A Survey of Postgraduate (Specialist) Orthodontic Education in 23 European Countries

Abstract

This paper reports on a survey of the duration, funding, and assessment of postgraduate specialist orthodontic training, the requirement for postgraduate training prior to entering specialist orthodontic training and registration of specialist orthodontists in Europe. A questionnaire and explanatory letter were mailed to all members of the EURO-QUAL BIOMED II project. Answers were validated during a meeting of project participants and by fax, when necessary. Completed questionnaires which were subsequently validated, were returned by orthodontists from 23 countries. The results indicated that a period of postgraduate training, prior to entering specialist orthodontic training was required in 12 of the responding countries. Specialist orthodontic training was reported as lasting 2 years in three countries, 3 years in 17, and for 4 years in three. Part-time training was reported as a possibility in four countries. In 21 of the 23 countries specialist training was reported to take place in full or part within universities, with some training taking place in government clinics in four countries. In five countries some or all training was reported to take place in specialist practices. Training was said to be funded solely or partially by governments in 15 of the 23 countries, to be solely self-funded in five countries, and partly or solely funded by universities in six countries. A final examination at the end of specialist training was reported to be held in 21 of the 23 countries. The nature of this examination varied widely and there was no such examination in two countries. Twelve of the 23 countries reported that they had a specialist register for orthodontics; 11 that they had no register. In none of the countries surveyed was there a requirement for those on a register to undergo periodic reassessment of competence once they are on the register. It was concluded that there was wide diversity in all aspects of specialist orthodontic training and registration within the countries surveyed.     

A survey of continuing professional education for orthodontists in 23 European countries

This paper reports on a survey of the organization, forms and methods of funding continuing professional education (CPE) for those providing orthodontics in 23 European countries in 1997. A postal questionnaire was sent to all members of the EURO-QUAL II BIOMED project, who came from 28 countries, together with an explanatory letter. Answers were validated during a meeting of project participants and by further correspondence, when necessary. Completed questionnaires, which were subsequently validated, were returned by orthodontists from 23 countries and indicated that orthodontic CPE took place in 22 of the 23 countries surveyed. A number of different bodies were reported as organizing orthodontic CPE. This task was most frequently performed by orthodontic societies (in 22 out of 23 countries), but a number of other bodies were also involved. Practical technique courses were reported as taking place in 20 countries. Other frequently occurring forms of orthodontic CPE were lectures (in 18 countries) and study groups (in 15 countries). Orthodontists were reported as financing their CPE in 22 countries; others, who contributed to some or all of the costs, were the Government (in six countries), employers (in four countries), universities (in four countries), and a dental company (in one country). It was concluded that some orthodontic CPE took place in the vast majority of the countries surveyed, and was invariably organized by and paid for, wholly or in part by orthodontists themselves.     

A survey of perceived problems in orthodontic education in 23 European countries

This paper reports on a survey of perceived problems in the provision of orthodontic education at the stages of undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuing professional education (CPE) in 23 European countries in 1997. A questionnaire, together with an explanatory letter, was mailed to all members of the EUROQUAL II BIOMED project. Answers were validated during a meeting of project participants and by further correspondence, when necessary. The topics covered in the questionnaire were adequacy of funding, numbers of orthodontic teachers, availability of equipment, regulations, training centres, numbers of orthodontists, availability of books, journals, and information technology. Completed questionnaires were returned by orthodontists from all 23 countries. Respondents from seven countries did not answer all questions. Respondents reported a perceived almost universal lack of adequate funding for postgraduate orthodontic training (from 18 out of 20 countries) and, to a lesser extent, at undergraduate (13 out of 20 countries) and CPE levels (17 out of 21 countries). Respondents from 12 of the 20 countries reported adequate numbers of qualified teachers at undergraduate level, but only seven out of 18 at postgraduate level and eight out of 19 for CPE. Lack of suitable equipment was reported as a more frequent problem by central and eastern European countries (six out of 20 countries at undergraduate level, eight out of 20 countries at postgraduate level, and 12 out of 19 at CPE level). Too few or too many regulations were only perceived to be a problem by the respondent from one country out of 19 at undergraduate level, by seven out of 19 at postgraduate level, and by eight out of 16 at CPE level). Lack of training centres was more frequently reported as a problem by respondents from central and eastern European countries, but was generally not perceived as a problem by respondents from west European countries. Respondents from seven countries reported a lack of training centres for CPE. Respondents from six countries reported that they perceived there to be too many orthodontists at postgraduate level, from seven countries that there were an appropriate number, and from seven that there were too few. A lack of books, journals, and information technology was reported to be a problem by respondents from four out of 19 countries at undergraduate level, eight out of 20 at postgraduate level, and 10 out of 20 at CPE level. At both undergraduate and postgraduate level, the majority of respondents from central and eastern European countries reported problems with books, journals, and information technology. The results of the survey confirmed many anecdotal impressions and provided an extremely useful background against which to formulate quality guidelines for orthodontic education in Europe.     

