Association for Dental Education in Europe

Learning together to improve oral health and quality of life

Challenges for dental hygienists education – WHO global action plan, inter- and intraprofessional collaboration, AI

Tuesday, 10th September 2024 - 09:00 to 10:30
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Timezone: 

CEST (Brussels Time)

Duration: 

90 Minutes

HP3
Session synopsis: 
Challenges for dental hygienists education - WHO global action plan, inter- and intraprofessional collaboration, AI.

During the SIG, organized by the EHDF in 2023, four discussion groups mainly discussed how it is possible to include sustainability and interprofessional collaboration in the four domains of the Common Education Curriculum (CEC) for dental hygienists, and whether research should be added. The results from this 2023 SIG are going to be used to update the CEC.

The WHO oral health action plan has a positive impact on the recognition on Dental Hygiene profession as the shift from curative towards preventive apprach was highlighted in the document. Education of dental hygienists as preventive oral health care specialists has to meet new challenges like sustainability, interprofessional and intraprofessional collaboration, AI in Dental hygiene and research.

In order to set goal fort he future dental hygienist, it is essential to find how these topic could be reflected in the curriculum of Dental Hygienists education and what oppurtunities and challenges awaits dental hygiene educators.

In 2023, we did not get around to discussing the WHO oral health action plan and what role the dental hygienist (can) play in this. EDHF want to use the SIG 2024 to delve a little further into the WHO Oral health action plan and what this means for dental hygienists in Europe and, by extension, what it means for the CEC. Another topic is the importance of oral health for general health and how oral health workers, the medical team and the social and wellfare domain can work together to make a healthy mouth possible for every world citizen  and reach the goals in the WHO oral health action plan. There are currently barriers that make collaboration difficult. What pain points are there and how can we tackle them for the future.

The theme of this ADEE conference is Artificial Intelligence and education. What can AI means for the work of the dental hygienist and how should it be included in education.

Programme: 
14:00

Introduction and objectives for the SIG

14:10

Presentation: WHO Global Oral Health Action Plan 2023-2030 for dental hygienists

14:20

Presentation: Dental hygienists as an active part in interprofessional collaboration

14:30

Presentation: AI in dental hygiene education

14:40

Discussion

15:00 

Mentimeter Survey

15:30

Conclusions and future plans

Chair: 

Ellen Bol – van den Hil

Vicepresident, Director
European Dental Hygienists Federation / Dutch Dental Hygienists Association

Ellen Bol – van den Hil, RDH, is vicepresident of the European Dental Hygienists Federation as well as director of the Dutch Dental Hygienists Association. Ellen completed her study on dental hygiene in 1978 and upgraded to bachelor degree in 2009. Ellen was member of the project group for the developing of the first version of the Common Education Curriculum for Dental Hygienists and one of the authors of the introduction article about the CEC in de Journal of Dental Education Europe. She was also involved in developing the European professional profile for dental hygienists. Besides she is owner of a dental hygienists practice in the Netherlands.

Gitana Rederiene

President
European Dental Hygienists Federation / Lithuanian Dental Hygienists Association

Dr. Gitana Rederiene is a President of the European Dental Hygienists Federation as well as a Founder and current President of the Lithuanian Dental Hygienists Association. She is also a board member of the Odontology faculty of Lithuanian Health Science University, as well as a consultant for a few dental hygiene programs in Lithuania.  She completed her Dental Hygiene and Public Health studies at Lithuanian Health Science University in Kaunas and defended her doctoral thesis at Vilnius University Medical Faculty in Public health. Her main research topic is the greater empowerment of the professional group of dental hygienists and a clearer role in shaping the oral health policy. She is a practising dental hygienist at the University clinic as well as holds courses for continuing education on various topics nationally and internationally.  Dr. Gitana Rederiene is also a member of European Association Dental Public Health.

Learning Outcomes: 

Understand what the WHO Oral Health action plan means for the dental hygienist in Europe and the Common Education Curriculum (CEC) - the topics that must be included in the CEC are identified.

The barriers that exist to enable collaboration between the oral care team, the medical team and the social and welfare domain have been mapped and opportunities to improve collaboration identified.

An inventory has been made of what AI can mean for the work of a dental hygienist and what should be included in the CEC.

© ADEE 2019

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