Specialisation and specialist education in prosthetic dentistry in Europe.
This presentation reports on the results of a meeting of prosthodontists from selected European countries. The aim of the meeting was to analyse and promote specialisation and specialist education in Prosthetic Dentistry in Europe. Representatives for Europe were selected from the European Prosthodontic Association (EPA) board, the Education and Research Committee of International College of Prosthodontists (ICP), countries with a legally recognised speciality, countries without a recognised speciality but organised training programmes and countries with neither of these situations. Data about specialisation and specialist training in Prosthodontics in Europe was scrutinised and discussed. The programmes for countries with specialist training had relatively similar content, mostly of three years duration. There was strong agreement that a recognised speciality raises the level of care within the discipline for both specialists and non-specialists. In several of the countries where a speciality had been introduced it had been initiated by pressure from public health planning authorities. The conclusions are that from a professional viewpoint an advancement of the speciality over Europe would develop the discipline, improve oral health planning and quality of patient care. A working group for harmonisation was recommended.
Owall
Bengt
B
Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Eastman Dental Hospital, London, UK.
Welfare
Richard
R
Garefis
Pavlos
P
Hedzelek
Wieslaw
W
Hobkirk
John
J
Isidor
Flemming
F
Jerolimov
Vjekoslav
V
Jokstad
Asbjörn
A
Kalk
Warner
W
Kronström
Mats
M
van der Kuij
Pieter
P
Mericske-Stern
Regina
R
Naert
Ignace
I
Närhi
Timo
T
Nilner
Krister
K
Polyzois
Gregory
G
Setz
Jürgen
J
User
Atýlla
A
Zonnenberg
Adriaan
A
D004499:Education, Dental, Graduate; D005060:Europe; D005062:European Union; D006801:Humans; D011476:Prosthodontics / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012953:Societies, Dental; D013038:Specialization