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Aim: To (i) evaluate structured postgraduate part-time programs in periodontology, including those addressing peri-implant diseases, among members of the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP), (ii) the impact of the 2018 classification scheme and EFP clinical practice guidelines and (iii) propose a framework for periodontal vocational education and training., Materials and Methods: A summary of relevant European guidelines for vocational education and training was compiled. In a survey and in a systematic review, current part-time programs in continuing professional education in periodontology as well as in prevention and management of peri-implant diseases were examined. The implementation and dissemination of the 2018 classification scheme and the EFP clinical practice guidelines were assessed by literature analysis. Based on these findings, a framework for periodontal vocational education and training was generated., Results: Part-time programs for professional development in periodontology are established in nine EFP member countries. The systematic review identified lack of knowledge in prevention and management of peri-implant diseases among dental practitioners and hygienists. Continuing professional development was found to be important for education in prevention, classification and management of periodontal as well as peri-implant diseases. The proposed European framework consists of an escalator model with three levels (certificate, diploma and master)., Discussion: Considering the identified variation in the national programs, there is a need to improve education in periodontal and peri-implant diseases. The proposed framework will help harmonize the national structures., Conclusion: The proposed framework for part-time professional development is expected to enhance professional qualification., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Clinical Periodontology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aim: To update the competences and learning outcomes and their evaluation, educational methods and education quality assurance for the training of contemporary specialists in periodontology, including the impact of the 2018 Classification of Periodontal and Peri-implant Diseases and Conditions (2018 Classification hereafter) and the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs)., Methods: Evidence was gathered through scientific databases and by searching for European policies on higher education. In addition, two surveys were designed and sent to program directors and graduates., Results: Program directors reported that curricula were periodically adapted to incorporate advances in diagnosis, classification, treatment guidelines and clinical techniques, including the 2018 Classification and the EFP CPGs. Graduates evaluated their overall training positively, although satisfaction was limited for training in mucogingival and surgical procedures related to dental implants. Traditional educational methods, such as didactic lectures, are still commonly employed, but they are now often associated with more interactive methods such as case-based seminars and problem-based and simulation-based learning. The evaluation of competences/learning outcomes should employ multiple methods of assessment., Conclusion: An update of competences and learning outcomes of specialist training in periodontology is proposed, including knowledge and practical application of the 2018 Classification and CPGs. Harmonizing specialist training in periodontology is a critical issue at the European level., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Clinical Periodontology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Mentoring has been identified as a key component of training in implant dentistry. However there has been little guidance about how this should take place, the expected outcomes, who should be providing mentoring, and the processes involved. Dentists are required to ensure they are appropriately trained, competent and confident when undertaking clinical tasks. Mentoring will play a key role in giving assurance that these are in place. This article, which is partly based on the College of General Dentistry publication Mentoring in Implant Dentistry: Good Practice Guidelines , provides background and context to the role of mentoring in implant dentistry training programmes. Key components of structured mentoring programmes are described to assist mentors, mentees, and implant education providers.

The role of the dental nurse is fundamental in the provision of implant treatment, both from a surgical and restorative aspect. While the restoration of an implant can be largely based on the foundation knowledge of restorative dentistry, the surgical stages require a unique skillset. This article aims to highlight the benefits of undertaking further training for the dental nurse in providing surgical support, the skillset needed, and the pathways for achieving career progression.

