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Introduction: The education of Oral Health Professionals (OHPs) is variable across Europe and consequently, there is concern that research skills are not consistently or optimally integrated into European OHP curricula. The aim of this study is to investigate the perspectives of European OHP students regarding the inclusion of research in the undergraduate curriculum. Materials and Methods: A 21‐question online survey was administered to dental, dental hygiene, and dental hygiene and therapy students across Europe. Informed consent was obtained from participants and all responses remained confidential. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyse the data. Results: A total of 825 student responses to the survey from 33 European countries were eligible for inclusion. The results demonstrated that OHP students recognise the importance of research in the dental field and value the inclusion of research in the curriculum. Although students indicated that they are interested to learn more about research, the survey results also showed that students had neutral opinions towards the existing curriculum providing enough training about research. Conclusion: European OHP students agree on the need for an open and explicit research curriculum in OHP education. The development of a research domain within an open curriculum framework would help to harmonise the teaching and assessment of OHP research skills across Europe and ultimately improve graduating OHP's research skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This position paper outlines the areas of competence and learning outcomes of the Common European Curriculum for Dental Hygiene (CECDH) that specifically relate to Safe and Effective Clinical Practice. Dental hygienists are required to ensure that they are capable of providing safe and appropriate care for their patients, whilst operating effectively within a wider team. The care provided should be based on contemporaneous evidence wherever possible, and the quality of care and the management systems that underpin it should be regularly audited and improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]