It is excellent news for the Faculty of Dentistry which just joined the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE). In this context, the unit also recently participated in the Annual Meeting of the Association in Oslo, Norway, from August 22nd to 24th.

For the Faculty of Dentistry of the Universidad de La Frontera it is important to be part of this organization that brings European and non-European university faculties of dentistry, as well as specialized societies and other institutions related to dental education, together.

“From our point of view, this association is a global leader in dental education and, above all, able to bring different countries with different realities together and gives a certain orientation and consensus in dental education, what we really appreciate because there are a lot of experiences which we can review, observe and apply,” Dr. Ramón Fuentes, dean of the UFRO Faculty of Dentistry, explained.

In this regard, he added: “We believe that being part of the Association for Dental Education is an important step for the Universidad de La Frontera. First, because it allows us to get to know what is done in Europe; and second, what is done in the rest of the associated countries; and finally, we will have the possibility to participate in their activities and, in the future, in some accompanying and quality assurance programs.”

ANNUAL MEETING

The first activity of the Faculty of Dentistry of the Universidad de La Frontera as a member of ADEE was the participation in the Annual Meeting at the University of Oslo in Norway between August 22nd to 24th under the heading “Dental Education in a Changing Society”. One of the UFRO participants was Paulina Hofer who is a teacher and member of the team that manages the Dental School.

“I had the opportunity to participate as a representative of the UFRO Faculty of Dentistry and the State Network of Dentistry, and to get updated on the developments and new techniques, to observe and dialogue with directives about what is happening regarding research and development, in meetings with authorities of several European faculties and through observations during the poster presentations. And I also had the chance to participate in the general program with activities around the city, besides of listening to European speakers regarding dentistry around the world.”

The academic added: “It was important to participate in the workshops and groups with special focus on the syllabus of the program and it was enriching to create international networks. This kind of encounters favor the extrapolation and reflection about the quality of our dentistry program in relation to what happens in other countries.”

The next Annual Meeting of ADEE will take place in Berlin, Germany, in 2019. During the final General Assembly this year, the member institutions were invited to actively participate in this meeting.

Written by: Soledad Millapán
Faculty of Dentistry