Objectives: To assess the accuracy of implant placement in models and satisfaction in dynamic navigation assisted postgraduate dental students training., Methods: Postgraduate dental students who had at least one year of dental clinical practice with no experience in dental implant surgeries were included. Students were instructed to make treatment plans in the dynamic navigation system. Each student placed two maxillary right incisors, using freehand approach at first and then under dynamic navigation. The implant position was compared with treatment plan. Factors influencing the accuracy of implants placed under dynamic navigation were analyzed. Student acceptance towards the training and use of dynamic navigation was recorded using a questionnaire., Results: A total of 21 students placed 42 implants. For freehand implant placement, the median entry point deviation, apex point deviation, and implant axis deviation was 3.79 mm, 4.32 mm, and 10.08°. For dynamic guided implant placement, the median entry point deviation, apex point deviation, and implant axis deviation was 1.29 mm, 1.25 mm, and 4.89° (p < 0.001). The accuracy of dynamic guided implant was not influenced by student gender or familiarity with computer games. All students were satisfied with the training., Conclusions: Dynamic navigation system assisted students in improving the accuracy of implant placement and was well accepted by students., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the learning in the implant dentistry hands-on course to that of the flipped classroom (FC) and the traditional lecture cohorts (control)., Materials and Methods: In this study,80 students were enrolled for the first time in an implant dentistry program. Subsequently, they were divided into two groups. The first, the FC group, which had free access to a video with a PowerPoint presentation on the Chaoxing-WHU-MOOC platform about the implant placement on first molar sites before class. The second, the control group, which attended a didactic lecture describing implant practice on the first molar site via a bidirectional multimedia interactive teaching demonstration and then operated on a simulation model. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and the deviation gauge were utilized to analyze the accuracy of the implant placement in the students' models. An online satisfaction questionnaire was distributed to both groups one week after the class., Results: The linear deviation of the CBCT examination did not show any statistical difference between the two groups concerning cervical, apex, and angular. A significant buccal deviation was observed in the control group compared with the FC group (mean: 0.7436 mm vs. 0.2875 mm, p = 0.0035), according to the restoration-level deviation gauge. A total of 74.36% of students in the FC group placed implant within 0.5 mm buccal-to-lingual deviations, but only 41.03% of students in the control group reached within 0.5 mm buccal-to-lingual deviation ranges. Additionally, 91.67% of the students in the FC group and 97.5% of the students in the control group were satisfied with the practical implant class., Conclusion: FC was more effective than a didactic lecture for implant dentistry practical skill acquisition., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This report describes the predoctoral comprehensive digital implant dentistry program at the University of Kentucky, College of Dentistry (UKCD). UKCD has implemented a digital dentistry workflow in the dental curriculum for predoctoral and graduate programs since 2018. Digital implant dentistry education involves using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for diagnosis and treatment planning, intraoral scanner for digital impression, and treatment planning software to plan for single implant-supported restorations and implant-retained mandibular overdenture cases. The laboratory components include virtual designing of a surgical guide and using three-dimensional printing to fabricate a fully guided surgical template for implant placement procedures for the patient. In the last 3 years, including the COVID year, a total of 294 implants have been placed by dental students. Unfortunately, 6 implants failed in the early healing time due to infection, with an overall success rate of 98%. These treatment outcomes are very favorable compared with published literature.

The aim of this study was to assess nationwide trends in the exposure of dental students to periodontal and implant surgical procedures and to evaluate the potential factors that influence these clinical experiences. A 19-item questionnaire was sent to all 64 directors of predoctoral periodontics in U.S. dental schools. In addition to gathering information on the percentage of students who perform surgical periodontics or implant placement procedures in each program, data on student research groups, periodontics residency programs, and periodontics faculty practices were collected. A total of 33 responses were received, for a response rate of 51.5%. Among the responding institutions, 97% and 45.5% allowed dental students to perform periodontal and dental implant placement surgeries, respectively, although only 26.4% and 15.2% of the dental class ended up performing periodontal and dental implant placement surgeries, respectively. Crown lengthening was the most commonly reported (84.8%) periodontal surgical procedure performed by dental students. A negative correlation was found between the presence of a periodontics residency program and dental students' placing dental implants, while the size of the residency program positively correlated with dental students' placing dental implants. Overall, a wide variation in the exposure of dental students to periodontal and dental implant placement surgical experiences was found. Future surveys should assess clinical procedures performed in other special-ties to gain a broader picture of the experience students are gaining in these areas.

Purpose: In the dental implant surgery, there are inevitable risks due to the anatomically complex operation in the cranio-maxillofacial region. Therefore, there is a trend to use computer-aided technology to simulate the process of the implant surgery. In this study, we present a haptic simulator for trainees to study and rehearse the drilling performance of dental implant surgery., Materials and Methods: The dental implant surgery simulator (DISS) is developed based on the haptic force-feedback device Omega.6, and some free open-source software libraries such as Computer Haptics and Active Interface (CHAI3D), Qt and Visualization Toolkit. To achieve the desired effects of drilling, the meshes are subdivided with a recursive algorithm which breaks down a triangular patch into 4 sub-triangles. The drilling operation can be implemented at any specified location of the model. Once the drilling direction is determined, the position and rotation of the haptic device tool are constrained to the orientation through a dimension reduction algorithm. The driller diameter and drill speed are tunable to implement stepwise drilling for the patient-specific models., Results: A patient-specific drilling simulator based on virtual reality for dental implant surgery is presented. The simulation of stepwise drilling was conducted, and three patient-specific models reconstructed by Computed Tomography data were employed to help the novices to find the suitable drilling parameter., Conclusion: The obtained results showed that the haptic-based DISS could simulate various dental implant surgeries with different driller diameter and drill speed which takes patient-specific models as input. The evaluation of the DISS proves its good performance and it could provide an effective method to improve the skills and experiences of trainees.