A Survey of Perceived Problems in Orthodontic Education in 23 European Countries

Abstract

This paper reports on a survey of perceived problems in the provision of orthodontic education at the stages of undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuing professional education (CPE) in 23 European countries in 1997. A questionnaire, together with an explanatory letter, was mailed to all members of the EUROQUAL II BIOMED project. Answers were validated during a meeting of project participants and by further correspondence, when necessary. The topics covered in the questionnaire were adequacy of funding, numbers of orthodontic teachers, availability of equipment, regulations, training centres, numbers of orthodontists, availability of books, journals, and information technology. Completed questionnaires were returned by orthodontists from all 23 countries. Respondents from seven countries did not answer all questions. Respondents reported a perceived almost universal lack of adequate funding for postgraduate orthodontic training (from 18 out of 20 countries) and, to a lesser extent, at undergraduate (13 out of 20 countries) and CPE levels (17 out of 21 countries). Respondents from 12 of the 20 countries reported adequate numbers of qualified teachers at undergraduate level, but only seven out of 18 at postgraduate level and eight out of 19 for CPE. Lack of suitable equipment was reported as a more frequent problem by central and eastern European countries (six out of 20 countries at undergraduate level, eight out of 20 countries at postgraduate level, and 12 out of 19 at CPE level). Too few or too many regulations were only perceived to be a problem by the respondent from one country out of 19 at undergraduate level, by seven out of 19 at postgraduate level, and by eight out of 16 at CPE level). Lack of training centres was more frequently reported as a problem by respondents from central and eastern European countries, but was generally not perceived as a problem by respondents from west European countries. Respondents from seven countries reported a lack of training centres for CPE. Respondents from six countries reported that they perceived there to be too many orthodontists at postgraduate level, from seven countries that there were an appropriate number, and from seven that there were too few. A lack of books, journals, and information technology was reported to be a problem by respondents from four out of 19 countries at undergraduate level, eight out of 20 at postgraduate level, and 10 out of 20 at CPE level. At both undergraduate and postgraduate level, the majority of respondents from central and eastern European countries reported problems with books, journals, and information technology. The results of the survey confirmed many anecdotal impressions and provided an extremely useful background against which to formulate quality guidelines for orthodontic education in Europe.     

Profile of lingual orthodontic users in Australia

BACKGROUND: The use of lingual orthodontic appliances and the training background of orthodontists in Australia using the lingual orthodontic technique are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the profile of lingual orthodontic users in Australia. METHODS: Four hundred and fifty questionnaires consisting of 15 questions were sent out to orthodontists in Australia. We obtained a 62 per cent return rate (278) with a 58 per cent rate of completed questionnaires. Statistical analysis using SPSS was performed and various outputs were obtained. RESULTS: Of the completed returns, 23 per cent were current lingual users; 69 per cent were not and 8 per cent were previous users but have stopped using the appliance. The majority (90 per cent) of the current lingual users were males. The highest percentage of users (35 per cent) was in New South Wales while the smallest percentage was in Tasmania (2 per cent). Around 40 per cent of respondents attended lingual courses as part of their specialist training programme, while 73 per cent had attended lingual courses since graduation and 82 per cent would consider attending a lingual course in the future. Of the 60 per cent current users who did not have a lingual component in their specialist training programme, almost nine-tenths had attended lingual courses since graduation. Of the non-lingual users, 14 per cent attended lingual courses as part of their specialist training programme, 28 per cent attended lingual courses since graduation and 38 per cent would consider attending a lingual course in the future. The main reason cited for being a non-lingual user was that lingual orthodontics could not be an integral part of the practice. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the orthodontists who graduated more than 16 years ago from their postgraduate training were non-users of the lingual appliance. It seems that around one in four orthodontists currently use the lingual technique, of which NSW orthodontists make up the largest group. Only one-fifth of users had some lingual component in their formal orthodontic training and about half of them have attended lingual courses after graduation. Almost half of orthodontists in Australia would consider attending a lingual course in the future. This survey provides a sound basis for course co-ordinators to plan for continuing lingual orthodontics in the future.     

