Open AccessA Curriculum for the New Dental Practitioner: Preparing Dentists for a Prospective Oral Health Care Environment
Author(s) -
Peter J. Polverini
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.2011.300505
Subject(s) - medicine , health care , curriculum , oral health , family medicine , oral health care , medline , prospective cohort study , nursing , medical education , psychology , political science , pedagogy , surgery , law
The emerging concept of prospective health care would shift the focus of health care from disease management to disease prevention and health management. Dentistry has a unique opportunity to embrace this model of prospective and collaborative care and focus on the management of oral health. Academic dentistry must better prepare future dentists to succeed in this new health care environment by providing them with the scientific and technical knowledge required to understand and assess risk and practice disease prevention. Dental schools must consider creating career pathways for enabling future graduates to assume important leadership roles that will advance a prospective oral health care system.