Are Implant Supported Overdentures too Complex to be Included in the Undergraduate Curriculum?

Abstract - To widen the availability of implant supported mandibular overdentures, their inclusion in the undergraduate clinical training curriculum has been encouraged. The aim was to determine whether implant supported mandibular overdentures provided by undergraduates could achieve similar levels of improvement in patient satisfaction and quality of life as previously demonstrated by experienced prosthodontists. Nineteen patients were treated by Stage 3 undergraduate students at Newcastle University, School of Dental Sciences. Changes between pre-treatment and 3 month post-treatment satisfaction and oral health related quality of life suggest dental undergraduates achieve similar levels of improvement as experienced prosthodontists.

KEYWORDS: Undergraduate, implant support overdenture, quality of life.