Oral Medicine units are based in Higher Education Institutions committed to high standards of education:
- For students prior to registration with the relevant national regulator and independent practice
- For continuing professional development for members of the dental and medical team
- For preparation for professional exams
- As part of postgraduate degrees
Postgraduate Qualifications
Opportunities exist in many Oral Medicine units to study for postgraduate degrees that include an element of research. These may include Masters, Professional Doctorate and Doctorate degrees. For opportunities at any particular time contact the leads for Education in the individual Oral Medicine Units listed on this Web.
Lectures & Courses
Lectures and courses covering the spectrum of Oral Medicine practice are delivered on a regular basis by Society members. These typically focus on professional development of members of the Dental Team after registration, but may also be delivered to other groups including general medical practitioners or hospital specialists.
Lectures and courses are often organised by Postgraduate Dental Deaneries as well as by other professional organisations including the British Dental Association.
Books
With the links to Dental Schools and Universities it is not surprising that Society members have written many books and other publications about Oral Medicine. Some of these are award-winning, run into multiple editions with translation into several different languages. The professional development of thousands of students and registered practitioners has been supported over the years.
Raising Clinical Standards in Oral Medicine
The British Society for Oral Medicine seeks to improve the quality of life of patients who fall within the scope of the specialty by promoting excellence in the 3 inter-related themes of:
• Clinical care
• Research
• Education
Education – best practice
The commitment to best educational practice is reflected in the number of Society members who have undertaken formal postgraduate education qualifications and become Fellows of the Higher Education Academy.
StR Forum
The Society has supported development of the National Specialty Training Forum in Oral Medicine. This has run each year since 2011. It brings together specialty trainees (the next generation of specialists) and current specialists to train in a safe environment.
The Forum focuses on areas of training that are difficult to achieve. It includes challenging scenarios that are run with trained simulated patients. At the end of the simulation there is constructive discussion between all involved and identification of key learning points for professional development. Oral Medicine is currently the only specialty of dentistry that takes this approach to help raised standards.
Ensuring Quality in Education
Ensuring that education is of high quality is important for the learners and those delivering the teaching. Education of student members of the dental team is rigorously checked internally and by others external to the organisation delivering the training. Similar mechanisms are in place to monitor the progress of specialty trainees as they meet the curriculum outcomes. All specialty trainees are required to collect evidence in the same way to help ensure the required standards are being met.
Undergraduate Education
Most Oral Medicine units in the UK and Ireland have students attached to the clinics. These are not only dental students, but also other members of the Dental Team including student dental hygienists and dental therapists. The student attachments form an important part of training before the students complete their programmes of study and become independent practitioners registered with the General Dental Council.
The Society is preparing a curriculum for undergraduate dental students to support common goals being achieved by new graduates. This draws on the education expertise of Society members, some of who have been involved in the professional development of thousands of students.