An analysis of the effects of place of childhood, undergraduate and postgraduate education upon the regional distribution of specialist orthodontic practitioners.

In 1989, a survey of specialist orthodontic practitioners was carried out. Questionnaires were sent to all members of the British Association of Orthodontists who were engaged in full-time specialist practice. This yielded a response rate of 72%. One part of the questionnaire was directed towards details concerned with the practitioner's place of childhood, undergraduate and postgraduate education. The regions in the UK were grouped into two large areas of the 'north' and the 'south'. It was evident that most of the practitioners had received their orthodontic training in the 'south' of England and were employed within the same region. Detailed data analysis was carried out using the Mantel-Haenszel chi-squared test. This revealed that there was a strong association between the place of postgraduate orthodontic training and place of employment of the specialist practitioner (chi 2 = 48.6, P less than 0.00001). The data suggest that one method of reducing the present unequal distribution of the specialist orthodontic practitioner would be to increase the number of postgraduate training places in those regions with low levels of orthodontic manpower.     

Professional perceptions of the benefits of orthodontic treatment

The aim of this study was to assess general dental practitioners' and orthodontists' perceptions of the benefits of orthodontic treatment. A specially designed questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 150 general dental practitioners (GDPs) and all orthodontists in Northern Ireland (excluding hospital practitioners) with a postgraduate qualification (n = 29). There was a 93 per cent response rate by the general dental practitioners and all but one specialist practitioner returned the questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised 14 visual analogue scales (VAS) whereby participants were asked to rate the importance of various possible dental health and psychosocial benefits of orthodontic treatment. In addition to the VAS, the influence of dentist variables such as number of years since qualification, orthodontic cases completed, referral rates and attendance at postgraduate lectures were examined. When ratings on the 14 dental health and psychosocial scales were examined overall, GDPs rated an improvement in self-esteem while orthodontists considered an improvement in physical attractiveness as the most important benefit of orthodontic treatment. Even though psychosocial variables received the highest ratings, examination of the mean ratings (and 95 per cent confidence intervals) revealed that some dental health factors were also rated highly by both groups. While the results do indicate an encouraging awareness of the psychosocial benefits of orthodontic treatment, they also suggest that both GDPs and orthodontists have an unrealistic expectation of the dental health gain likely to result from orthodontic treatment.     

Geographic distribution of specialist orthodontists and orthodontic providers in Japan

ObjectiveThis study aimed to clarify the geographic distribution of specialist orthodontists and dentists who provide orthodontic services in Japan.MethodsWe obtained data on the populations of 1750 municipalities in Japan in 2010 by referring to the census. We obtained data on the number of dentists who mainly provide orthodontic services (specialist orthodontists) and the number of dentists, including general dentists, who provide orthodontic services (orthodontic providers), by referring to the Survey of Physicians, Dentists, and Pharmacists. Furthermore, we referred to the directory on the website of the Japanese Orthodontic Society (JOS) to obtain data on JOS-qualified orthodontists. To assess the distribution of specialist orthodontists and orthodontic providers, we used Lorenz curves and Gini coefficients.ResultsThe median value for the number of specialist orthodontists and number of JOS-certified orthodontists per 100,000 persons aged between 5 and 40 years old was 0, while that of orthodontic providers was 27.5. Gini coefficients for specialist orthodontists and JOS-certified orthodontists were 0.523 and 0.615, respectively. On the other hand, the Gini coefficient for orthodontic providers was 0.258.ConclusionsRegional inequalities in the availability of specialist orthodontists are high, and medical access to specialist orthodontic services may be limited in areas other than urban districts. In municipalities with a population of fewer than 50,000 inhabitants, the number of specialist orthodontists was very low, but orthodontic providers were relatively evenly distributed. Our research results suggested that studying the distribution of specialist orthodontists and orthodontic providers can provide valuable information for developing dental care policies.     

