Current status of geriatric dentistry education in selected dental schools in Latin America and the Caribbean

IF 2 3区医学 Q2 DENTISTRY, ORAL SURGERY & MEDICINE

Gerodontology Pub Date : 2023-10-04 DOI:10.1111/ger.12714

Soraya León, Rodrigo A. Giacaman, Francisca Araya-Bustos, Sardi Venegas, Nicole Saavedra, Fernando Neves Hugo, Renato J. De Marchi, María-Fernanda Muñoz, Claudia Salazar, Roberto C. Castrejón-Pérez, Lorena Bustillos, Adriana Fortanete, Aracelly Cedeño de López, Jorge E. Aredes, Dairo Marín-Zuluaga, Augusto Elias-Boneta

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

Latin American and Carribean (LAC) are currently experiencing a rapid aging of their population, coupled with a significant burden of oral diseases. Despites this, there is a scarcity of evidence regarding the manner in wich geriatric dentistry is being taught in dental schools across LAC. So, the objective of this study is to investigate the current status of geriatric dentistry education at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in selected LAC dental schools.

Methods

An electronic questionnaire was developed and emailed to all 539 dental schools in 19 LAC countries. The questionnaire recorded activity levels, contents and methodology of geriatric dentistry education as part of dental degree programmes. Reminders by email and telephone calls were used to encourage non-responders to complete the questionnaire.

Results

In total, 317 schools from 17 countries responded to the questionnaire (response rate: 58.8%). Geriatric dentistry was taught in 54.6% of the schools at the undergraduate level and in 6.9% at the postgraduate level. Thirty two percent of the schools had a programme director trained in geriatric dentistry. Geriatric dentistry was taught as an independent course in 14.5% of the schools. Dry mouth, periodontal disease, denture-related conditions and prosthodontic management, oral mucosal disease and age-related changes of the orofacial complex were the most frequently covered topics. Clinical teaching of geriatric dentistry was reported by 26.5% of the schools, with 38.0% providing clinical training in outreach facilities.

Conclusions

Geriatric dentistry education remains incipient in LAC, with only one in every four dental school offering it as a standalone course. There is an urgent need to further develop geriatric dentistry education in the continent, including further research to develop a minimum geriatric dentistry curriculum.

查看原文本刊更多论文

拉丁美洲和加勒比选定牙科学校的老年牙科教育现状。

目标：拉丁美洲和加勒比（LAC）目前正经历人口的快速老龄化，再加上口腔疾病的严重负担。尽管如此，关于拉丁美洲和加勒比地区牙科学校教授老年牙科的方式，却缺乏证据。因此，本研究的目的是调查拉丁美洲和加勒比地区牙科学校本科生和研究生阶段老年牙科教育的现状。方法：编制一份电子问卷，并通过电子邮件发送给19个拉丁美洲和加勒比国家的539所牙科学校。问卷记录了作为牙科学位课程一部分的老年牙科教育的活动水平、内容和方法。通过电子邮件和电话提醒被用来鼓励未回答者填写问卷。结果：共有来自17个国家的317所学校对问卷进行了回复（回复率：58.8%）。54.6%的学校在本科阶段教授老年牙科，6.9%的学校在研究生阶段教授老年牙医。32%的学校有一名接受过老年牙科培训的项目主任。14.5%的学校将老年牙科作为一门独立课程进行教学。口腔干燥、牙周病、义齿相关条件和修复管理、口腔粘膜疾病和与年龄相关的口腔面部复合体变化是最常见的话题。26.5%的学校报告了老年牙科的临床教学，38.0%的学校在外展设施中提供临床培训。结论：拉丁美洲和加勒比地区的老年牙科教育仍处于起步阶段，只有四分之一的牙科学校将其作为独立课程提供。非洲大陆迫切需要进一步发展老年牙科教育，包括进一步研究制定最低限度的老年牙科课程。

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来源期刊

Gerodontology 医学-老年医学

CiteScore

4.10

自引率

10.00%

发文量

审稿时长

3-6 weeks

期刊介绍： The ultimate aim of Gerodontology is to improve the quality of life and oral health of older people. The boundaries of most conventional dental specialties must be repeatedly crossed to provide optimal dental care for older people. In addition, management of other health problems impacts on dental care and clinicians need knowledge in these numerous overlapping areas. Bringing together these diverse topics within one journal serves clinicians who are seeking to read and to publish papers across a broad spectrum of specialties. This journal provides the juxtaposition of papers from traditional specialties but which share this patient-centred interest, providing a synergy that serves progress in the subject of gerodontology.