Where can I learn how to place dental implants? Perspectives from Scandinavia and Canada.

An overview is presented of the educational opportunities that exist for dentists in Canada and in the five Nordic countries who wish to learn how to implement implant dentistry in clinical practice. This theme is discussed in the context of the demographic and educational realities in these countries. Data related to dental demographics, implant dentistry educational aspects, advertisement of postgraduate education courses, and demographic and geographic facts were collected from various databases and compared. The educational philosophies and approach to patient care differ between Canada and the five Nordic countries, which make it questionable whether one teaching model for a global implant training program will fit all. Despite these differences, if one is to proceed, a competency-oriented education model seems to be the way forward. The challenge to construct courses in implant dentistry within this competence-oriented education model remains.