PROSTHETIC RECONSTRUCTIONS AND REFERRING IMPLANT SURVIVAL IN A POSTGRADUATE PROGRAM: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY
Figure 1. Distribution of implants placed in the maxilla and the mandible
and was performed by specialists in oral surgery, maxillofacial surgery and by periodontists 12 while prosthdodontists took an active role if patients were to be prosthetically restored with implants 13. Such publications demonstrate the clear trend toward teaching implantology at universities and dental schools, otherwise they illustrate that there remain great variations how education in implant dentistry is provided for undergraduate students. In some schools teaching consists either exclusively in lecture-based theory or they include Typodont model and laboratory training while clinical interaction with patients and delivering implant supported restorations is not yet the standard. Implant placement by students is rarely reported and electively performed 6, however the students attend the surgical procedures as clinical observers 4. Today, local and international courses for general practitioners and specialists, master programs offered by dental schools and dental associations or by private organizers are announced worldwide and various specialty degrees and diplomas can be obtained. Furthermore, courses are often sponsored by the industry 14. Global standards for quality criteria or competency levels of such education and training programs are not available. The International Team for Implantology( ITI) published a grading system that classifies the surgical and prosthodontic procedures into straightforward, advanced, complex( SAC) 15. Consensus conferences were also held and attempts made to establish teaching goals and to look at further needs and development in implant training. They summarize to what extent knowledge should be provided, and the level of skills that should be reached by undergraduate and postgraduate students 10, 16-18. Guidelines were proposed by various dental associations such as the American Academy of Implant Dentistry 1. In this context, the aim of this retrospective study was to analyze frequency distribution of implantsupported prosthetic reconstructions and referred implant survival of implants placed from graduate students in a university training program.
2. Methodology 2.1. Admission to the program A structured postgraduate program in prosthodontics and implant dentistry was established at the former Department of Prosthodontics, University of Bern, Switzerland. This comprehensive curriculum comprises prosthetic therapy and implant-surgery in one University clinic during a minimum of 3 years. The admission criteria for the program are that the graduate students have completed firstly a two yaer-clinical training in general dentistry, which includes training in oral surgery and secondly a doctoral thesis as general dentist( Dr. med. dent.). The focus was on problem based teaching and evidence-based, patient-centered comprehensive treatment. Furthermore, a scientific article had to be published by the graduate student or the university must have accepted another thesis. During the entire curriculum period the graduate students also took also an active role in theoretical teaching, planning sessions and clinical training of the undergraduate students in Prosthodontics, which comprised straightforward implant reconstructions such as mandibular overdentures, single crowns and short span fixed dental prosthesis. Such teaching assignment broadened their experience and helped to develop skills in social behavior and attitudes toward students, patients and teachers. 2.2. Study material Prosthetic patients were consecutively admitted for treatment in the course of this postgraduate curriculum. They signed an informed consent willing to be treated by graduate students. This
224 STOMA. EDUJ( 2016) 3( 2)