A survey of undergraduate orthodontic education in 23 European countries

This paper reports on a survey of teaching contents and time allocation within the undergraduate orthodontic curriculum in European countries in 1997, and on whether or not these countries set a formal undergraduate examination in orthodontics. A questionnaire and an explanatory letter were mailed to all members of the EURO-QUAL BIOMED II project. Answers were validated during a meeting of project participants and by fax when necessary. Completed questionnaires, which were subsequently validated, were returned by orthodontists from 23 countries. They indicated that orthodontics was taught in all undergraduate curriculums of the countries surveyed. The number of hours in the undergraduate curriculum devoted to orthodontics was reported as varying from 135 to 500 hours with a mean of 245 hours. The time reported as allocated to theory, clinical practice, laboratory work, diagnosis, and treatment planning varied widely. In general, clinical practice and theory were reported as being allocated most curriculum hours, whilst diagnosis, laboratory work, and treatment planing were reported as receiving relatively less time. Removable appliances were reported to be taught in 22 of the 23 countries, functional appliances in 21 countries and fixed appliances in 17 countries. An undergraduate examination in orthodontics was reported by 20 countries. It was concluded that orthodontics occupies a small proportion of the undergraduate curriculum in dentistry in most countries, the emphasis is on theory and clinical work, and that removable appliances, functional appliances, and certain aspects of fixed appliances are taught in the majority of countries that responded to the questionnaire     

A Survey of Undergraduate Orthodontic Education in 23 European Countries

Abstract

This paper reports on a survey of teaching contents and time allocation within the undergraduate orthodontic curriculum in European countries in 1997, and on whether or not these countries set a formal undergraduate examination in orthodontics. A questionnaire and an explanatory letter were mailed to all members of the EURO-QUAL BIOMED II project. Answers were validated during a meeting of project participants and by fax when necessary. Completed questionnaires, which were subsequently validated, were returned by orthodontists from 23 countries. They indicated that orthodontics was taught in all undergraduate curriculums of the countries surveyed. The number of hours in the undergraduate curriculum devoted to orthodontics was reported as varying from 135 to 500 hours with a mean of 245 hours. The time reported as allocated to theory, clinical practice, laboratory work, diagnosis, and treatment planning varied widely. In general, clinical practice and theory were reported as being allocated most curriculum hours, whilst diagnosis, laboratory work, and treatment planing were reported as receiving relatively less time. Removable appliances were reported to be taught in 22 of the 23 countries, functional appliances in 21 countries and fixed appliances in 17 countries. An undergraduate examination in orthodontics was reported by 20 countries. It was concluded that orthodontics occupies a small proportion of the undergraduate curriculum in dentistry in most countries, the emphasis is on theory and clinical work, and that removable appliances, functional appliances, and certain aspects of fixed appliances are taught in the majority of countries that responded to the questionnaire     

The delivery of orthodontic care in New Zealand. Part I: Analysis of a census of orthodontists.

A two-part study was undertaken to determine the supply of orthodontic services in New Zealand. Part I focuses on services supplied by specialist orthodontists. A companion paper will describe the amount and characteristics of orthodontic services supplied by dentists. All orthodontists in New Zealand in 1999 were surveyed to provide information on practice location and days practiced in 1996 (the year of the last population Census), and the amount and type of orthodontic treatment carried out in the year 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999. The response rate was 78.9 percent. Data from 1996 were used to establish and quantify the location and distribution of orthodontists in New Zealand, and their spatial relationship to 12-year-olds and 10- to 14-year-olds using Geographic Information Systems. The information from 1998-1999 was used to determine the amount and variety of services provided by orthodontists and the makeup of their patient base. Nearly two-thirds of orthodontists had a branch practice. Over 50 percent of the 10- to 14-year-old population resided within 5 km of an orthodontist, and nearly three-quarters within 10 km. Disparities between regions existed in the supply of specialist orthodontic services. The catchment areas of main urban areas had more than three times the supply of orthodontists to 12-year-olds than did the secondary and minor urban areas combined. The mean average active patient load was 371, and the mean number of full upper and lower fixed appliances placed was 130.3 during the year of the study. Nearly half of all patients had been referred from dentists, approximately one-quarter were self-referred, and a quarter had been referred by dental therapists. Adults comprised 12.1 percent of the patient load of orthodontists; 60 percent were female.     

Examining the role of the orthodontist in preventing adolescent tobacco use: a nationwide perspective.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the level of antitobacco practices currently in place in orthodontic offices across the United States, so that an antitobacco standard of care might be derived. METHODS: A 23-item survey was constructed and mailed to 200 orthodontists practicing in the United States, asking about antitobacco counseling and record keeping, concern for the matter, level of preparedness in helping a patient quit smoking, and potential barriers to effective antitobacco practices. RESULTS: A corrected response rate of 59.5% (n = 119) was obtained. Whereas 89.9% of respondents were concerned about tobacco use by their adolescent patients, only 50% reported actually asking their patients whether they use tobacco. Most orthodontists (67.5%) reported that they are either "not sure" or "not ready" to provide effective cessation counseling to patients who use tobacco, but 61.1% would be willing to integrate a tobacco control program into their practices. No orthodontists were familiar with the National Cancer Institute's strategy for doctors to help their patients stop tobacco habits, called the "Five A's" (formerly the "Four A's"). CONCLUSION: Because of the unique and often positive interactions orthodontists have with their adolescent patients, members of the specialty can play significant roles in educating patients about the health effects of tobacco use. Because of the lack of adequate training, this education is not taking place in orthodontic practices in the United States.     

