Will your next vt be competent at implant therapy?

The teaching of implantology to undergraduate dental students is controversial. Some argue that competence in basic restorative treatment must be attained before such advanced procedures can be taught, whilst the opposite view is that such treatment is now part of mainstream dental practice and students should be taught at least the basic principles, upon which they may build their expertise as with all other dental disciplines.

In this study in Denmark, 51 single tooth implants were placed and restored by undergraduate students under close supervision by dentists and oral/maxillofacial surgeons with a special knowledge of this field. The students were involved in the patient assessment, learning the assessment criteria required; monitored those patients accepted into the study who were cigarette smokers; evaluated the technical problems that arose (two patients reported porcelain fracture and three the loosening of abutment screws, all of which were amenable to treatment); learned the indications for bone augmentation (although where indicated this procedure was carried out by the qualified staff); and audited the eventual survival rate. This was found to be 94% which is comparable to other published work from qualified practitioners.