TY - JOUR
T1 - Current practice patterns and training project of oral pathology specialists in Taiwan
AU - Cheng, Feng Chou
AU - Chang, Julia Yu Fong
AU - Lin, Tzu Chiang
AU - Chang, Wen Chiung
AU - Chiang, Chun Pin
AU - Chang, Yung Ta
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Association for Dental Sciences of the Republic of China
PY - 2020/6
Y1 - 2020/6
N2 - Background/purpose: There were 70 oral pathology specialists (OPSs) in Taiwan till 2018. This study reported the current practice patterns and training project of OPSs in Taiwan. Materials and methods: This study exploited the secondary data analysis and interview to survey the current practice patterns and training project of OPSs in Taiwan. Results: Of the 70 OPSs, 8 practiced both anatomical oral pathology (oral histopathological diagnosis) and clinical oral pathology (oral medicine), 8 practiced both general pathology (majorly) and anatomical oral pathology (minorly), 5 practiced oral medicine only, 30 practiced general dentistry or other dental divisions, 11 did teaching or researching, and 8 had retired. There were 9 OPS training hospitals (8 medical centers and one regional hospital) that had 23 OPSs and a training capacity of 11 dentists. Of the 9 OPS training hospitals in Taiwan in 2019, 5 were located in the northern, one in central, two in southern, and one in eastern region. Moreover, we found none of the dentists applying for the OPS training program and the number of OPSs did not increase along with the population and the number of the dentists in recent two years. Conclusion: Only 8 OPSs practice both anatomical oral pathology and oral medicine in Taiwan and the manpower of the OPSs in Taiwan faces a severe problem of shortage. We suggest that the government should build a long-term budget to subsidize young OPSs and those dentists who enter the OPS training program to resolve this OPS shortage problem.
AB - Background/purpose: There were 70 oral pathology specialists (OPSs) in Taiwan till 2018. This study reported the current practice patterns and training project of OPSs in Taiwan. Materials and methods: This study exploited the secondary data analysis and interview to survey the current practice patterns and training project of OPSs in Taiwan. Results: Of the 70 OPSs, 8 practiced both anatomical oral pathology (oral histopathological diagnosis) and clinical oral pathology (oral medicine), 8 practiced both general pathology (majorly) and anatomical oral pathology (minorly), 5 practiced oral medicine only, 30 practiced general dentistry or other dental divisions, 11 did teaching or researching, and 8 had retired. There were 9 OPS training hospitals (8 medical centers and one regional hospital) that had 23 OPSs and a training capacity of 11 dentists. Of the 9 OPS training hospitals in Taiwan in 2019, 5 were located in the northern, one in central, two in southern, and one in eastern region. Moreover, we found none of the dentists applying for the OPS training program and the number of OPSs did not increase along with the population and the number of the dentists in recent two years. Conclusion: Only 8 OPSs practice both anatomical oral pathology and oral medicine in Taiwan and the manpower of the OPSs in Taiwan faces a severe problem of shortage. We suggest that the government should build a long-term budget to subsidize young OPSs and those dentists who enter the OPS training program to resolve this OPS shortage problem.
KW - Current practice pattern
KW - Dental specialist system
KW - Oral medicine
KW - Oral pathology
KW - Oral pathology specialist
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jds.2020.03.002
DO - 10.1016/j.jds.2020.03.002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85087792246
SN - 1991-7902
VL - 15
SP - 168
EP - 175
JO - Journal of Dental Sciences
JF - Journal of Dental Sciences
IS - 2
ER -