title: Designing post-graduate Master's degree programs: the advanced training program in Dental Functional Analysis and Therapy as one example.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The decision to consolidate European higher education was reached by the Bologna Conference. Based on the Anglo-American system, a two-cycle degree program (Bachelor and Master) has been introduced. Subjects culminating in a state examination, such as Medicine and Dentistry, were excluded from this reform. Since the state examination is already comparable in its caliber to a Master's degree in Medicine or Dentistry, only advanced Master's degree programs with post-graduate specializations come into consideration for these subjects. In the field of dentistry numerous post-graduate study programs are increasingly coming into existence. Many different models and approaches are being pursued.
  
  
  METHODS
  Since the 2004-2005 winter semester, the University of Greifswald has offered the Master's degree program in Dental Functional Analysis and Therapy. Two and a half years in duration, this program is structured to allow program participation while working and targets licensed dentists who wish to attain certified skills for the future in state-of-the-art functional analysis and therapy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The design of this post-graduate program and the initial results of the evaluation by alumni are presented here.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our experiences show that the conceptual idea of an advanced Master's program has proved successful. The program covers a specialty which leads to increased confidence in handling challenging patient cases. The sharing of experiences among colleagues was evaluated as being especially important.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Zahnmedizinische Propädeutik/Community Dentristry, Greifswald, Deutschland.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ratzmann
authors.affiliation: Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Zentrum für Zahn-, Mund- und Kieferheilkunde, Weiterbildungsbüro Masterstudiengänge, Greifswald, Deutschland.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ruge
authors.affiliation: Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Zentrum für Zahn-, Mund- und Kieferheilkunde, Weiterbildungsbüro Masterstudiengänge, Greifswald, Deutschland.
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ostendorf
authors.affiliation: Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Zahnmedizinische Propädeutik/Community Dentristry, Greifswald, Deutschland.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kordass
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D009063:Dental Physiological Phenomena; D004498:Education, Dental, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004499:Education, Dental, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000193:education*
keywords: Master of Science; dentistry; postgraduate professional education; postgraduate training; specialist