Dentists’ training in Chile and some iberoamerican countries. Considerations for education, health and job

In recent years, several studies focused on the training of dentists in Chile and other Ibero-American countries and its implications have been published. However, there is no analysis of all the evidence at a regional level. The aim of this article is to review the changes in training for dentists in Ibero-America, the educational and/or sanitary policies associated to these changes and the impact that they have for dentists in the future in Chile and the region. In general terms, a strong increase in the amount of available places for studying dentistry, without a clear sanitary or educational planning to justify it, has been observed in several countries of the region this rise does not show a positive impact in the access to dental treatment, especially for the poorest populations. Although the levels of satisfaction are high among dentists, an unemployment rise and a salary decrease have been observed over the last few years, which could impact professional satisfaction. In Ibero-America, an exponential increase of dental schools, without a positive impact on the oral health of the population, but negatively affecting workforce, is observed. Keywords: “Dentists”[MeSH], “Work”[MeSH], “Job Satisfaction”[MeSH], “Education, Dental”[MeSH], “Public Health”[MeSH]. Formacion de dentistas en Chile y otros paises iberoamericanos. Consideraciones en educacion, salud y trabajo. En los ultimos anos se han publicado varias investigaciones centradas en el aumento de la formacion de dentistas en Chile y otros paises de Iberoamerica. Sin embargo, no existen analisis de toda la evidencia a nivel regional. El objetivo de este articulo es revisar los cambios en la formacion de dentistas en Iberoamerica, las politicas educativas y/o sanitarias asociadas a dichos cambios y el impacto que han tenido en el futuro para los odontologos de Chile y la region. En terminos generales se observa un fuerte incremento en la cantidad de plazas disponibles para estudiar odontologia en varios paises del area, sin una clara planificacion sanitaria o educativa que lo justifique. Este crecimiento no ha mostrado un impacto positivo en el acceso a atencion odontologica, especialmente de aquellas poblaciones de escasos recursos. Si bien los niveles de satisfaccion de los dentistas son elevados, en los ultimos anos se ha observado un aumento de la cesantia y una disminucion de los sueldos, lo que podria impactar la satisfaccion profesional. En Iberoamerica se observa un crecimiento exponencial en la formacion de dentistas, que no ha impactado positivamente la salud oral de la poblacion, pero si negativamente a la fuerza laboral. Palabras clave: Dentistas, Trabajo, Satisfaccion Laboral, Educacion Dental, Salud publica.Palabras clave: Dentistas, Trabajo, Satisfaccion Laboral, Educacion Dental, Salud publica. Dentists’ training in Chile and some iberoamerican countries. Considerations for education, health and job. In the recent years many research focused on the training of dentists in Chile and other countries of Iberoamerica and its implications have been published. However, there is no analysis of all the evidence at a regional level. The aim of this article is to review the changes in the training of Dentists in Iberoamerica, the educational and/or sanitary policies associated to these changes and the impact that these have had in the future for the dentists in Chile and the region. In general terms it´s been observe a strong increase of the amount of available places for studying Dentistry in several countries of the area, without a clear sanitary or educational planning that justify it. This increment does not show and positive impact in the access to the dental treatment, especially in the poorest populations. Although the levels of dentist´s satisfaction are high, in the recent years have been observed a rise in the unemployment and a salary decrease, which could impact in the professional satisfaction. In Iberoamerica uncontrolled growth is observed in the training of dentists, which has no positive impact on the population´s oral health, but negatively to the workforce. Keywords: “Dentists”[MeSH], “Work”[MeSH], “Job Satisfaction”[MeSH], “Education, Dental”[MeSH], “Public Health”[MeSH].