The development of competencies for specialists in dental public health

This paper describes the process of developing new competency statements and performance indicators for the specialty of dental public health. These competencies help define the specialty and provide a base for educational curricula and the specialty board examination. The process included a survey of four target groups: all board members, all directors or co-directors of advanced education programs in dental public health, people who had become diplomates in the last three years, and all students currently enrolled in dental public health programs. Many constituencies were represented at the workshop, conducted in May 1997, to develop the competency document. After the workshop, the document underwent a series of review activities.