Dental Public Health (2011)

This curriculum states the intended content, experiences, processes and learning outcomes of specialty training programmes in Dental Public Health, including a description of the structure and expected methods of learning, teaching, feedback and supervision. It sets out what knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours the trainee will achieve. It is, however, accepted that programmes will vary in the extent to which they provide exposure to particular aspects of training.

It is expected that the trainee will, prior to entry to training and during training, demonstrate that they comply with GDC Standards for Dental Professionals. The generic learning outcomes specified as learning outcomes of this curriculum, therefore, specifically pertain to the practice of Dental Public Health. The key areas of good Dental Public Health practice which have been developed using the key areas of good public health practice identified by the Faculty of Public Health of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom are listed below.

Key areas of good Dental Public Health practice:

Oral health surveillance
Assessing the evidence on oral health and dental interventions, programmes and services
Policy and strategy development and implementation
Strategic leadership and collaborative working for health
Oral health improvement
Health and public protection
Developing and monitoring quality dental services
Dental Public Health intelligence
Academic Dental Public Health
Appropriate decision-making and judgement
Appropriate attitudes, ethical understanding and legal responsibilities
Role within the Health Service
Personal Development

The following tables detail the content of the curriculum grouped by these key areas of good Dental Public Health practice.

The Appendix to this document provides further detail regarding the means by which individual learning outcomes may be assessed - this provisional assessment strategy will be further developed over the next two years.