title: [Interviews with Norwegian dentists about continuing education].
abstract: A representative, nationwide sample comprising 50 dentists in Norway was surveyed through personal interviews concerning their opinions on and need for postgraduate education. The reports clearly indicated that the professional challenges are changing rapidly as a result of improved treatment habits and dental health among most patients and that continuing dental education should adjust to the new situation. Most interviewers were satisfied with the courses presently offered, but they nevertheless wanted more of them, particularly in oral medicine and surgery, prosthetics, prevention and community dentistry. Scientific papers abounding with statistics and histology were suggested to be reduced in the Norwegian Dental Journal, and should be replaced by practical review papers. Social motives for attending professional meetings were common, the dentists said they learned much of practical value and picked up news in conversations with colleagues. Improved contacts with the dental schools was desired. Concerning undergraduate education, a prevailing view was that too much time was devoted to basic sciences as opposed to clinical- and community dentistry. The attitude towards compulsary continuing education was ambiguous, conceivably a reflection of the two different professional ideals: high standards and autonomy.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004497:Education, Dental; D004498:Education, Dental, Continuing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway
vernacular_title: Samtaler med norske tannleger om etterutdannelse.