THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPETENCES FOR SPECIALISTS IN DENTAL PUBLIC-HEALTH

This paper describes the process of developing new competency statemen ts and performance indicators for the specialty of dental public healt h. These competencies help define the specialty and provide a base for educational curricula and the specialty board examination. The proces s included a survey of four target groups: all board members, all dire ctors 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 199 7, to develop the competency document After the workshop, the document underwent a series of review activities.