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Eriksen HM, Bergdahl M et al. Eur J Dent Educ 2011; 15: 3–7

The merits of outreach teaching have been well ventilated. But there are continuing concerns as to the cost-effectiveness and the supervision by 'uncalibrated dental personnel lacking necessary pedagogic qualifications.' This outreach programme, co-ordinated by the Institute for Clinical Dentistry in Tromsø, placed particular emphases on 1) the delivery of care encompassing a dental public health ethos and 2) the robust training of outreach tutors. Two students are allocated to each outreach clinic for a total of 30 weeks. The programme was well received by both the students and tutors. However, tutors considered that the students placed too much emphasis on invasive dentistry in preference to preventative care. Concerns common to both groups, were that the 'case-mix' was less than ideal.