An evaluation of cone-beam computed tomography use in postgraduate orthodontic programs in the United States and Canada

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in postgraduate orthodontic residency programs. An anonymous electronic survey was sent to the program director/chair of each of the sixty-nine United States and Canadian postgraduate orthodontic programs, with thirty-six (52.2 percent) of these programs responding. Overall, 83.3 percent of programs reported having access to a CBCT scanner, while 73.3 percent reported regular usage. The vast majority (81.8 percent) used CBCT mainly for specific diagnostic purposes, while 18.2 percent (n=4) used CBCT as a diagnostic tool for every patient. Orthodontic residents received both didactic and practical (hands-on) training or solely didactic training in 59.1 percent and 31.8 percent of programs, respectively. Operation of the CBCT scanner was the responsibility of radiology technicians (54.4 percent), both radiology technicians and orthodontic residents (31.8 percent), and orthodontic residents alone (13.6 percent). Interpretation of CBCT results was the responsibility of a radiologist in 59.1 percent of programs, while residents were responsible for reading and referring abnormal findings in 31.8 percent of programs. Overall, postgraduate orthodontic program CBCT accessibility, usage, training, and interpretation were consistent in Eastern and Western regions, and most CBCT use was for specific diagnostic purposes of impacted/supernumerary teeth, craniofacial anomalies, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.     

Adolescent suicide in orthodontics: results of a survey

Suicide among adolescents is a psychosocial problem that confronts today's teenagers and society in alarming proportions. The wounds from this tragedy scar adolescents and their families both physically and emotionally. By virtue of a tradition for early treatment and the periodic nature of orthodontic care during critical psychologic development, the orthodontist is in a position to recognize early warning signs of adolescent suicide. A survey of 1000 practicing orthodontists and 54 department chairpersons of orthodontic postgraduate programs assessed the relevance of this issue to the profession, the nature of educational information previously and currently available in orthodontic curricula, and the frequency with which suicidal behavior is noted in orthodontic practice. Guidelines for recognition and intervention are provided. The results indicate that (1) adolescent suicide is of concern to orthodontists, (2) academic information has focused on the general aspects of psychology but not on the recognition and intervention, and (3) 50% of those surveyed have had at least one patient attempt suicide, whereas 25% have had a young patient actually commit suicide.     

A survey of the delegation of orthodontic tasks and the training of chairside support staff in 22 European countries

This paper reports on a survey which was undertaken to investigate the delegation of orthodontic tasks and the training of chairside support staff in Europe. Two questionnaires were posted to all members of the EURO-QUAL BIOMED II project together with an explanatory letter. The first dealt with the delegation of nine clinical tasks during orthodontic treatment. The second with the types of chairside assistant employed in each country and the training that they are given. Completed questionnaires, which were subsequently validated, were returned by orthodontists from 22 countries. They indicated that there was no delegation of clinical tasks in six of the 22 countries and delegation of all nine tasks in five countries. The most commonly delegated tasks were taking radiographs (in 14 of the 22 countries) and taking impressions (in 13 of the 22 countries). The least commonly delegated tasks were cementing bands (in five of the 22 countries) and trying on bands (in six of the 22 countries). Seven of the 22 countries provided chairside assistants with training in some clinical orthodontic tasks. Eighteen of the 22 countries provided general training for chairside assistants and offered a qualification for chairside assistants. Four of these 18 countries reported that they only employed qualified chairside assistants. Of the four countries which reported that they did not provide a qualification for chairside assistants, two indicated that they employed chairside assistants with no formal training and two that they did not employ chairside assistants. It was concluded that there were wide variations within Europe as far as the training and employment of chairside assistants, with or without formal qualifications, and in the delegation of clinical orthodontic tasks to auxiliaries was concerned.     

