[Study section "From Symptom to Disease"-steps towards an integrated dentistry program]

Based on the integrated medicine program (iMED) at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, the dental education concept was fundamentally revised and an integrated dentistry program (iMED DENT) was developed. During this process, reform goals such as interdisciplinarity between dentistry and medicine, early patient contact, and psychosocial and communicative competencies as well as a scientific orientation were defined. The second study section "From Symptom to Disease" during the second and third years of study form a link between "Normal Function" in the first year and the final training section "Therapy". The modular structure of the integrated dentistry program allows topics to be taken up repetitively and deepened as well as strengthen dental skills during the preclinical practical training in preparation for patient treatment. Here, the implementation of dental prophylaxis, assisting in the clinic, and the assessment of patients' findings create an early link to the practice. Newly integrated are the science and communication tracks, which are also modular and closely interlinked with dentistry. So far, the results of the first three cohorts indicate a successful implementation of the new concept, but it should be continuously developed and improved.