Process and outcome of a visitation to a Central-European dental school

The Advisory Committee on the Training of Dental Practitioners of the EU (ACTDP) in order to ensure a comparably demanding standard in dental education, recommended in 1986 a self-assessment system, and visitations to dental training establishments. After some visitations in EU member countries, a visit was organized to the Dental Faculty, Semmelweis University of Medicine, Budapest, at the request of the Hungarian institution. The completion of the self-assessment questionnaire, and the organization of the visit occurred according to the general guidelines. The visit took place in September 1994, by a team consisting of 4 members. The results of the 3-day visit, and recommendations of the visitation team were presented in a written report, approved by the leaders of the Hungarian Faculty. As a consequence, a curriculum reform was elaborated at the visited Dental School, following the guidelines given by the visitation team, approved by the Faculty in 1996. Summarizing the outcome of the visit, this seemed to be very useful for the visited Dental Faculty, and helped to overcome difficulties in establishing a new curriculum, with better harmonization to EU standards. However, benefits may also derive from these visits for EU countries as well, for convergence in oral health education is of mutual importance for both sides.