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Exposure to Special Care Dentistry at undergraduate level - is it enough?

BDJ Student volume 28, page 35 (2021)Cite this article

By Sabba Hassanein and Hunayda Abdulmula

Special care (SC) dentistry involves treating patients with one or a combination of physical and mental health conditions. These include but are not limited to epilepsy, schizophrenia and Down syndrome.1 Considering the lack of confidence to treat SC patients in general practice,2 should dental students receive more experience in this field?

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References

  1. Gallagher J E, Fiske J. Special Care Dentistry: a professional challenge. Br Dent J 2007; 202: 619-629.

  2. Fuad N A, Jacob J, Koh W T, tMani S A, Lim W-L S, Wong C S, et al. Special Care Dentistry Curriculum at The Undergraduate Level: Students' Prespective. J Dent Indones 2015; 22.

  3. Kisely S. No Mental Health without Oral Health. Can J Psychiatry 2016; 61: 277-282.

  4. Gordon F, Morgan M Z, Thompson S. A survey of the quality and quantity of Special Care Dentistry teaching, including Gerodontology, in dental schools of the United Kingdom and Ireland. JDOH 2009; 10: 3-10.

  5. Picciani B L S, Bausen A G, Michalski dos Santos B, Marinho M A, Faria M B, Bastos L F, et al. The challenges of dental care provision in patients with learning disabilities and special requirements during COVID-19 pandemic. Spec Care Dentist 2020; 40: 525-527.

  6. Health-108 O. Teaching Ethics and Professionalism to Dental Students. Oral Health Group 2009. Online information available at www.oralhealthgroup.com/features/teaching-ethics-and-professionalism-to-dental-students/ (Accessed March 2021).

  7. Goldthorpe J, Walsh T, Tickle M, Birch S, Hill H, Sanders C, et al. An evaluation of a referral management and triage system for oral surgery referrals from primary care dentists: a mixed-methods study. HS&DR 2018; 6: 1-126.

  8. Lyons R A. Understanding basic behavioural support techniques as an alternative to sedation and anesthesia. Spec Care Dentist 2009; 29: 39-50.

  9. Dougall A, Pani S C, Thompson S, Faulks D, Romer M, Nunn J. Developing an undergraduate curriculum in Special Care Dentistry - by consensus. Eur J Dent Educ 2012; 17: 46-56

  10. NHS. Guides for commissioning dental specialties - Special Care Dentistry. 2015. Online information available at www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2015/09/guid-comms-specl-care-dentstry.pdf (Accessed April 2021).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

    Sabba Hassanein & Hunayda Abdulmula

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  1. Sabba Hassanein
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  2. Hunayda Abdulmula
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Correspondence to Sabba Hassanein.

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Hassanein, S., Abdulmula, H. Exposure to Special Care Dentistry at undergraduate level - is it enough?. BDJ Student 28, 35 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41406-021-0236-0

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