title: Oral implant placement and restoration by undergraduate students: clinical outcomes and student perceptions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Universities are developing and implementing implant dentistry training to prepare dental professionals for the growing treatment needs. This study describes how implant dentistry is taught at the KU Leuven and focuses on implant-related clinical outcomes. Perspectives of participating undergraduate students are analysed with a view to improve oral implant dentistry training.
  
  
  METHODS
  Implant dentistry training at the KU Leuven consists of theoretical lectures, pre-clinical hands-on workshops and clinical (surgical/prosthetic) experience. Questionnaires were used to investigate the perceptions of students on the educational programme. Radiographs were taken at implant insertion, at healing abutment connection, at restoration/prosthesis insertion and after 1 and 2 years of functional loading. The marginal bone level was measured from the implant-abutment connection to the first visible bone-to-implant contact.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and twelve implants were placed by 56 undergraduate students (61.5% of the total students) in 56 patients. After a follow-up time of 3 years, the cumulative implant survival rate, at implant level, was 97.1%. The mean marginal bone loss after 1 and 2 years in function was 0.35 mm and 0.39 mm, respectively. Eighty percentage of students were satisfied with the training, and they considered this sufficient preparation to perform implant placement under close supervision.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical outcome of implant treatment performed by undergraduate students under close supervision is similar to that reported by experienced clinicians/research teams. Clinical, surgical as well as restorative experience in addition to theoretical and pre-clinical training seems beneficial when implementing implant dentistry in the undergraduate programmes.
authors: Department of Periodontology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: A
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1513-2236
authors: A
authors: Temmerman
authors: Department of Periodontology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Meeus
authors: Department of Periodontology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Dhondt
authors: Pre-Clinical Training Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Wierinck
authors: Department of Periodontology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Teughels
authors: Department of Restorative Dentistry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Naert
authors: Department of Periodontology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Quirynen
mesh_terms: D015921:Dental Implants; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D004497:Education, Dental; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D013334:Students
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants
keywords: dental implant; placement; restoration; undergraduate