Swedish and Finnish dental practitioners' opinions of their undergraduate education.
Recently qualified dentists from a dental school in Stockholm, Sweden (n = 259) and the dental school in Kuopio, Finland (n = 103) were sent a questionnaire designed to obtain information concerning the perceived relevance of their undergraduate education to the practice of dentistry. The response rate was 71% for Stockholm and 82% for Kuopio. Except for minor differences, probably mainly due to economic resources and traditions in choice of treatment, the graduates in the two countries had comparable views of their basic education. In general, clinical dental subjects were highly valued, while basic science subjects but also subjects in medical and behavioral sciences were given low values. Our results indicate that, although prevention and behavioral sciences are stressed more and more in undergraduate education, the practice of clinical dentistry remains essentially unchanged and restorative dentistry is still very highly valued among recent graduates of these two dental schools.
Widström
E
E
Department of Community Dentistry, University of Kuopio, Finland.
Martinsson
T
T
Nilsson
B
B
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D003815:Dentists; D004497:Education, Dental; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011364:Professional Practice; D013548:Sweden