Background: Implant dentistry training at the undergraduate level has been introduced only recently in Saudi dental schools and there is only limited data available about it. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the current status of undergraduate dental implant education in Saudi Dental Schools., Methods: A two-part questionnaire-based study was conducted in Saudi university dental schools targeted towards undergraduate program directors to assess the quantity and quality of implant dentistry training being integrated into the curriculum. In addition, interns were asked to assess the degree of exposure and their satisfaction regarding implant dentistry education., Results: Five program directors (83.3%) and 195 interns (82.9%) responded to the questionnaires. Implant dentistry was taught to the undergraduate students in multidisciplinary departments with teaching hours ranging from 22-30 hours. Only three schools exposed students to laboratory (workshop) or clinical training. There was agreement among the program directors in respect of the didactic contents. Majority of the interns reportedly acquired knowledge regarding implant dentistry based on theoretical (96.1%), laboratory (33.5%) and/or clinical (30%) training. While 50% of the interns agreed to acquire knowledge by assisting and observing dental implant procedures, only 52.8% of the interns expressed satisfaction regarding implant dentistry training obtained during their undergraduate period., Conclusions: The present study revealed variability in undergraduate implant dentistry training offered at Saudi dental schools. In order to optimize this and to produce competent dentists, learning guidelines for such courses should be developed and implemented by competent authorities.

The aim of this study was to investigate the extent and forms of predoctoral implant dentistry instruction in North American dental schools and to identify future directions and challenges. The survey collected data on curriculum content, departmental oversight, techniques, and materials, as well as current problems to be solved. The 30-question survey was sent in 2012 to the dean or administrator in charge of the predoctoral curriculum of all 73 dental schools in the U.S. and Canada at the time; four reminders were sent. Forty-seven schools responded, for a response rate of 64%. Of the 47 responding schools, 46 (98%) offered didactic instruction (mean of 17 hours); 87% had a laboratory component (mean of 14.46 hours); and 57% had a clinical requirement. In the responding schools, students had an average of 1.85 implant restorative cases and 0.61 surgical cases. Forty-two of the schools (89%) had implemented observation of implant surgery and/or assisting with implant surgery in their curricula. Major challenges reported in implementing a comprehensive predoctoral implant curriculum included expense of implant systems to the schools and to patients, shortage of predoctoral cases, and lack of curriculum time and trained faculty. These results show that implant education for predoctoral dental students continues to expand, with a trend towards more preclinical exercises and clinical experiences and fewer didactic courses.

A recently revised predoctoral implant curriculum at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry integrated digital dentistry into both the preclinical dental implant course and clinical activities. Traditionally, competence in the didactic and clinical parts of predoctoral education in single tooth implant restorations has emphasized the analog impression technique and subsequent mounting of soft tissue working casts. However, computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) implant restorations can play a significant role in predoctoral dental education utilizing digital technologies. The goal of the curriculum expansion is to transition from analog to partially digital and, finally, complete digital workflow. The aim of this article is to describe the specific components, implementation, and rationale for the new digitally integrated implant curriculum and present short-term clinical utilization trends.

Background: Oral implant rehabilitation should be considered a treatment option for any edentulous patient and Implant Dentistry is currently a discipline taught in the undergraduate formation. The level of knowledge acquired and how the students perceive the quality of training in Implant Dentistry could assess to know if it is necessary to improve the syllabus., Material and Methods: A questionnaire was developed with 11 questions: Basic knowledge (7); Perception of training received (2); Ways in which students would receive training (2). To be responded anonymously and voluntarily for undergraduates students in the Faculty of Dentistry (University of Barcelona, Spain)., Results: One hundred and seven students, 76 third year (Group A) and 31 fourth year (Group B) answered the questionnaire. In Group A, 98.68% of students and in Group B 93.54% believed they were poorly informed; 100% of both groups would prefer to receive more training as part of the degree or as postgraduate training through modular courses imparted by experts (A: 71,05%, B: 70,96%) Training through postgraduate programs or training given by private businesses were the least desirable options (A: 42%, B: 64.51%). Questions about basic knowledge acquired received varying responses, which might indicate a certain level of confusion in this area., Conclusions: The undergraduate syllabus must be revised to include sufficient content and training to allow the student to indicate implant-based treatments based on evidence. Students would prefer training to be included in the undergraduate syllabus.

