Fogorvosi szemle, 2005 (98. évfolyam, 1-6. szám)

2005-09-01 / Supplementum

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FOGORVOSI SZEMLE ■ 98. évf. Supplementum, 2005.

The Association for Dental Education in Europe: ADEE, since its foundation in 1975, has served as the main forum for discussion and presented results from a great number of models and experiences in dental education. Professor J. Bánóczy has been President of ADEE from 1992 to 1995. She was awarded Honorary Membership for all her efforts, not the least in bridging the gap in dental education between East and West. ADEE has also been very active seeking the establishment of high quality standards in dental education by developing a catalogue of good practice in dental training and education. With this goal, under the patronage of ADEE, a Thematic Network Project (DentEd) supported by the EU was granted in 1997 (http://www.dented.orgt. These networks have the remit to promote cultural and educative co-operation and act as linkage between the different institutions involved in the specific discipline. DentEd has been able to establish a wide network of dental schools, representing 120 faculties from more than 30 countries. By establishing a model for peer evaluation, based on self-assessment and peer-review visits, it has developed a catalogue of good practice in dental education and has identified innovative models in attaining high standards in dental education throughout Europe [1,2]. After the first phase of DentEd, a new project DentEd Evolves (2000-2003) was funded, that continued the visitation programme and aimed to widen the harmonization process beyond European borders.

)®miiiEd Evolves

Bologna Declaration

At the same time, the impetus of the Bologna Process (1999) under the auspices of the EU governments has raised enormous expectations. It is expected to be the major educational change in Europe in the last 50 years with the aim of developing consensus schemes to arrive in the best possible way to European Convergence in Higher Education (to be completed by 2010). More recently the EU was expended in 2003 with 10 new member states, including Hungary. I had the honour to visit Budapest as member of the so-called TAIEX- mission to give recommendations to the EU parliament concerning the health professions. ADEE together with the DentEd Evolves network has obtained further funding from the European Commission for a new project,

DentEd III (2004-2007). This project will try to develop a curricular model in dentistry, fully compliant with the principles of the Declaration of Bologna and following the methodology and action lines defined by the Tuning Project.

Mobility of students and academic/administrative staff is the basis for establishing a European Higher Education Area. ERASMUS is one of eight actions within the SOCRATES programme for education, dealing with higher education, allowing students to spend a study period (from 3 to 12 months) in another participating country. Full academic recognition of the study period carried out abroad must be ensured before departure. All dental schools should try to remove obstacles to mobility and there should be a commitment of organisers of programmes at dental schools to compare their courses with those of colleagues in other dental schools.

ADEE is keen to preserve diversity in order to give Universities and learners real choice in their dental education. However, this should be accomplished within a common framework and with a high degree of transparency, in order to achieve cohesion in dental education within Europe. This suggested ADEE framework will stimulate the discussion necessary to provide young Europeans with higher educational structures that have a genuine European, rather than a purely national, background.

Although the Bologna recommendation introduces the ‘3-5-8’ model (bachelor-master-doctor) for tertiary education, there are specific professions, mainly professions in the health sector, that are regulated by sectorial directives specifying the minimum educational requirements for obtaining degrees. The possibility of a Bachelor degree in dentistry following the model of The Bologna Declaration, with a 3-4 years duration (180-240 European credits) poses a problem since it conflicts with the European Directive which states: “Member States must ensure that the training given to dental practitioners equips them with the skills needed for prevention, diagnosis and treatment relating to anomalies and illnesses of the teeth, mouth, jaws and associated tissues and must fulfil the minimum training recommendations defined in the Directive”. A Bachelor degree in dentistry after three years of study would not lead to any registration to practise clinical dentistry. It could only lead to establishing joint academic degrees for students taking a Bachelor at one school and a Master after two further years at another school. It could also be used quit after three years and yet have obtained a degree that could be followed with studies at the Master level in a field other than dentistry.

Based on these legal provisions, the proposed ADEE Dental Programme will be comprised of five years of full time education, equivalent to 300 ECTS credits.

In European Higher Education, the Bologna Declaration advocates the modularisation of programmes with mutual recognition across national boundaries whilst implementing a European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) in order to promote students.