Considering Quality in Dental Education

The terms quality assurance, quality improvement, and accreditation are widely used in dental education and training, yet these concepts are often used interchangeably both in practice and in discourse. This article seeks to clarify their distinctions by examining how they are operationalised within three contrasting frameworks: the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) in the United States, quality assurance systems within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), and the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE) LEADER Programme. CODA illustrates a model in which accreditation and quality assurance are closely integrated within a regulatory framework. European systems aligned to the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) demonstrate a structured approach to quality assurance emphasising institutional responsibility and cyclical review. In contrast, LEADER represents a model of quality improvement grounded in peer review and continuous enhancement. Considered together, these approaches highlight differing, yet complementary, interpretations of quality in dental education. It is expected that clarifying these distinctions will support more precise use of terminology and more productive international and multi-stakeholder dialogue. The paper provides a common 'Quality Framework' which will support a unified approach to quality across organisations, whilst respecting the various processes employed across the sector.