ADEE 2024: EFP session on education in periodontology

At the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE) 2024 congress, held from 7 to 10 September in Leuven, Belgium, the EFP presented a dedicated session highlighting the outcomes of its 2023 Perio Workshop on education in periodontology. While the overall theme of the conference centred on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Oral Health Professionals' Education, the EFP session emphasised the evolving landscape of periodontal education and the pivotal conclusions reached during its November 2023 workshop.

The EFP-ADEE session was chaired by the ADEE congress organiser, Katleen Vandamme, and the EFP Perio Workshop chair, David Herrera, who described the process of the workshop organisation, and justified its need: the changes in the framework for undergraduate education proposed by ADEE, the advances in periodontology with the publication of the 2018 classification and the EFP guidelines, the impact of the COVID pandemic on education methods, and the WHO recommendation to include oral care within primary health care, with the derived challenges in education.

The conclusions of the workshop have been published as a consensus report, which captures key insights and is expected to shape periodontal education across Europe and globally. Recommendations focus on enhancing learning outcomes, teaching methods, and evaluation processes at various educational levels, ranging from undergraduate studies (presented by Wim Teughels) to specialist training (presented by Nikos Donos, EFP education committee chair) and continuing education, including vocational education and training (presented by France Lambert).

Of particular importance are the implications for EFP-accredited postgraduate programmes in periodontology and implant dentistry, which are offered by institutions across Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. The final section of the session by Véronique Christiaens, presented updates on the education methods discussed during the workshop.

The EFP work in reimagining education in periodontology serves as a critical reference for universities and dental schools worldwide. The special issue, including the consensus report and the four invited reviews prepared for the workshop, set to be published in the coming weeks, will offer detailed guidance on how periodontology and implant treatments should be taught at different education levels, ensuring that educators and students alike are well-prepared for the future.

Stay tuned for the release of the report!

EFP Perio Workshop 2023

EFP Perio Workshop 2023 consensus report

ADEE 2024 Programme