Acceptance of new technology is influenced by a number of situational and social factors. So far, only limited data are available on the influence of the teaching staff's gender on the acceptance of virtual dental implant planning by students. This study aimed at assessing the influence of the teaching staff's gender on the acceptance of a virtual implant planning course by male and female undergraduate dental students and their general attitude toward implantology. Two groups of third-year dental students (group 1, 9 males, 22 females; group 2, 12 males, 20 females) attended a virtual dental implant planning course. For the first group the teaching staff was all-male, while the teaching staff was all-female for the second group. After completion of the course the students filled in a technology acceptance questionnaire. An all-female teaching staff led to a degree of technology acceptance that did not differ significantly for male and female students. When the teaching staff was all-male, significant differences for technology acceptance occurred between male and female students. However, male as well as female students attributed the practice of implantology to both genders of dentists, equally, without statistically significant difference independent of the gender of the teaching staff. The more evenly distributed degree of technology acceptance of students of both genders being taught by a female staff is a favorable effect which may be explained by the more egalitarian style of women. Therefore, while feminization in dentistry proceeds, adequate measures should be taken to increase the number of female teachers., (Copyright © 2017 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aims of this study were to assess 1) differences in perceptions of dental implant training between dental students who received didactic training alone (control group) and those who received didactic plus simulation training (test group); 2) differences in response between students with and without clinical experience in implant dentistry; and 3) the interaction effect of simulation training and clinical experience on students' satisfaction. A survey was distributed to the control group in 2014 and to the test group in 2015; both groups were at the same U.S. dental school. Data were collected on confidence levels with various implant restorative procedures along with overall satisfaction and number of implant restorations performed by each student. The response rate was 78.7% in the control group and 81.3% in the test group. In the control group, 85.7% of students reported being satisfied with implant training compared to 90.8% of students in the test group. The interaction effect of simulation training and clinical experience on overall student satisfaction was OR=1.5 at 95% CI: 0.8, 3.0. The students who had clinical experience with implant restorative procedures had significantly greater satisfaction than those who did not (OR=4.8, 95% CI: 2.1, 11.1, p<0.01). This study found that both the simulation and clinical experience affected these students' confidence and satisfaction levels with implant education: they were almost five times more satisfied with implant training when clinical experience in implant restorative procedures was a part of their implant education.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the current status of Canadian predoctoral implant programs in terms of director demographics, curriculum characteristics and preferences in the techniques that are used to teach and carry out implant therapy. We compared the findings to analogous data recently acquired from dental schools in the United States., Methods: A survey instrument was sent electronically to directors of predoctoral implant programs at all 10 accredited dental schools in Canada., Results: All 10 dental schools responded to the survey. Program directors were affiliated with prosthodontics (90%) or oral surgery (10%) departments. Most Canadian institutions (90%) formally integrate their implant program into the third year of the curriculum. Clinical implant curricula include simulated exercises and direct patient care under supervision in 90% of predoctoral programs. Frequently taught restorative modalities include the posterior single-tooth implant crown (100%), mandibular implant-retained overdenture (90%), anterior implant-supported single crown (60%) and posterior 3-unit implant-supported bridge (50%). All programs reported the routine use of guided surgery planning software and surgical guides to aid in implant treatment planning. Preferred clinical protocols include implant-level impressioning (90%), use of open-tray impression copings (70%), custom abutment fabrication (60%), coronal fixation by screw-retention (60%) and use of titanium (100%) or zirconia (60%) abutments. Half of the program directors reported feeling that graduating students were adequately prepared to provide implant therapy on graduation. The demographics of Canadian directors of predoctoral implant programs were very similar to those of their counterparts in the United States. The largest divergences existed in clinical curriculum preferences and subjective perception of student preparedness in oral implantology on graduation., Conclusion: Greater homogeneity exists among Canadian dental schools with regard to predoctoral implant program curricula, compared with those in the United States. Further investigation is warranted to examine the reasons for Canadian program directors' current perceptions of lack of preparedness of graduating predoctoral students.

Historically, predoctoral dental education programs have focused on the restoration of implants in the clinical environment; however, given the increase in dental implant therapy being performed by general dentists, the need to incorporate surgical implant training is becoming evident. This article describes a predoctoral surgical implant selective at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and its evolution across five years to include emerging techniques and technology to enhance students' understanding of dental implant therapy, both surgical and restorative. From virtual implant planning and guided surgery to intra-oral scanning of implants for custom abutments and restorations, students obtained first-hand experiences with a wide spectrum of aspects of implant therapy. The results of anonymous surveys completed by 2014-15 students before and after the year-long selective regarding their impression of the program are also discussed.

Introduction: More than undergraduates, postgraduate students have the day-to-day clinical experience to reflect upon. Nevertheless, reflection in postgraduate dental education is less well studied. Hence, the purpose was to investigate the attitude towards reflection and the content of reflections in postgraduate implant dentistry education in the UK and Belgium., Materials and Methods: To investigate the attitude towards reflection, a questionnaire was administered to the 10 postgraduates at UCL Eastman Dental Institute (EDI) and 6 postgraduates at Ghent University (UGent). Additionally, students were invited to attend two reflective sessions (60-90 minutes). The sessions' audio recordings were transcribed and analysed using a thematic approach., Results: In total, 16 postgraduate implant dentistry students participated. Although the majority reported prior experience with reflection, there was variation in the provided definitions of reflection. EDI students agreed with reflection being beneficial for professional development/clinical reasoning and were positive about discussing clinical experiences in groups, but were divided about individual/group reflections. Their UGent counterparts were more indecisive (=neutral), but were positive about discussing clinical experiences. Thematic analysis identified recurring themes as individual learning process, learning and clinical experiences, attitude towards implant dentistry and course programme. EDI postgraduates' reflections focussed on specific clinical situations, while UGent postgraduates' reflections described general considerations., Conclusion: Although students/professionals often report to reflect, it is not clear whether/how they actually reflect, due to the all-purpose word reflection has become. A strategy, using group discussions along with supervision/guidance in how to reflect, demonstrated to expand clinical reasoning into reflections about postgraduate students' clinical actions and professional growth., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The present study reports the results of a structured survey of graduates intending to evaluate the education at the Dental School of the University of Basel in the years from 2006 to 2014. In addition, dentists and practice owners supervising graduates from Basel in daily clinical routine or hiring them as assistant dentists were questioned. The aims of the current survey were (1) to analyze own subjective experiences, (2) to assess potential differences between the cohorts prior to and after the implementation of the Bologna reform, (3) to compare the rating regarding theoretical knowledge and practical skills, and (4) to disclose potential for improvement. It was found that according to both their own assessment and the rating of the practice owners, graduates possess the basic dental expertise. The alumni rated their theoretical knowledge higher than their clinical practical skills and indicated a potential for intensification in the fields of dental surgery and implantology. When comparing the cohorts who had completed their studies according to the old (until 2010) and new study regulations, there were only minor differences; the own skills related to patient information about treatments were better rated by alumni who had been trained according to the new study regulations. The curriculum leading to the Master of Dental Medicine at the University of Basel fundamentally prepares graduates for the professional activity, but the additional acquisition of clinical experience in daily practice is indispensable.

