We can solve dental problems in Kalmar County

In Sweden, the dental health of the adult population has improved over the past eight years. The National Board of Health's report on strikes at Dental Health 2017.

But dental care will face major challenges in the coming years. Sweden faces a major demographic challenge in which the number of children, young people and the elderly is increasing rapidly. However, the proportion of the population of working age is increasing considerably more slowly. It means less worrying more.

One of the biggest challenges is the lack of dentists in Sweden. It's vast and it's usually the smaller resorts that suffer the most. For example, Folktandvården in Kalmar County said last spring that it was necessary to call on nine other dentists.

The problems are disturbing and well known. For example, the 2018 National Board of Health's national planning assistance shows that the number of dentists is likely to decline over the next decade due to the large number of retirees. And in 2016, the National Board of Health issued 398 IDs to dentists, down from 2015 and 2014, where 466 and 411 dentist certificates were issued.

"In order to maintain quality, create equal dental health and protect patient safety, dental education is necessary for both quality assurance and development."

Urban Englund, dentist and chairman of the board, Praktikertjänst.

This range of little practical experience will replace the thousands of experienced dentists who are expected to retire over the next ten years. When fewer and less experienced dentists are caring for a larger, older and larger population, this can lead to long wait times. It may also jeopardize the high quality of dental care.

A deficiency in dentistry also risks creating more inefficient dental health. In the 2017 Report on Dental Health, the National Council of Health and Welfare states that there are large regional differences in the country. And in order to maintain quality, create equal dental health and protect patient safety, dental training is needed for quality assurance and development.

In order to maintain quality, create equal dental health and protect patient safety, dental education is required for quality assurance and development.

The "new" solution required to ensure the clinical skills of new graduates and improve accessibility in sparsely populated areas is, if we look back in time. Between 1984 and 1996, a one – year dental education was followed by a test. It was removed because there was unemployment among dentists.

At the present time, some dental programs offer TA-type systems, but they need to be formalized and developed so that practitioners gain a better understanding of dental care and the reality of receptions.

That 's why we propose to introduce in dental education a mandatory one year fellowship service along with a clinical skills training. In addition, county councils and regions should set up a system of accredited health practitioners – private and public – who will assist and supervise newly trained or graduated dentists outside Sweden.

The service of bastions should be complemented by a state stimulus fund, a higher contribution in rural areas and in neighborhoods of big cities where it is difficult to recruit employees.

Through an emergency service system, dental providers can take joint responsibility for oral health throughout Sweden, not just in the most attractive places.

Urban Englund, Dentist and Board Chair, Internship Service

Erik Strand, President and CEO, Praktikertjänst

Marcin Machaj, dentist, Praktikertjänst, Kalmar Dental Hospital

Robert Hällqvist, dentist, Dental clinic Praktikertjänst Kronan

Joakim Jerlardtz, dentist, Dental clinic Praktikertjänst Kronan