Evaluation of educational program for oral medicine in clinical training courses

Abstract

The academic approach for dental students has expanded from “tooth” to “mouthoral cavity” to “whole entire body,” concomitant with changes in the oral diseases experienced by patients in aging societies. The growth of this population is more rapid in Japan than in Europe and/or the United States. Oral diseases, except for the so-called “dental diseases” such as dental caries or periodontitis have been treated in the field of oral medicine. Although oral medicine has been broadly accepted as a separate discipline in Europe and the United States, the concept of oral medicine remains obscure in Japan. An educational program for oral medicine was initiated as part of a clinical training course at Kyushu Dental University. At the end of the course, the students were requested to answer questionnaires regarding oral medicine. Eighty-six percent students recognized oral medicine as a discipline, and 99% students considered that knowledge of oral medicine is essential.