Implant dentistry curriculum in undergraduate education: part 2-program at the Albert-Ludwigs University, Freiburg,...

The aim of this study was to describe the didactic and clinical undergraduate implant dentistry program of the Albert-Ludwigs University, Freiburg, Germany, with emphasis on the clinical implant experience.

A detailed description of the implant curriculum at Albert-Ludwigs University is given with documented exemplary cases and additional flow charts.

All students participate in 28 hours of lectures and approximately 64 hours of seminars with hands-on courses and gain clinical experience. All undergraduate students are eligible to place and restore oral implants. Emphasis is placed on prosthetic-driven planning of implant positions, three-dimensional imaging, and computer-guided implant placement. Implant restorations performed by undergraduate students comprise single crowns and small multiunit fixed dental prostheses in partially edentulous posterior maxillae and anterior or posterior mandibles, implant-retained overdentures (snap attachment) in edentulous patients, and telescopic fixed-removable dental prostheses on remaining teeth and strategically placed additional implants. Over the past 2.5 years, 51 patients were treated with 97 dental implants placed by students in the undergraduate program. Seventy-one restorations were inserted: 60.6% single crowns, 7% fixed dental protheses, 21.1% overdentures, and 11.3% telescopic fixed-removable dental prostheses. The implant survival rate was 98.9%.

Because survival rates for dental implants placed and restored by students are comparable to those of experienced dentists, oral implant dentistry should be implemented as part of the undergraduate dental curriculum.