Dental education--where it needs to be. Dentistry for the community.

摘要

Dentistry has traditionally emulated the hierarchies and structures of medicine with dental hospitals based on the secondary care model of acute hospitals. This includes consultants, knowledgeable in their speciality but, arguably, with little connection to the world of general dental practitioners (GDPs) and their patients, except by referral. Whilst consultants and specialists are undeniably needed in, and valuable to, the dental community, is the hospital environment the most appropriate for developing future GDPs? Should dental schools necessarily be placed within dental hospitals?