Oral care study field – accreditation for the 7 years!

The Department of Oral Care has received excellent news from the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education!

On 24th November 2020 an international external evaluation of the study field of oral care took place. The Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education, based on the conclusions of the external evaluation of the studies prepared by the experts and taking into account the proposal of the Study Evaluation Commission, made a decision on the evaluation of the first cycle studies in the field of oral care. The field of studies is accredited at Klaipeda State University of Applied Sciences (KVK) for 7 years.

During the external evaluation, the experts evaluate the field of study according to 7 areas: study goals, results and content; Interfaces between science (art) and study activities; Student admission and support; Study, study achievements and graduate employment; Teachers; Study material resources; Study quality management and publicity.

During the external evaluation, the experts met remotely with the administration of the KVK and the Faculty of Health Sciences, the compilers of the self-analysis summary of the studies in the field of oral care, lecturers of the field, students, graduates and employers.

The Department of Oral Care implements two programs in the field of oral care at the Faculty of Health Sciences – Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting. The KVK programme of Dental Assisting has been implemented for almost two decades, and the study programme of Dental Hygiene – for 12 years.

Oral care study field programmes occupy a special place in the context of other study fields developed by KVK. The oral care field is leading in popularity among those who choose KVK.

The Oral Care Department prepares a highly qualified oral care specialist who, working independently could provide oral care services taking into account the needs of patients assess oral health status and the need for preventive and interventional procedures, systematically educate individuals and the community. During practical studies, students continuously learn, develop and consolidate their manual skills as Dental Hygiene specialists, as well as develop communication skills with the prospective patient and learn how to teach the patient the principles of oral care.

Dental Hygiene students are constantly involved in conducting applied research. Research is often commissioned by various business companies and carried out by students, who then use the data to prepare their final theses. These students have the opportunity to hear first-hand about innovations in the field of oral disease prevention, as business representatives periodically prepare presentations of the latest products for KVK students. KVK practical training bases with modern dental chairs are adapted to simulate real working conditions. Many students also enjoy the opportunity of the Erasmus+ programme and often choose to study and do internships in foreign countries like Portugal, Turkey, Sweden or Italy.

The need for dental assistants in the labour market remains very high, with students finding employment in dental clinics already during their studies. Oral hygienists find a job not only in Lithuania, but also abroad.

We are proud of our fruitful partnership with employers, professional associations and other higher education institutions. Effective involvement of social stakeholders in the processes of evaluation and improvement of the field of studies is one of the essential factors determining the quality of studies.

We are pleased with the excellent expert assessment and insights that point in the direction of continuous improvement.

12 May 2021