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“Dentists are trained nowadays to take on a
Dental education in Eastern Finland was
discontinued in 1998, which resulted in
an acute need for dentists in the region. It was
decided to start teaching again on the Kuopio
campus of the University of Eastern Finland
in the autumn of 2010.
The new teaching environment aims to
provide the most modern dental training
in Finland, with dentists graduating with a
more versatile skill set than the traditional
job description requires. “We want to
educate doctors specializing in the mouth
area who care for the health of the whole
person through oral care,” says Professor Jari
Kellokoski, Director of the University of
Eastern Finland Institute of Dentistry.
Students are taught to prioritise the kind
of treatment that is most essential and urgent
for the patient. “For example, if the patient
is very overweight, the matter should be
discussed, and it should be considered
whether it would be necessary to consult a
nutritional therapist, an internist, etc. Excess
weight causes an ongoing inflammatory
process in the body, making conditions such
as gingivitis difficult to treat in such patients.
Gingivitis in turn affects the entire body and is
harmful in relation to many general diseases.”
Similarly, students are taught to suspect
sleep apnea on the basis of facial bone
structure, as well as to explore causes of
headaches, for example. “The idea is that
a whole person is treated at the reception,
not just a set of teeth, as has been the case
traditionally. What we seek to do now is to
ensure that people receive the treatment they
need. Dentistry should be taken as a part of
overall health care.”
Planmeca dental units
as modern teaching aids
When selecting a provider for the new
learning environment, one of the many
criteria was that the leg rest on the patient’s
chair in the dental unit could fold down 90
degrees. “The patient will be interviewed face-
to-face today, and the traditional dental unit is
not suitable for this purpose. The Planmeca
patient chairs also function as a consultation
chair. When the leg rest is down, the dentist
can sit easily in front of the patient.”
The importance of medical history is
emphasised in modern dental education.
“One should talk with the patient for some
time before doing anything else. In an upright
position, the neck and lymph nodes can also
be examined. The first visit is often used for
discussion alone, and people must get used to
this change. Dentists are being taught more
and more these days to take on the role of
consultant.”
Good ergonomics right
from the start
Planmeca's idea behind the learning
environment is that students learn good
working ergonomics right from the start
of their studies by practicing with real
dental units. Neck and shoulder disorders
are general occupational health problems
for dental practitioners, so acquiring the
right ergonomics is important even before
beginning to work with patients.
“In simulation, the treatment stations
are exactly the same as they are in real
patient care. Attached to the dental unit is
a torso with neck joints that bend with the
more versatile role than the traditional one,”
says Professor Jari Kellokoski from the
University of Eastern Finland. On the left,
Mr. Esko Hokkanen from Plandent Oy.
headrest just like a real person’s neck does,” 21
explains Plandent Regional Manager Esko
Hokkanen. The dental unit is suitable for
both simulated training and for normal
dental care and treatment. “The torsos can be
removed and placed in their specially made
storage bags.”
The torso has a chest area as well, so
during simulation exercises, the anatomical
conditions are correct the whole time. “You
have to move yourself in relation to the
patient's chest,” says Kellokoski. In addition,
the wireless foot controls and foot-adjustable
working chairs provide additional ergonomic
support.
Seamless collaboration with
the university hospital
Kuopio University Hospital is located next
to the Institute of Dentistry: easy access is
provided by a tunnel 200 meters long. Larger
X-rays can be taken at the hospital, while
intraoral images are taken at the institute. “The
hospital's oral imaging center is equipped
with all the latest available technology, and
in December it got the Planmeca ProFace®
face photo system. Similarly, ultrasound
equipment is available and it is possible to
carry out laboratory tests in the hospital.”
During simulations, students can practice
taking X-ray images of the skull. The teacher
authorises taking pictures from his or her
own workstation, as well as approves the
images.
The students are also taught how to
recognise changes in facial skin. The changes
are photographed and sent directly to the
hospital dermatologist for consultation.