Current status of dental geriatric education in Korea / 대한치과보철학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the current status of dental geriatric education in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One of the faculty members related in geriatric education was selected in each Korean dental school and the questionnaire on geriatric dental education was sent to them by e-mail. The questionnaire consists of the topics about undergraduate geriatric education and administration of the geriatric education. The information obtained from the questionnaire was compared with that of other countries in the aspects of curriculum, teaching methods, subjects, and existence of specific clinics, etc. RESULTS: Seven schools have geriatric dentistry in undergraduate education curriculum. Among those, only two schools had it taught by theoretical lecture as well as clinical lecture. Two dental schools had specific geriatric clinic among seven dental schools. Compared with the USA and western European countries, the geriatric dental education in Korea is at a developing stage and was perfunctory without diverse clinical experience. CONCLUSION: In Korean dental schools, geriatric education was mostly conducted by lectures, and clinical teaching programs were not well organized compared with developed countries. It seems that the status of geriatric dental education in Korea has not been well established academically or administratively yet.