Survey of dental practice/dental education in Victoria. Part IV. Specialist dental practice

A survey of dentists registered with the Dental Board and resident in the State of Victoria included two sections, one for specialist/restricted practitioners and the other for practitioners, who had gained a postgraduate degree from the University of Melbourne between December 1982 and 1987. The responses of the former suggested that demand for most specialist services appears to be reasonably healthy at the moment and the majority of the latter indicated that they had been adequately trained for specialist practice. It was suggested that there are several market forces which could influence the number of applicants seeking specialist training in future. Strongest demand was likely to be sustained for oral surgery and orthodontics. This is despite evidence of a decline in demand for specialist orthodontic services in private practice. Attention was drawn to the 1986 Ministerial Review of Dental Services in Victoria, in which concern was expressed for the lack of access to orthodontic services for low income families. It was proposed that more cost-effective methods of deploying orthodontic personnel could be used, as in other countries, to provide this access. Demand for specialist services in endodontics, paediatric dentistry, periodontics and prosthodontics could decline in future as general practitioners steadily broaden their range of services through continuing education courses.     

Editorial

Abstract

Free movement of dental practitioners between the United Kingdom and The Netherlands presents no registration problems. Difficulties still exist for the registration of orthodontic specialists, but these should be solved with the introduction of the specialist register in Britain. Information is presented here which describes the mechanism for registration.     

Inter-examiner variability in orthodontic treatment decisions for Danish children with 'borderline' treatment need

This study explored the variation between examiners in the orthodontic treatment need assessments of fifth-grade children with a borderline orthodontic treatment need. Each of three groups of children with borderline treatment need (n = 18, 19, and 19, respectively) were examined by one of three groups of orthodontists (33 in each group), whereby each of 56 children had 33 orthodontic treatment need assessments based on a clinical examination. This treatment need determination exercise was subsequently repeated with treatment need determined based on study casts and extraoral photographs. The proportion of positive treatment decisions based on the clinical examination was 49.3, 49.6, and 52.5 per cent, respectively, and 45.7, 46.3, and 50.5 per cent, based on the model assessments. There was a considerable disagreement between examiners in the treatment need assessments, whether assessments were based on a clinical examination or on a model-based case presentation. The average percentage agreement between two orthodontists for the treatment need based on clinical examination was 69, 66, and 61, respectively, corresponding to mean kappa values of 0.38, 0.32, and 0.22. When the model-based assessments were considered, the average percentage agreement between two orthodontists was 62, 58, and 69, respectively, corresponding to mean kappa values of 0.25, 0.16, and 0.37. Linear regression analysis of the orthodontists' treatment propensity as a function of their gender, place of education, years of orthodontic treatment experience, type of workplace, and place of work showed that only the orthodontic experience was influential for the model-based treatment propensity [β = 0.34 per cent/year (95 per cent confidence interval = 0.01-0.66)].     

The effectiveness and efficiency of hygienists in carrying out orthodontic auxiliary procedures.

The aim of this study was to compare the ability and efficiency of dental hygienists, after preliminary training as orthodontic auxiliaries, with post-graduate orthodontists. The study was cross-sectional and prospective. The sample consisted of five second-year hygienists and five qualified orthodontists from Manchester University Dental Hospital. All subjects carried out a range of orthodontic exercises on phantom head typodonts. The ability and efficiency for each task was measured, and comparison made between hygienists and orthodontic groups. There was no statistically significant differences between hygienists and orthodontists in terms of their ability to carry out potential orthodontic auxiliary procedures. However, orthodontists were more efficient (P < 0.05). The ability of hygienists to carry out potential orthodontic auxiliary tasks after appropriate training is supported. Trained orthodontists are more efficient than newly trained hygienists in carrying out potential orthodontic auxiliary tasks.     

An update on orthodontic manpower in ireland

There has been considerable debate in Europe over the past few years on manpower requirements in orthodontics. In some countries today the need for orthodontic care cannot be accommodated due to lack of professional manpower whereas in others a surplus of orthodontic treatment facilities exists. The aim of the present study was to establish a baseline for orthodontic demographics in the Republic of Ireland. The number of orthodontists currently practising in Ireland was identified together with the number of Irish graduates currently on training programmes. Population figures were obtained from the Central Statistics Office. The orthodontic manpower situation has altered dramatically in the Republic of Ireland over the past 20 years. The number of 12-year-olds per orthodontist has reduced over the past 18 years from 2773 in 1980 to 890 in 1998. The age profile of the orthodontists presently practising in Ireland is low with an expected retirement over the next 20 years of only 28 of the 69 orthodontists identified. This study provides baseline information on orthodontic manpower in Ireland, and will facilitate Ireland's participation in similar or comparative studies in the future.