Aims: To assess the learning curve of a minimally invasive procedure for maxillary sinus floor elevation with a transcrestal approach (tSFE) and evaluate the influence of clinician's experience in implant surgery on its outcomes., Materials and Methods: Patients were treated by clinicians with different levels of experience in implant surgery and inexperienced with respect to the investigated tSFE technique. The initial (n = 13) and final (n = 13) groups treated by the expert clinician were compared for tSFE outcomes. Additionally, the high, moderate, and low groups (n = 20 each) treated by the expert, moderately experienced, and low experienced clinician, respectively, were compared., Results: (1) No significant differences in clinical and radiographic outcomes were observed between initial and final groups; (2) high, moderate, and low groups showed substantial vertical augmentation in limited operation time with treatment outcomes being influenced by the level of experience in implant surgery., Conclusions: The investigated technique allows for a substantial vertical augmentation at limited operation times when used by different clinicians. The extent of sinus lift (as radiographically assessed) seems to be influenced by the clinician's level of experience in implant dentistry.

Objectives: Dental implants have become a popular option for treating partially dentate or edentulous patients. Information on dental implants is widely available in the public domain and is disseminated through industries and dental practitioners at various levels/disciplines. This qualitative study aimed to evaluate the public's information acquisition and their perceptions of dental implants and the effects of these on their care-seeking and decision making., Methods: A purposive sample of 28 adults were recruited to join six focus groups. To be eligible, one must be 35-64 years of age, had never been engaged in dentally related jobs, had at least one missing tooth, and had heard about dental implant but never received dental implant or entered into any dental consultation regarding dental implants. All of the focus groups discussions were transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic content analysis following a grounded theory approach., Results: Participants acquired information on dental implants through various means, such as patient information boards, printed advertisements, social media, and personal connections. They expected dental implants to restore the patients' appearance, functions, and quality of life to absolute normality. They regarded dental implants as a panacea for all cases of missing teeth, overestimated their functions and longevity, and underestimated the expertise needed to carry out the clinical procedures. They were deterred from seeking dental implant treatment by the high price, invasive procedures, risks, and complications., Conclusions: Members of the public were exposed to information of varying quality and had some unrealistic expectations regarding dental implants. Such perceptions may shape their care-seeking behaviours and decision-making processes in one way or another., Clinical Significance: The views and experiences gathered in this qualitative study could assist clinicians to better understand the public's perspectives, facilitate constructive patient-dentist communication, and contribute to the creation of positive clinical experiences in implant dentistry., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Grand Rounds are widely used in medicine for educating students comprehensively about clinical issues. The aim of this study was to explore the value of Grand Rounds for introducing first- (D1) and second-year (D2) dental students to an interdisciplinary approach to dental care. The objectives were to explore how interested students were in various topics, which topics they would like to see addressed in future sessions, which aspects they liked/disliked, how they evaluated the program components, and how they evaluated the outcomes. Data were collected from D1s at the end of the Year 1 fall term and from D1s and D2s at the beginning and end of the Year 1 winter term and at the end of Year 2. Response rates for most of the groups ranged from 88% to 100%, but response rates for surveys at the end of the study period fell to 40% and 32%. The results showed that the students were most interested in clinical topics that were presented in an interdisciplinary way. Their suggested topics ranged from specialty-specific issues to treatment-related topics such as implants and cosmetic dentistry. The open-ended responses showed that students liked learning differing perspectives on these topics, but disliked the course-related assignments and the preparation work in small groups. The closed-ended responses showed that the students appreciated the in-class presentations by experts and evaluated the course as helpful in informing them about the complexity of issues and the importance of the interplay between basic and clinical sciences. Educating future dentists in a way in which they embrace interdisciplinary approaches is challenging. Using the Grand Rounds concept could be one approach to increasing students' awareness of the importance of interdisciplinary work.

