Special care dentistry undergraduate curriculum in Asia-Pacific: a descriptive study of 31 dental schools

Special care dentistry (SCD) addresses the oral health needs of individuals whose disabilities, medical complexities, or social circumstances limit access to dental care. With rapid population ageing and a high disability prevalence, the Asia-Pacific region faces a growing demand for dentists competent in managing patients requiring special care. For the majority of patients requiring special care, routine basic dental care is helmed by the general dentist. While the International Association for Disability and Oral Health (iADH) has published undergraduate curriculum guidance for SCD, its implementation and attainment of learning objectives within dental schools in this region has not been examined.

This study aimed to describe the status of undergraduate SCD education across dental schools in Asia-Pacific, using the iADH guidance as a benchmark, and to identify strengths and gaps to inform future curriculum development.

A descriptive survey was conducted among faculty members involved in undergraduate SCD teaching in dental schools in the Asia-Pacific region. An online questionnaire was administered between December 2025 to February 2026, assessing the extent to which programmes fulfilled learning outcomes across the 6 competency domains of the iADH guidance. Data on course structure, teaching hours, educational modalities, and perceived limitations were collected. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics, while open-ended responses were analysed thematically.

Thirty-one dental schools from 11 countries and jurisdictions participated. SCD was more commonly delivered as an independent subject, with a median of 15 h of didactic teaching and 8 h of clinical exposure. Overall, more schools reported sufficient fulfilment of the learning outcomes, although only three fully adopted the guidance. Common challenges included limited clinical exposure, shortages of trained academic staff, and considerations in adapting the guidance to local contexts.

Undergraduate SCD education in the Asia-Pacific region is active but variable within the sample institutions. Given uneven regional representation, the findings of this study serve as useful exploratory data. While the iADH guidance provides a valuable framework, greater flexibility, contextual relevance, and support for clinical training and educational leadership should be advocated to ensure graduates are practice-ready to meet the oral health needs of patients requiring special care.