An investigation of complete denture teaching in the UK: part 2. The DF1 experience

This paper, the second in a series of two (see 2013; 215: 177-181), investigates the opinions of a cohort of dental foundation year 1 (DF1) practitioners regarding their skills and competence in relation to their educational background in complete dentures.

With the permission of the Dean of the London Deanery a questionnaire was emailed to the ten London Foundation year 1 training schemes for distribution to approximately 100 DF1s. Five schemes responded with total of 56 completed questionnaires (56%).

The average number of complete dentures made as undergraduates was three. Forty-six percent had no experience in making copy dentures. An average of 2 (median 2.05) immediate replacement dentures were made; only 10% made 8-15 dentures. None had experience in implant-supported dentures. Thirty-five percent enjoyed their undergraduate training whereas 45% did not. Thirty-seven percent felt that their training had given them experience and confidence in complete dentures but 32% were of the opposite opinion. Sixty-three percent felt complete dentures were an important or very important aspect of dentistry. Six percent completely disagreed. The majority were confident in making impressions while 39% lacked confidence in registering jaw relations. Thirty-five percent were confident with chairside adjustments at the intermediary treatment stages but 28% were not. Sixty-three percent were confident in the fitting of new dentures and 64% with the after-care. There was no significant gender difference in the responses. There was a significant difference between the London and non-London trained DF1s. The London trained respondents made significantly fewer dentures than the non-London trained cohort. The latter also rated complete denture treatment as being more important. The comments section revealed that 43% felt that they had a lack of experience; only 5% were confident, 16% thought that complete denture treatment would become obsolete and only 5% recognised the continuing importance of complete denture treatment.

There is a disparity between the comments which indicate a lack of confidence in complete denture treatment and the response to the questionnaire. Other authors have commented on the lack of experience that has resulted in new graduates entering vocational training with little confidence in complete denture techniques. This report has highlighted these difficulties with respect to a current cohort of DF1s.