Purpose: This study aims to gauge the knowledge and perceptions of undergraduate dental students or residents toward dental implants., Materials and Methods: The dental colleges in India were divided into 5 zones, and by random selection method, 7 colleges were selected from each zone. Thus, a total of 35 dental institutions were selected, which included 2800 residents. A printed questionnaire consisting of 15 questions, which assessed the level and source of information regarding implants, was prepared and distributed., Results: A total of 2800 questionnaires were posted of which 2041 responses were received (response rate was 72.89%). This study shows that 81.1% of the residents believed that they were not provided sufficient information and a whopping 91.7% of them coveted more information about implants in their undergraduate curriculum., Conclusion: This study concludes that a revision in the undergraduate dental curriculum is required to make the students better equipped with the technicalities of implant dentistry.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the penetration of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) residency programs in the United States. In addition, this study was designed to assess the education and training, relevance, and image interpretation responsibility of CBCT as experienced by OMS residents., Materials and Methods: The authors performed a cross-sectional study of all 102 US-based OMS program directors (PDs) from January 1, 2014 through April 30, 2014. Study variables included questions about 4 key factors in CBCT in OMS programs: access, education and training, relevance, and image interpretation responsibility. Data analysis was a product of the percentage of positive responses to each question., Results: Fifty-four PDs participated in the study. The results showed that 87% of responding OMS programs have access to CBCT and that CBCT is used primarily for dental implant-related procedures., Conclusion: OMS residents are actively involved in CBCT use in their residency. OMS residents' access to CBCT is increasing, and their education, training, and image interpretation responsibility is increasing., (Copyright © 2015 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to provide an overview of current predoctoral implant programs in the United States, including curricular characteristics and clinical practices regarding implant therapy education and program directors' characteristics. An electronic survey was sent to predoctoral implant program directors of all 64 accredited U.S. dental schools; 52 of the 60 eligible programs responded, for a response rate of 87%. The responding program directors were primarily affiliated with either prosthodontics departments (44%) or restorative dentistry departments (40%). Structurally, 80.8% of the responding schools integrate their implant programs into the third year of the curriculum. Clinical implant therapy exercises reported were simulation exercises without direct patient care (90.4% of responding schools) and direct patient care under supervision (94.2%). The most frequently taught restorative modalities are posterior single-tooth implant crown (96.2%), mandibular implant-retained overdenture (88.5%), and anterior implant-supported single crown (61.5%). A majority (74.5%) of responding programs utilize analog surgical guide planning, while 25.5% reported use of digital guided surgery planning software. All schools in the Northwest and 66.7% in the South Central regions utilize custom abutments as the primary abutment design, while a majority of schools in the North Central (62.5%), Northeast (53.8%), Southwest (66.7%), and Southeast (80%) regions use stock abutments (p=0.02). Regional differences were significant with regard to fixation modality, with all the Northwest programs using screw retention and 90% of Southeast and 87.5% of North Central programs using cement retention (p=0.002). This study demonstrated that while institutions share program director and curricular similarities, clinical practices and modalities vary significantly by region.

With dentistry rapidly evolving as new technologies are developed, this study aimed to identify the penetration of emerging dental technologies into the curricula of U.S. dental schools and to explore whether certain school characteristics affected adoption of these technologies. A 19-question survey was sent to the academic deans of all 62 U.S. dental schools. In addition to questions about characteristics of the school, the survey asked respondents to indicate where in their curricula the technology was incorporated: preclinical didactic, preclinical laboratory, clinical didactic, and/or clinical patient experience. Of 62 eligible schools, 33 useable responses were received, for a 52% response rate. The results showed that the greatest overall penetration of dental technologies was in preclinical didactic courses and the lowest was in the preclinical laboratory. Specific technologies implemented in the largest percentage of responding schools were digital radiography and rotary endodontics. The technologies with the lowest penetration were CAD/CAM denture fabrication and hard tissue lasers. These results suggest that the incorporation of technology into dental schools is following that of private practice as the most widely adopted technologies were those with the greatest acceptance and use in private practice. Among the respondents, factors such as class size and age of the school had greater impact on incorporation of technology than funding source and geographic location.

Implant therapy is rapidly becoming a standard of care for replacing missing dentition. Predoctoral dental curricula include some training in the implant restorative phase but offer limited exposure to the surgical phase, so it is important for postdoctoral general dentistry residency programs to provide competency training in all phases of implant therapy. The aim of this study was to determine the training needed for general dentistry residents to achieve competence in this area, specifically by defining the number of clinical experiences necessary in both the surgical and prosthetic phases of implant-retained mandibular overdenture construction (IRMOD). Fifteen Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residents at one academic dental institution placed two implants in a total of 50 patients with edentulous mandibles and subsequently restored them with IRMOD. The supervising faculty member and the residents evaluated the competency level on a five-point scale after each implant placement and prosthetic case completion. According to the faculty evaluations, the residents achieved surgical competence after placing two implants in four to six cases and prosthetic management competence after restoring two to four cases of IRMOD. All 50 patients were satisfied with the treatment outcomes of IRMOD. This study concluded that general dentistry residents could potentially achieve competence in both the surgical and prosthetic phases of implant therapy while enrolled in an AEGD program.

