Change in the Level of Understanding of Geriatric Dentistry after Lectures and Training for Undergraduate Dental Students

Abstract

 Abstract The ratio of elderly people aged over 65 years old in Japan is 26.7% ; gerodontology will become increasingly important. Educational guidelines of gerodontology have been created in Europe (European College of Gerodontology : undergraduate curriculum guidelines in gerodontology). The Japanese Society of Gerodontology translated these guidelines and used them to conduct a survey on dental school students ; we examined changes in the level of understanding of the undergraduate students with the progress of lectures and training on geriatric dentistry.

 One hundred fourth-year students and 98 fifth-year students of Showa University School of Dentistry were administered the questionnaire survey four times : before the start of lectures, before the start of basic training, at the end of basic training, and after clinical clerkship. The survey contained 50 questions, and the subjects were allowed to choose one of four options : Yes, Somewhat Yes, Somewhat No, or No, to answer the questions. The chi-squared test was used to compare the study time. The present study was approved by the ethics committee of the Showa University School of Dentistry (approval number 2013-042).

 Approximately 90% of the subjects answered the questionnaires. Both before the start and at the end of the basic training, the number of positive responses (Yes, Somewhat Yes) significantly increased compared with the previous questionnaire for all the questions (p<0.05). Therefore, understanding of geriatric dentistry improved with the progress of lectures and practical training.