is demonstrating tremendous leadership by enabling dentists to utilize state of the art technology for learning while maintaining their current patients and revenue stream.”
For more information or to get further details on this program, please visit www.westernu.edu/dentistry or contact virtualu@westernu.edu.
