2003

OrtoPol@r

Background

The pilot OrtoPol@r was initiated by the Public Dental Health Service in Troms County , which also owns the project today. Plans and preparations for the project were laid out as early as Autumn 2002. The project has now been implemented and the distance education in orthodontics started up Autumn 2003.

Most of the basis for the project is found in the report "The Education of Specialists and Establishing Regional Competence Centres" (IK-2701, Governmental Health Attention) "Utdanning av spesialister og opprettelse av regionale odontologiske kompetansesentra" (Utredningsserie 5-99, IK 2701, Statens helsetilsyn) and in the memorandum "Suggestions for the Disposal of the Contributing Resources for the Education of Specialist Dentists" "Forslag til disponering av tilskuddsmidler til spesialistutdanning av tannleger" .

These reports make it clear that a decentralized specialist education will contribute to geographical distribution of specialists. The main intention behind the documents is to step up the work for a decentralized specialist education.

The Dental Health Service is classified as the most decentralized health service, by the Social- and Health Department and its action programme for electronic interaction in the health- and social sector (2001-2003), called "Si @!". It is emphasised that the dental health service will be in the need of an extended interaction and cooperation. Telemedicine offers new potential for competence building and can improve possibilities for coordinating patient information, specialist consultations, distance assistance and distance teaching.

Project description

The specialist education in orthodontics starting autumn 2003 and ending in spring 2006 is undertaken by two students situated at the Dental Competence Centre in North Norway. Through the use of telemedical solutions, the students follow the same teaching as corresponding students at The Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo. Virtually all clinical teaching is under the guidance of a local instructor. The quality of the education at the Dental Competence Centre will be equal to the education offered at the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Oslo.

Telemedicine offers a broader co-operation and exchange of skilled competence. A video conference room is installed at the faculties in Oslo and Bergen and at the Dental Competence Centre in North Norway . This offers an extended communication between the institutions. An investment in digital x-ray equipment and cameras are also made.

The Project's Main AimsTo create a better distribution and stability of orthodontists. In the last few years, the Public Dental Health Service in Troms County has given scholarships to five students attending the orthodontic specialist education. In spite of this, there is only one orthodontist in the county at the moment. It is therefore believed that an offered education in the county is the best remedy to counter this trend and to recruit specialists to North Norway.

Educational Capacity Extended.
The educational capacity is extended by 25 percent by Autumn 2003, as two students is taught locally in addition to the eight specialist students that are attending the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Oslo. The dental treatment capacity of today is thus maintained.

To examine and evaluate experiences from the project. These will be useful for a transfer of a distance education to other odontological areas and to other dental centres of competence.

To contribute to creating a core of educated specialists for teaching and instructing positions at the Institute of Clinical Dentistry, University of Tromsø. The project's aim is also to path the way for educating possibilities of scientific personel in clinical specialist branches of knowledge.

To straighten the regional dental centres of competence and to stimulate the creation of new models of co-operation and transfer of competence between institutions, by means of telemedical solutions.

Thorough work and planning is emphasised so that the project can be used as a model for decentralized specialist education in other areas of odontology and other dental centres of competence.

The Public Dental Health Service in Troms is already planning a decentralized specialist education in other subjects, which they hope will be starting up by Autumn 2006.

Project Partners

The project consists of the following co-operative partners; the Public Dental Health Service in Troms County, the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Oslo, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Tromsø, the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Bergen and the Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine. They are all fundamental contributors.

The Public Dental Health Service in Troms County , together with the Dental Competence Centre, is in charge of the students' clinical practice. The centre has local instructors and offers a stimulating interdisciplinary environment.

The Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Oslo is in charge of the education program. The students at the Dental Competence Centre in North Norway takes part in the student assembly in Oslo.

The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Tromsø contribute with teaching resources for parts of the curriculum. It will also be conducive to resources for scientific projects, such as library and lab services.

The Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Bergen is central for the technical cooperation and the joint teaching.
The Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine contributes with its competence in telemedicine with regards to both technical solutions and evaluation.

Project period

2003 to 2006

Contact person at NST

Jan-Hugo Olsen, telephone +47 415 15 095

More information about the project

Project report in Norwegian with english summary

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