我が国における顔面補綴学教育の現状

—米国と比較して—

抄録

When fabricating facial prostheses, artistic ability and sharp, observant eyes are essential. In Japan, maxillofacial prosthodontists and dental technicians fabricate facial prostheses based on their own experiences or senses. The purpose of this article is to analyze the current educational system in Japan and compare it to that of the United States.
A questionnaire survey of 25 dental schools and 441 dental technicians revealed that 72％ of dental schools and 24％ of dental technicians had had lectures on facial prostheses but had not had practical training. Regarding post-graduate programs, while prosthodontic departments had lectures in dental school, there were no standardized programs for facial prosthetics.
In the United States, specialists known as Medical Artists, who undergo a masters program after graduating from art and biology bachelor courses, fabricate facial prostheses. We introduce the curriculum and clinical experience of “Biomedical Visualization” at the University of Illinois, Chicago, one of the distinguished programs for medical artists in the US. The program for medical artists covers various spheres including both medical and artistic aspects. Our finding suggests that a global education on facial prosthetics could be beneficial in Japan and that capable specialists need to be developed.