title: Specialisation and specialist education in prosthetic dentistry in Europe.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Eastman Dental Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Owall
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Welfare
authors.forename: Pavlos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Garefis
authors.forename: Wieslaw
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hedzelek
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hobkirk
authors.forename: Flemming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Isidor
authors.forename: Vjekoslav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jerolimov
authors.forename: Asbjörn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jokstad
authors.forename: Warner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kalk
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kronström
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van der Kuij
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mericske-Stern
authors.forename: Ignace
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Naert
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Närhi
authors.forename: Krister
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nilner
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Polyzois
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Setz
authors.forename: Atýlla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: User
authors.forename: Adriaan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zonnenberg
mesh_terms: D004499:Education, Dental, Graduate; D005060:Europe; D005062:European Union; D006801:Humans; D011476:Prosthodontics / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012953:Societies, Dental; D013038:Specialization