Aims and Objectives: To audit the content of dental practice websites offering dental implant services against a framework based on the GDC 2012 Guidelines for Ethical Advertising and other relevant advertising standards., Methods: An audit framework was constructed and applied to the top fifty websites resulting from a Google UK search using the search term 'dental implant specialist'., Results: Compliance with many elements of the GDC Guidance remains poor. Sixty-eight percent of websites claimed that the practitioner providing the service was a GDC registered specialist, though examples were found where this claim was unfounded. Fourteen percent of practice websites claimed that the service was being carried out by an 'implant specialist' and 16% claimed the practitioner was an 'implantologist'; the majority of sites using these terms (10%) involved practitioners that had no specialist status. The display of potentially misleading memberships and fellowships of a range of dental associations, academies, societies and foundations remains common (52%), as does the adoption of the title 'Dr' (60%)., Conclusion: Comparison with earlier studies indicates that compliance with recent GDC standards is generally improving, though whether the pace of improvement is seen as acceptable or not is something that policymakers and regulatory authorities may need to consider further.

The University of Kentucky College of Dentistry (UKCD) established an implant training program that provides training in the use of a single implant system, evidence-based diagnostic and treatment protocols (standardized work practices), and a total quality management system (Implant Quality Assurance Program). The aim of this study was to assess the programmatic effectiveness of the UKCD implant training program by reporting the success and survival of implants placed, using patient-reported outcomes and comparing them to previously established benchmarks. A total of 415 patients (963 implants) were interviewed, approximately 50 percent of all qualified patients. The implant survival rate was 97 percent, and 88 percent of the implants were considered successful (as determined by patient-centric criteria). These outcomes were consistent with the program's previously established benchmarks of 90 percent. These results suggest that work standardization (in the form of specific treatment protocols) and the use of a formal, incremental learning system can result in positive patient outcomes. Clinical outcomes should be monitored in academic dental settings as part of clinical process improvement, and these outcomes can provide a means of assessing the effectiveness of the training program.

The objective of this study was to assess the ability of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry (UIC-COD) predoctoral students to provide single tooth implant (STI) prostheses in the maxillary esthetic zone. The patient's esthetic satisfaction and the correlation between prosthodontists' and patients' perspectives were examined. Twenty-seven patients were recruited for recall examinations at the UIC-COD predoctoral implant program and underwent clinical and radiographic examination with clinical photographs of the implant sites. The patients completed a semantic differential scale questionnaire. The collected information was formulated into a PowerPoint presentation for two Diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontists to use the Pink/White Esthetic Score (PES/WES) to evaluate the esthetic outcome. Descriptive analyses, Cohen kappa test, and Spearman rank correlation coefficient test were performed. The average PES/WES were above 6.0 (out of 10). The median for the patient satisfaction and esthetic outcome questionnaires were 10 and 9, respectively, on a scale with 10=highest. There was a medium and positive correlation between prosthodontists' and patients' perspectives in esthetic outcome. This study found that, with strict guidance and proper selection criteria, predoctoral students were able to provide esthetically acceptable STI prostheses in the maxillary esthetic zone and patients were satisfied with the treatment provided.

Dental implant education has increasingly become an integral part of predoctoral dental curricula. However, the majority of implant education emphasizes the restorative aspect as opposed to the surgical. The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry has developed an Advanced Predoctoral Implant Program (APIP) that provides a select group of students the opportunity to place implants for single-tooth restorations and mandibular overdentures. This article describes the rationale, logistics, experiences, and perspectives of an innovative approach to provide additional learning experiences in the care of patients with partial and complete edentulism using implant-supported therapies. Student and faculty perspectives on the APIP were ascertained via focus group discussions and a student survey. The qualitative analysis of this study suggests that the select predoctoral dental students highly benefited from this experience and intend to increase their knowledge and skills in implant dentistry through formal education following graduation. Furthermore, the survey indicates that the APIP has had a positive influence on the students' interest in surgically placing implants in their future dental practice and their confidence level in restoring and surgically placing implants.

