WAYS OF OPTIMIZATION OF PRACTICAL TRAINING OF HIGHER EDUCATION GRADUATES IN DENTISTRY

Abstract

The process of reforming the national health care system, including dental care, has necessitated appropriate transformations in undergraduate and postgraduate higher medical and dental education. Under the new conditions, the provisions of the Standard of Higher Education of the second (master’s) level of knowledge 22 Health care in the specialty 221 Dentistry in terms of practical training of applicants lose prospects to be fully implemented. The adopted regulations do not solve many problems of the relationship between dental departments of medical universities and health care institutions in the status of municipal non-profit enterprise. The functions of research and teaching staff regarding the clinical work they have to perform during practical classes with applicants remain unclear. This state of affairs actualizes the search for ways to optimize the practical training of applicants for higher dental education. One of the ways is to create multifunctional simulation dental centers in higher education institutions, where applicants should develop practical skills on models, simulators and phantoms. At the same time, such centers need to be provided with the latest equipment, tools and materials, which, with limited funding, seems to be a difficult task, in particular for relocated institutions. In the case of the opening of university clinics, it is important to provide dental care with the involvement of applicants on a free basis for patients. However, only a quarter of all higher education institutions that provide appropriate training have university clinics in their structure. Conclusion. In the conditions of the reformed system of dental care, the ways to optimize the practical training of applicants in Dentistry are to operate in higher education simulation dental centers and university clinics, where dental care with applicants should be provided free of charge.