Specialisation and specialist education in prosthetic dentistry in Europe

This presentation reports on the results of a meeting of prosthodontists from selected European countries. The aim of the meeting was to analyse and promote specialisation and specialist education in Prosthetic Dentistry in Europe. Representatives for Europe were selected from the European Prosthodontic Association (EPA) board, the Education and Research Committee of International College of Prosthodontists (ICP), countries with a legally recognised speciality, countries without a recognised speciality but organised training programmes and countries with neither of these situations. Data about specialisation and specialist training in Prosthodontics in Europe was scrutinised and discussed. The programmes for countries with specialist training had relatively similar content, mostly of three years duration. There was strong agreement that a recognised speciality raises the level of care within the discipline for both specialists and non-specialists. In several of the countries where a speciality had been introduced it had been initiated by pressure from public health planning authorities. The conclusions are that from a professional viewpoint an advancement of the speciality over Europe would develop the discipline, improve oral health planning and quality of patient care. A working group for harmonisation was recommended.

Surgical Manual of Implant Dentistry: Step-by-Step Procedures

The purpose of this practical manual is to describe and illustrate each step of the basic surgical procedures involved in the placement of implants in qualified patients. To that end, each procedure is briefly but lucidly described; carefully illustrated in a series of drawings of the techniques and instrumentation used; and reinforced through clinical photographs, including radiographic and postoperative follow-up views. In addition to the basic implant surgical principles, evidence-based indications and procedures for guided bone regeneration in apical fenestration and crestal dehiscence defects, and for simultaneous sinus floor elevation via the lateral window and osteotome techniques are featured.

[Effects of tobacco use on systemic health: relevant information for dentistry (II)--part 2: cardiovascular diseases and public health issues]

This is the sixth and concluding part of a series of publications from the Swiss task force named "Smoking - Intervention in the private dental office" on the topic "tobacco use and dental medicine". The focus of this review is the effects of smoking for the development of atherosclerosis as pathohistological correlate for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), arterial occlusive disease, and cerebrovascular diseases (stroke). Additionally, a causal relationship between tobacco use and an increased rate for complications during pregnancy and child birth will be discussed. Next to causal therapy of local and systemic diseases in general, an emphasis must be given to tobacco use prevention and cessation. Finally, important public health issues concerning smoking and tobacco use will be demonstrated, and options to improve the current situation will be presented.

[Effects of tobacco use on general health: relevant information for dentistry (I)--part 1: pulmonary diseases and other malignancies]

This fifth part of a series of publications from the Swiss task force named "Smoking--Intervention in the private dental office" on the topic "tobacco use and dental medicine" focuses on the effects of tobacco use on general health. A significant increase of tobacco use associated morbidity and mortality for many cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases has been well documented in the literature. In this review, the epidemiologic background as well as the pathophysiological fundamentals for tobacco-mediated pulmonary diseases is presented, focusing especially on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. In addition, a causal relationship between nicotine abuse and an increased carcinoma incidence for other malignancies but lung cancer will be discussed. Regarding the evidence in the present literature, it is undisputable that smoking is the most preventable cause for COPD and lung cancer.