Introduction: Implant dentistry in undergraduate education is predominantly theoretical or prosthetics oriented. Clinical experience with implant surgery could provide students a better understanding of alternatives for tooth replacements. This study describes an implant dentistry programme for undergraduate students, which included surgical placement of implants. The study presents the clinical outcomes of the programme, patients' satisfaction and students' attitudes/perceptions. It reflects on barriers and problems encountered during implementation and provides suggestions for other institutions., Materials and Methods: Thirty-six students placed one implant each for a single tooth replacement after careful radiographic assessment and pre-surgical planning. One-stage surgery was performed under one-to-one supervision. Crowns were cemented on individual abutments 3-6 months later. Crestal bone loss was assessed radiographically immediately after surgery, at crown placement and after 1 year of loading. Questionnaires were used to investigate patients' perspectives and students' opinions towards the programme, as well as their perceived level of competence., Results: Thirty-six implants were placed in 27 patients; two (5.6%) failed prior to loading; mean bone loss from time of surgery to crown placement was 1.41 mm and remained unchanged thereafter, reflecting implant success. Overall, patients were satisfied and the majority would repeat the treatment by a student. The students thought it was a valuable experience, although they realised that additional education is necessary to perform implant surgery without supervision., Conclusion: Implant placement by undergraduate students resulted in acceptable clinical outcome parameters, patient satisfaction and positive student perceptions. These findings support the further development of clinical implant education in undergraduate dental curricula., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Implant dentistry is a treatment modality which has mainstream clinical practice of comprehensive care, which however is not adequately represented in the undergraduate dental curricula. A consensus workshop organised by ADEE in 2008, set the benchmarks for the knowledge and competences a modern dental practitioner must possess with regard to implant dentistry, as well as defined undergraduate and postgraduate pathways for the acquisition of these competences. Today, 5 years later, there exist several challenges for the implementation of these benchmarks in both undergraduate curricula but also post-graduation educational pathways., Methods: A consensus workshop was organised by ADEE, bringing together 48 opinion leaders, including academic teachers of all disciplines related to implant dentistry, specialists, representatives of relevant scientific and professional associations, as well as industry delegates. The objectives of the workshop were to evaluate the existing scientific literature, reported experience and best practices in order to identify potential and limitations for the implementation of implant dentistry in the undergraduate curriculum, as well produce recommendations for the optimal educational structures for postgraduate programmes and continuing professional development., Results: The scientific committee conducted two European-wide questionnaire surveys to better document the current state of education in implant dentistry. Upon completion of the surveys, reviewers were appointed to produce three scientific review papers, identifying current achievements and future challenges. Finally, during the 3 days of the workshop, all the evidence was reviewed and the main conclusions and recommendations that were adopted by all participants are reported in the present Consensus Paper., Conclusions: Implementation of implant dentistry in the undergraduate curriculum has improved significantly, but still lags behind the benchmarks set in 2008 and the diversity between institutions remains big. At the post-graduation level, there is currently a wide diversity of courses and pathways towards competences related to implant dentistry and there is at present a great need for quality assurance, as well as standardisation and transparency of the learning outcomes., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Consensus reports recommend that students upon graduation should possess a significant level of knowledge and competence in implant dentistry, including basic competences in diagnostics, treatment planning, restorative, straightforward surgical and maintenance procedures. In response, undergraduate curricula need to integrate implant dentistry. This narrative review explores educational programmes in terms of competences, related research and barriers or reflections, regarding implementation in undergraduate curricula., Materials and Methods: Publications (2008-2013) were searched systematically in WoS, PubMed and ERIC and screened independently by two authors in four stages: removal of duplicates, title screening, abstract screening and full-text reading. Inclusion criteria encompassed implant dentistry in undergraduate education., Results: Finally, 37 of 420 papers were included. Detailed information regarding programme content, number of participants, staff input, logistics/funding issues is scattered. Theoretical education is predominant, and pre-clinical/clinical training is offered minimally, often carried out in elective programmes. However, selected straightforward cases treated by undergraduates yield positive outcomes with low failure rates, few complications, high patient satisfaction and student appreciation. Barriers to implementing implant dentistry in the undergraduate curriculum include funding issues, limitations in time or staff availability/competence and lack of suitable patients. Overcoming these barriers is worthwhile as experience-based implant education affects future practice as well-informed students propose more restorative alternatives to their patients., Conclusion: Although implant dentistry is increasingly integrated in undergraduate curricula, challenges remain in developing strategies to implement existing competence profiles and the extent of experience-based education. To support further advancement, universities should report comprehensively on their implant programmes to allow comparison and reproduction in other environments., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Training for dental practitioners in implant dentistry ranges from 1- or 2-day short Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses to certificate/diploma programmes run by universities. In general, the teaching of implant dentistry in Europe lacks structure and standardisation. This paper aims to: (i) identify the current trends in CPD in implant dentistry in Europe; (ii) identify potential and limitations with regards to the design and implementation of CPD activities in implant dentistry; (iii) provide recommendations on the future structure and development of CPD activities in implant dentistry., Methods: A search of the literature was undertaken in PubMed for manuscripts published in English after 2000 reporting on CPD in dentistry and in implant dentistry in particular. In addition, an electronic survey was conducted, investigating the attitudes towards CPD among a wide group of stakeholders in implant dentistry education., Conclusions: There is a wide diversity of educational pathways towards achieving competences in implant dentistry through CPD. At present, there is a need for improving the CPD structures in implant dentistry, strengthening the quality assurance and encouraging standardisation and transparency of the learning outcomes. Development of a structured CPD system with clearly defined educational objectives mapped against specific levels of competence is recommended., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)