Global Overview on Current Paediatric Dentistry Teaching: A Survey of National Member Societies of the IAPD.

Abstract

There is limited published information on the teaching and recognition of paediatric dentistry (PD) worldwide. To investigate the status of current teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate training in PD and identify differences by country-level economic development. Representatives from 80 national member societies of the IAPD were invited to complete a questionnaire on undergraduate and postgraduate PD curricula, types of postgraduate education offered and recognition of the specialty. Country economic development level was classified according to World Bank criteria. Chi-square test and Spearman correlation coefficient were used for data analysis (α=0.005) RESULTS: Response rate was 63%. Teaching of PD at the undergraduate level was present in all countries, but PD specialization, Masters, and PhD coursework was offered in 75%, 64%, and 53% of surveyed countries, respectively. Postgraduate specialization courses were offered in a significantly larger proportion of high-income countries than in upper-middle or lower-middle income countries (p<0.01). In 20% of participating countries, PD was not an officially recognized specialty with no difference in recognition of the specialty by country's economic development level (p=0.62). PD is taught at the undergraduate level universally but at the postgraduate level there are significantly fewer available courses especially in lower-income countries.