title: A survey of dental school's emergency departments in Ireland and the UK: provision of undergraduate teaching and emergency care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Emergency dental care is a vital service that new graduates should be prepared to offer. There are few published data relating to emergency dental care education. To assess this, and to gain a profile of accident and emergency departments (A&E) in dental schools, an online survey was sent to all of the dental schools in the Republic of Ireland and the UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey addressed the school's A&E curriculum, teaching methods, undergraduate exposure and departmental details.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of A&E departments operated during normal working hours with a minority offering an out-of-hours service. Teaching of A&E topics, and undergraduate experience, vary significantly between schools. A&E departments were diversely named and exhibited significant regional variation. Approximately half employed a triage system. It is unclear what represents an adequate level of undergraduate exposure, and more research is required in this area.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Assessment of undergraduates following time in clinic is an important component of any A&E module. We consider a reflective portfolio to represent a suitable form of assessment, and would recommend their introduction. In addition, we recommend that dental hospitals consider a nurse-led triage system.
authors.affiliation: Dublin Dental University Hospital, Lincoln Place, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Dublin Dental University Hospital, Lincoln Place, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nunn
authors.affiliation: Dublin Dental University Hospital, Lincoln Place, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: L F A
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Stassen
authors.affiliation: Dublin Dental University Hospital, Lincoln Place, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McLoughlin
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D012575:Schools, Dental / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom